The Supreme Court’s Law Library provides immediate legal research support online or over the phone, and by appointment in person.

The Supreme Court’s Law Library provides immediate legal research support online or over the phone, and by appointment in person.

Legal professionals and aspiring attorneys in need of research assistance can turn to the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Law Library.

The Law Library contains numerous resources for lawyers and law students to help with research needs at no cost. That includes collaborating with the library staff. As part of making an appointment, staff find out what specifically a requestor is trying to locate so the librarians can start the information-gathering process ahead of a visit.

“The appointments allow us to prepare all the researchers’ materials before they arrive, allowing the patrons to utilize their time more efficiently,” says Law Library manager Erin Waltz. “That way when people get here, including some from more than an hour away, they’re ready to go.”

The practice of legal research and preparation is nothing new to Waltz who has been doing it for 24 years. Equipped to handle all kinds of in-depth inquiries, the most common requests she and the staff receive can be resolved in a matter of minutes. These asks include finding a specific legal form or understanding the origins of a law.

“For legislative history, people are trying to find out what the General Assembly meant, or the source of the language used when statutes or regulations went into effect,” Waltz said.

The Law Library’s assistance with these requests saves even more time since they can be handled online or by phone at 614.387.9680. Forms and documents can be scanned and emailed in as little as 15 minutes.

Waltz adds that the library has seen a noticeable increase in the past two years with people seeking help by phone or email from “all over the state and beyond.”

For those who do require an in-person appointment at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center in Columbus, the Law Library can handle almost anything you can ask of them.

“Recently, we had a woman asking for details about an obscure case from more than 100 years ago,” Waltz said. “Sure enough, we have over 300 pages about it.”

Appointment availability is from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

On-site appointments include free access to the Court’s digital library, legal research platforms Lexis and Westlaw, and thousands of hard-copy materials on state and federal law.

The same staff provide services to the Supreme Court justices, judges and courts across Ohio, the state legislature, and many state agencies.

“The staff is here to help, and we’re happy to assist anyone,” Waltz said.