Attorneys & Public

Use of the Library

As a federal government depository library, and as part of Gonzaga University’s mission of justice and service, Chastek Library welcomes members of the public to use our collections and services during public access hours (posted in the side bar for Attorneys & Public).

Gonzaga Law alumni, members of the local bar association, and local judges may use the library during the hours posted in the side bar for Attorneys & Public, and may check out circulating materials.

Library Policies

• Borrowing Privileges

  General Public: Public patrons do not have borrowing privileges.
  Attorneys: Gonzaga Law alumni, members of the local bar association, and local judges have borrowing privileges. To obtain a library card present your bar card at the circulation desk and fill out an application. Cards are free for Gonzaga Law alumni and $25.00 per year for all others.

• Photocopying & Computers

  Photocopiers are available for public use. Computers in the library’s labs are for the use of only Gonzaga Law students. Computers are not available to the public for e-mail or general internet surfing. You may access the internet using your own laptop. Please ask at the Circulation Desk for the code to the law school’s guest wireless network.

Legal Research

Public patrons are welcome to use legal materials during the hours displayed in the side bar for Attorneys & Public. Professional research assistance is available Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Limited reference assistance is available at other times. Please note that the library staff cannot give legal advice.

• Chester – Library’s catalog is available to everyone.
• Internet Research – Collection of links to federal, Washington, and Idaho primary legal sources. Includes links to foreign & international legal sources, and general legal sites.
• Nolo’s Legal Encyclopedia – Thousands of free legal articles and other materials.
• People’s Law Dictionary – Search the dictionary by word, phrase or legal term.
• WEX – Collaboratively-edited legal dictionary and encyclopedia from Cornell Law School. Intended for law novices, including law students and lawyers entering new areas of law.
• Research Guides – Collection of guides developed by Chastek librarians to assist patrons in their legal research using our collection; includes links to other research guide sources.
• LexisNexis Academic – Sub-set of the full LexisNexis database. Limited public availability on computers in the library. U.S. federal & state case law, statutes, and regulations, Shepard’s Citations, and full-text coverage of over 6,000 titles in news, business, medical, and legal publications.
• Other Legal Databases – Due to licensing agreements, subscription databases can only be accessed from inside the library. Some databases are not available to attorneys and the public. Documents or materials retrieved from computers inside the library can be printed or e-mailed.

Free or Low-Cost Legal Services & Information

• Washington Law Help – Self-help legal material on a wide range of civil law matters, including aging and elder law, civil rights, consumer theft, domestic violence, employment, family law, government benefits, health, housing, Native American issues, victims’ rights, and youth. The site also identifies legal service providers and provides sample forms for use in many circumstances.
• lawforWA – Links to free legal and government information in Washington State.
• Legal Voice – Northwest organization dedicated to securing and protecting women’s legal rights.
• The Pro Se Handbook – Valuable information to help you represent yourself in court. Produced by the King County Bar Association, this guide is especially aimed at representing yourself in King County Superior Court. However, much of the information is applicable to civil cases filed in any Superior court in Washington State.

Legal Assistance in the Spokane Area: