Due to inclement weather and a brisk interest from our patrons, and because I’m a really nice guy, fines will be waived on any books that were due during snow week, January 16th through January 20th of 2012. You’re welcome! If you have any further questions, please contact Craig Burgess at (206) 296-0940.
Check your mailboxes! Starting today, the Public Law Library of King County will be sending out your annual Subscriber Renewal packets. Enclosed you’ll find all the materials you need to participate in the 2012 Subscriber Program. When you receive your invoice, all you need to do is review and return the enclosed 2012 Subscriber Invoice along with a check for your Subscriber fees. Renewal provisions can be found on the invoice. If you have any questions about the renewal process or the Subscriber Program, please contact Rick Stroup, Patron Access Services Librarian, by phone (206) 296-0940 or by email rick.stroup@kingcounty.gov.
Are you 13-25 years old and in need of legal help? SYLAW, or Street Youth Legal Advocates of Washington, is a nonprofit organization that provides civil legal representation to homeless and at-risk youth. To take advantage of their services, contact SYLAW at info@sylaw.org or visit one of their many Drop-In Clinics.
SYLAW will also help citizens of ANY age seal their juvenile criminal records. If your juvenile criminal record is from King County or Snohomish County, you can visit one of SYLAW’s many Juvenile Record Sealing Clinics that are offered once a month. If your juvenile criminal record is from another county in Washington State, SYLAW offers an online interactive form generator that asks you questions, then generates the forms for you.
The Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) recently contacted us and asked us if we wouldn’t mind handing out some brochures highlighting the free and low-fee legal clinics ELAP offers. Not only are we happy to accommodate the request, we thought it would be a good idea to feature them in our blog. For those of you not familiar with ELAP, they are a non-profit agency that provides access to justice through free or low cost civil legal aid to low income residents of East and Northeast King County, as well as domestic violence legal aid throughout King County. To learn more about ELAP’s legal clinics, be sure to check out their List of Services and their Legal Clinics Calendar.
A few days ago, a library patron asked me if I knew where he could get forms for requesting relief from Washington state’s sex offender registration requirements. Lo and behold, I found them on the Washington Courts website. They were not there last time I was asked this question. Admittedly, the last time I was asked this question was about two years ago! Anyway, it seems they were added in June of 2010, which doesn’t actually make them *new* so to speak, but nevertheless came as a surprise to me and at least one of my peers who happened to be standing nearby when the reference transaction was taking place. So, for those who, like me, were not aware of these *new* forms, I have provided a link to them below.
On September 1st, 2005, King County Local Rule 33(a) adopted a process for approving pattern interrogatories for use in discrete practice areas. Unfortunately, reality sometimes falls somewhat short of the promise. In January 2009, a mere 3 1/2 years after the rule was adopted, the King County Bar Association delivered at least a portion of the forms we had been anticipating. Ignore the website mentioned in the Court Rule – it doesn’t actually carry the interrogatories in question. They can be found, instead, at the following links:
In early December, the King County Law Library sent off subscriber renewal packets to everyone who joined us in 2010. Enclosed were all materials you or your firm would need to renew for the 2011 subscription year. If you haven’t already returned your packet to us, we urge you to do so. Your support has been invaluable to the Library’s operations. We hope you will support us again through the upcoming year so we can continue to offer you the same great service! If you haven’t yet received your packet, please contact Craig Burgess at craig.burgess@kingcounty.gov or by phone at 206-296-0940.
Now that the Housing Justice Project has officially completed its first week in its new temporary location at the King County Law Library, it seems appropriate to mention that the HJP is still open for business during its regular hours of operation. This means that they are accepting visitors from 8:00am – 10:30am on weekdays and from 4:00pm – 6:00pm on Mondays and Thursdays. So, even though the library closes at 5:00pm on weekdays, library staff will be available during the evening hours on Mondays and Thursdays to ensure that patrons still have access to HJP’s services!
The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington has published an online resource on how to obtain a court order waiving or reducing the interest that accrues on legal financial obligations. The packet contains information regarding the Washington state laws that govern the process, as well as step-by-step instructions and court forms for completing the procedure yourself. For more information, please use the following links:
Interest Waiver Guide (from the ACLU)
Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Title 10.82.090 – Interest on Judgments
General Stanley McChrystal, Top Commander in Afghanistan, was fired today by President Obama and replaced by General David Petraeus, who had previously led United States forces in Iraq. The switch was made after General McChrystal made comments criticizing the Obama administration’s war policies in a Rolling Stone Magazine article. Although few are criticizing Obama’s move, many question whether a change in military leadership will do anything to solve the problems arising from the war in Afghanistan.
For more information, read the following links:
Obama Relieves McChrystal of Command (NBC News)
The Runaway General (Rolling Stone)
New General, Same Problem for Obama in Afghanistan (Newsweek)