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Criminal Justice

Smith County Law Library

The Smith County Law Library is located in the basement of the Smith County Courthouse in downtown Tyler.  Hours are M-F, 8-noon and 1-5, except for legal holidays. https://www.smith-county.com/government/departments/law-library

from their handout:

The Smith County Law Library is open to attorneys, judges, and the general public at no cost.  County law libraries make legal research materials available to the public.  Because it is a research library, books and materials may not be taken out of the Library.  A copy machine is available for making copies at a nominal cost of 25 cents per page.  The Law Library pays particular attention to the area of Texas law and documents.  We also have U.S. statutes and cases, however we do not have state law from other states.  Computers are available with access to the Internet to search other legal sites.  The Law Library is managed by the Smith County Bar Association under the Law Library Committee with the County providing space and maintaining the Library facilities.

The public is welcome to come in to do their own research.  Law Librarians are here to assist in using available materials.  Law librarians are not attorneys and cannot:

  • Give legal advice;
  • Interpret statutes, cases, or regulations;
  • Choose language for legal documents;
  • Select forms or aid in filling them out; or
  • Answer legal questions

Smith County Law Librarians can direct pro se litigants to the materials that may be helpful in finding answers to legal questions.  We may also be able to direct you to other sources or agencies which might be able to refer you to where certain materials may be found in the library, but whatever forms you should or may choose to use in a legal matter is left solely to your decision.  There are no standard forms, those found in the books are guidelines for making forms and were written under the assumption that they would be used by attorneys.  Please do not ask the Librarians for advice or help in filling out forms.  The best advice we can give you is to read the information or instructions.  Please remember that the staff is PROHIBITED BY LAW from giving legal advice.

also:

Resources in the library include legal information, such as case law, litigation guides, statutes and other print material, in addition to WestlawNext, LexisAdvance and other online  sources.