Lexis | Westlaw | California Courts
FAQ
General Information
- What is the California Judicial Center Library?
- Is CJCL open to the public?
- Can CJCL staff answer questions from the public?
- What is in the Library Catalog?
- Who can borrow materials in the Library Catalog?
- Does the Library Catalog indicate whether items are checked out?
- Does the Library Catalog contain digital versions of books or other materials in the collection?
- What is the California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal Database?
- Who can have access to Lexis and Westlaw from the CJCL website?
- Is CJCL a federal or state depository library?
General Information
What is the California Judicial Center Library?
The California Judicial Center Library (CJCL) is a law library serving the Justices and staff of the California Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, First Appellate District and staff of the Administrative Office of the Courts. All state and federal primary legal resources and major secondary legal resources are found in CJCL collections.
Is CJCL open to the public?
No, CJCL is not open to the public. However, researchers who wish access to the collections in Special Collections and Archives may request permission to visit by contacting Archives@jud.ca.gov.
Can CJCL staff answer questions from the public?
CJCL staff size is limited. Generally, staff of the Research and Reference Services group refer members of the public to law libraries that are convenient for them to locate answers to their inquiries. Contact: reference@jud.ca.gov.
Staff of Special Collections/Archives assist potential researchers by providing brief responses to inquiries received by email, letter or phone as well as assisting researchers who visit CJCL by permission. Contact: Archives@jud.ca.gov.
What is in the Library Catalog?
The Library Catalog contains records of the holdings of three libraries: CJCL and the libraries of the Second and Sixth Appellate Districts.
Who can borrow materials in the Library Catalog?
Justices and staff of the California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal, as well as staff of the Administrative Office of the Courts, may borrow materials listed in the Library Catalog.
Does the Library Catalog indicate whether items are checked out?
No, the Library Catalog does not contain circulation data.
Does the Library Catalog contain digital versions of books or other materials in the collection?
Yes, The Library Catalog contains many links to full-text sources. Most full-text sources are acquired at no extra cost to the library, and many of them are acquired because CJCL is a depository for federal and state publications.
What is the California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal Database?
The California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal Database provides current and historical information about the courts. It contains three types of records for
- Justices, including name, year of birth and death, court(s) and division(s) served, appointment date(s) and date(s) of last service.
- Special Collections and Archives, including inventories and collection-level records for personal papers and other memorabilia of members of the California Supreme Court and other legal scholars, and the records of the California Supreme Court Historical Society.
- Oral History Transcripts, including general contents notes, index terms, interview participants, interview date, and pagination.
Who can have access to Lexis and Westlaw from the CJCL website?
Only persons who have authorized logins and passwords can search Lexis and Westlaw, with one exception: Published reports of decisions of the California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal are available via Lexis.
Is CJCL a depository library?
Yes, CJCL is a depository for federal and state publications. With minor exceptions, all federal and state publications in the library's collection are identified in the Library Catalog. CJCL is exempt from the requirement to provide public access under the law's general exemption for libraries serving a state's court of highest appellate jurisdiction (the California Supreme Court).