Administration 706-613-3177 Hours 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday Law Librarian Howard Sligh Location Courthouse, Suite 333 325 E. Washington Street Location Map Mailing Address P.O. Box 1805 Athens, GA 30603

GENERAL INFORMATION
The Athens-Clarke County Law Library is funded under the Western Judicial Circuit Superior Court. The Library's primary purpose is for legal research, but it also has a Lawyers' Lounge and restroom facilities for meetings and conferences. The Law Library has an excellent collection of code books (OCGA and USCS), volumes of United States Reports and Supreme Court Reports, Georgia laws, legal digests, and legal encyclopedias including CJS, some volumes of Words and Phrases, and Georgia Jurisprudence, as well as other sources.

The Law Library also has computer research capability and recently acquired LEXISNEXIS, a legal computer research source with many resources from other jurisdictions as well as Georgia.

The Law Librarian's room number is Room 330 and may be reached by calling (706) 613-3165 for an appointment or to schedule research times or meetings.

RULES FOR USING LAW LIBRARY
Because the Law Library is housed within the confines of the Athens-Clarke County Courthouse, it is necessary to observe proper decorum, both in attire and conduct. There is a security system through which one must pass upon entering the Courthouse placed at both entrances to the Courthouse. Please follow all directions given by the Deputies upon entering. All metal objects and baggage must be placed in the trays provided and passed through a conveyer to be X-rayed. Weapons, sharp objects, sound recording and video recording devices other than cell phones, and cameras are PROHIBITED and will not be allowed inside the Courthouse. As with the rest of the Courthouse, the following rules shall apply to the Law Library:

• There shall be NO LOUD TALKING within the confines of the Law Library. Silence is preferred, but soft conversation between lawyers and clients and questions about research are allowed.
• The use of tobacco products is PROHIBITED within the confines of the Courthouse, including the Law Library. Smoking will NOT be permitted.
• The wearing of unseemly or immodest attire SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED within the Law Library. Such clothing shall include tank tops, spaghetti tops, gym shorts, jogging shorts, halter tops, loose fitting clothing, and any clothing with obscene writing or pictures. All hats and caps must be removed when entering and using the Law Library. Shoes and shirts SHALL BE WORN within the confines of the Courthouse and the Law Library
• All books MUST BE USED within the confines of the Courthouse. Books MAY NOT be taken from Courthouse property. The Law Library DOES NOT AND WILL NOT provide photocopy services, writing material, or secretarial services. All patrons using the Law Library must bring their own writing material and supplies.
• Those wishing to photocopy material from the books shall first fill out a checkout sheet providing name, date, book(s) checked out, office or department, and telephone number. Material may be photocopied in the CLERK OF SUPERIOR/STATE COURT OFFICE, located in Room 450 on the fourth floor of the Courthouse. After asking the Clerk of a Deputy Clerk to copy the item, that office will charge $0.25 for each page copied. After copying the material, please return the book(s) to the Law Library and cross the provided information from the checkout sheet. When returning books or other materials, please place the item(s) on the table. The Law Librarian will reshelve all books and materials.
• Please note that neither the Law Librarian nor any of the personnel employed by the Courts nor the Judges are able to give legal advice or to interpret what an authority says. The Law Librarian is not able to research a topic for anyone outside the scope of employment and except when called upon to do so by the Courts. Any patron of the Law Library performing research is therefore responsible for his or her own work. The Law Library shall not take responsibility for erroneous information that a patron might obtain. All patrons are therefore urged to check their work carefully.
• Young children MUST BE ACCOMPANIED AND SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT who will be responsible for their conduct and their safety.
• Generally food and drink are not permitted in the Law Library; however, there are exceptions, such as service as an alternate juror or witnesses with young children. Otherwise, food and drink may be purchased and consumed in the snack bar on the first floor of the Courthouse.
• The Law Library has a computer whose primary purpose is legal research. Only one person may use it at a time, and such use is limited to one and a half hours. The computer has Internet and word processing capabilities, but the Law Librarian may not offer any typing or secretarial services. Those using the computer must do their own work and must possess competence to use the computer.
• The Lawyers' Lounge located in the Law Library is available to attorneys who wish to meet with their clients, witnesses with or without young children, and alternate jurors. The telephone in the Lawyers' Lounge may be used by lawyers to contact clients or witnesses; otherwise use of the telephone is restricted to the general public and may only be used by permission of the Law Librarian, and only for official business.

MISSION
The Law Library's mission is the attainment of justice and equity and the finding of truth through research and knowledge. It is our hope that those who use this facility will use it for the greater good and will find wisdom in the knowledge they discover as well as truth. All who wish to use this Law Library are welcome, and may all who use this facility find justice and truth in knowledge and wisdom.