Legal Resources
The legal collection, located behind the Adult Services Desk on the second floor, is a collection of materials pulled together in one location to meet your legal needs. Materials included in this collection are the city codes for Bloomington and Normal, tax handbooks, West's Encyclopedia of American Law, and the Illinois Compiled Statutes, among others.
Legal Help in the Community
Located on the 6th floor of the McLean County Law and Justice Center in room 665, the Law Library is open from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Though staff cannot offer you legal advice or represent you in court, they will be on hand to help you navigate the process as scheduling allows. For questions regarding hours and availability of resources, call 309-888-4801.
Illinois JusticeCorps Program
Volunteer program which places law student volunteers in the McLean County Law and Justice Center and law library to help those without lawyers navigate the judicial system*. They can provide legal assistance with:
- Navigating the courthouse and Illinois Legal Aid
- Explaining the court process
- Finding and filling out appropriate forms
- Reviewing forms for completeness
- How to find a lawyer
- Explaining where to file court papers
- Give legal information
- Answering general questions
*Volunteers are not attorneys and cannot give you legal advice or represent you in court.
Legal Self-Help Websites
- Illinois Free Legal Answers
A legal aid nonprofit that also runs a free online legal clinic with the American Bar Association. People who are within 300% of the federal poverty line or just lost a job can logon and ask non-criminal legal questions about unemployment benefits, housing law, family law and more.
- Illinois Legal Aid
Provides Illinois residents with free information on their legal rights and responsibilities, quick referrals to free and low cost legal aid offices, interactive forms, and self-help instructions for common legal problems. Information is available in English or Spanish.
- Immigrants Like Us
A legal aid nonprofit that helps prepare and file immigration documents for free, based out of Harvard University's Innovation Lab.
Users employ the free “TurboTax-style” application to prepare the required forms and supporting documents. Those over the state median income don't get a pro bono review, but can use the platform to prepare their application for free.
- McLean County Circuit Clerk
Provides access to McLean County Specific forms for common legal needs, such as divorce, name change, and guardianship.
- SIU School of Law Self Help Legal Center
Online legal clinic that offers the assistance of third year law students working under faculty and attorney supervision at Southern Illinois University School of Law. The website contains packets of information and forms on Illinois legal issues like divorce, child custody, and contractual agreements.
- NOLO
Offers practical legal advice, access to state statutes, latest legal updates, and general forms.
Assistance from a lawyer
- Mclean County Bar Association
The McLean County Bar Association's lawyer directory.
- Illinois Lawyer Finder
The Illinois State Bar Association's lawyer directory.
- Prairie State Legal Services
A not-for-profit civil law firm that provides free legal service to low-income or senior community members who qualify. Can provide limited service in family and consumer law but does not handle criminal, malpractice or personal injury law. Can be contacted for more information at (800) 874-2536.
Information on State Law
Information on Federal Law
- USA.gov
Access to federal regulations, U.S. laws, and bills in Congress.
- Legal Information Institute
Provides open access to state-by-state legal information, legal dictionaries, and opinions of the Supreme Court since 1990, plus historical and landmark cases.
- Supreme Court of the United States
Official Web site of the United States Supreme Court.
