Frequently Asked Questions

The Sacramento County Public Law Library is located at 813 Sixth Street, two blocks from the downtown courthouse. A branch library specializing in Family Law, Probate, Juvenile Dependency, Unlawful Detainer and Traffic is located on the first floor of the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Court.

How is the library funded and organized?

The library is funded by a share of the civil filing fee. Its space is provided by Sacramento County, and the staff is employed by a Board of Trustees comprised of judges and attorneys.

What is the relationship the library has with the courts?

The library has a contract with the Sacramento Superiors Courts to maintain research libraries for judicial departments and support units.

What library staff serve Court departments?

Library staff members serving the courts are Michael Daubenmire, Anita Bartalini, and Maureen Shepard. Michael is the delivery person who maintains each individual chamber’s book collection. Call Anita Bartalini at 874-8248 with any questions you may have about ordering materials. Maureen Shepard is the leader of the Library’s Support team. Her phone number is 874-8917.

How can I identify a library staff member?

Library staff wear identification badges when delivering for the courts. Staff will enter through the clerk’s office if possible. They will knock before entering chambers. If they encounter judicial officers or court staff, they will identify themselves promptly as being from the Law Library.

How do I borrow law library materials?

If you should need an article, book, or case not available in your collection or from a shared library, you may be able to borrow it from the County Law Library. The library reference desk number is 874-6012. For the Branch library, call 875-3490. Please send court staff to pick up or copy requested items. Our staff size prohibits us from providing a delivery service for library materials. Materials can be returned to the Law Library box in the downtown courthouse mailroom, via inter-office mail (to mail code 115-01), or to the library’s book drop on H Street near Sixth Street.

Can law library materials be delivered to my department?

Our staff size prohibits us from providing a delivery service for library materials.

I am a new judge, what next?

The Judicial Services Officer will set up an appointment for you with Maureen Shepard, who will provide you with information about the Court Library Services Program. Most likely, you will need additional materials for your chamber. Your mentor judge may be able to advise you on some useful titles. After a couple of weeks, Anita Bartalini will consult with you about titles you may need. You must submit book order requests before titles can be approved for order.

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NEWSPAPERS

What if I want to change newspapers?

Send a written request for the change to Anita Bartalini via email or to Mail Code 115-02.

What time will the newspapers be delivered?

Currently, the Daily Recorder and the San Francisco Daily Journal are received each weekday morning and delivered that same morning. In the past, they were received in the afternoon, so that may change. The Los Angeles Daily Journal and the National Law Journal are sent via postal mail and may take several days to arrive.

Why do some papers take several days to receive?

Sometimes not all copies of a paper are received and we have to phone for additional copies that are then received and delivered a few days later.

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LEGAL MATERIALS

How do I get CJER materials?

The Judicial Services Officer notifies CJER of new judges. She will send you a set of materials. Other CJER materials are available by calling (415) 865-7805.

How do I find out if a colleague has materials I could borrow?

Contact the Judicial Services Officer. She may be able to arrange for you to borrow materials you need.

Where are the shared libraries located?

Shared libraries are currently located on the 2^nd and 3^rd floors at WRRFRC, on the 1^st floor at CMJC, in Dept. 63 at the Jail, and in Room 511 on the 5^th floor in the Main Courthouse. If you take materials from a shared library, please show consideration by signing an out card and returning materials promptly.

How are materials assigned to a department or judicial officer?

All materials belong to the Courts and are assigned to Departments as needed. Approval from the Judicial Services Officer is needed to re-assign materials to a new department.

How long does it take to receive material after it has been approved for purchase?

The time needed varies greatly. Some materials have to be paid for in advance, and take longer for that reason. Some can be ordered over the phone, and some require the order to be mailed.

What do I do with old editions or out-dated materials?

You can retain or discard them. If you're unsure about their currency, please contact us and we will make arrangements to assess the material.

What about retaining old materials?

Retaining outdated materials can be dangerous. A number of large sets are no longer being updated, but are retained for aesthetic reasons. It’s not necessary to retain outdated editions, because they are retained in the Law Library’s Historical Collection, where you may access them. We encourage you to discard outdated editions.

Can I get a second copy of BAJI, CALJIC, Jefferson's or some other title?

Due to budget restraints, please limit these to one per department.

What do I do with materials sent directly to me by the vendor?

Keep material from CJER, and send others to the Judicial Services Officer. If you do this promptly, the vendor can be contacted immediately, and often prevented from sending any more materials directly to judicial officers. This also allows the Judicial Services Officer to find out which departments would like to request purchase of the materials. The materials will then be ordered by the usual process which allows for proper invoicing and the receipt of updates.

What if I receive an invoice billed to me?

Send it to the Judicial Services Officer.

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UPDATING MATERIALS

Will I be notified before my books are updated?

The library notifies the Judicial Services Officer of planned updates to Jefferson's California evidence benchbook, BAJI, CALJIC, California courtroom evidence, and other widely used titles. The Judicial Services Officer emails other judicial officers with the estimated dates of when the updates will be done. If you need materials while they are out of your chambers being updated, please call Anita Bartalini at 874-8248 or email her.

Why does the library need to take materials out of my chambers to update and/or why can’t the materials be left for the clerk to update materials?

Updates that can be done quickly such as adding advance pams or updating pocket parts, are done in the chambers. The library only removes those items that take a significant amount of time to update. The library is contracted by the courts to update the materials, and is responsible for the quality and timeliness of the work.

What is the policy for entering chambers?

Staff will enter through the clerk’s office if possible. They will knock before entering chambers. If they encounter judicial officers or court staff, they will identify themselves promptly as being from the Law Library.

What is the library’s policy on updating material?

The library updates all material that has the following three characteristics: 1) it has been purchased for the courts through the law library, and therefore is in the law library's database of court materials, 2) there is a current approved subscription for the title, and 3) it is located in the designated department indicated on the label.

How can I identify materials the library will update?

Material that is labeled with a department number, and is located in the indicated department, and has a Sacramento Judicial Collection barcode on the inside cover, will be updated unless the courts have directed the library to cancel the subscription.

How do know if my materials are up-to-date/current?

If it's a loose-leaf, you will find the date of the last filing and the initials of the filer on the filing instructions located in the front of the book. Contact the library to find out what the latest update for a title is.

How do I receive updates for materials I received from a class?

Send a Material Order Request for updates only to the Judicial Services Officer. If the purchase of updates is approved, the material will need to be sent to the library for entry into the database and assignment to your department. It will then be returned to you, but will now be property of the Court rather than belonging to you personally. The library will then continue to update the material.

When are the West Code pocket parts due to be put in books?

West Code pocket parts are received in December and January and updates are scheduled as soon as possible after arrival. Because of the great volume of materials received, it takes several weeks to update them all.

How do I stop receiving materials and /or cancel a title?

Request cancellation in writing from the Judicial Services Officer.

What do I do about missing/lost materials?

Report missing materials to Anita Bartalini at the library by phone (874-8248) or by email (ABartalini@saclaw.lib.ca.us).

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MOVES

What do I do before I move to a new department?

Please see the Moving to a New Department page of this website.

How do materials get moved to a different department?

Request that the materials be moved to the new department by following the procedures in the Moving to a New Department page of this website.

What happens if I move materials without notifying library?

If materials are removed from departments without notifying the library, new editions and updates cannot be provided. If the Library does not have an accurate location for materials, we cannot update the material.

What if I run out of shelf space?

Contact the library and we will arrange to meet with you to explore options and solutions.

How do I request shifing of materials on my shelves?

Contact the Judicial Services Officer who will coordinate with Court Facilities and the library to do the shift.

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