Legal Research on the Internet
Numerous web-based resources await new legal services attorneys seeking substantive information in various areas relevant to poverty law practice. Moreover, the web offers advocates unparalleled opportunities to connect with one another and to share knowledge and support. This outline offers summaries and links to some of the most popular and useful web sites for legal aid and public interest lawyers. Sites are categorized by substantive area. If you have suggestions for additional sites of interest, please comment on this post.
Attorneys/Legal Services
- Map and listing of state programs available
- Grant instructions and application are available, as is an applicant bulletin board
- Laws and Regulations include the LSC Act, LSC Bylaws, and LSC Regulations
- Recipient Information Network includes a bulletin board, grant information, and other topics of interest to recipients
- Resource Library includes information on practice areas, diversity, management, pro se, technology, intake and state delivery systems
National Legal Aid & Defender Association
- Civil Resources include an E-Library, News items, and Technical Support, among others
- Nationwide job bank featuring open positions in civil legal services, defender organizations, and pro bono and public interest organizations is also available
- Project for the Future of Equal Justice offers initiative on civil rights and racial justice, information on “lowest funded states†and links to multiple e-mail lists
- Membership organization designed to promote pro bono work through innovative uses of technology
- Users may choose a national practice area, such as asylum law, death penalty, human rights, and prisoners’ rights
- Users may also choose a state/region of practice from a drop-down menu
Management Information Exchange
- Organization serving more than 300 subscriber programs’ information and training needs on leadership, management, and fundraising in legal services
- Extensive online library of over 2,000 documents
- Current and back issues of quarterly newsletter, Management Information Exchange, available to subscribers for download online
- Information on fundraising and resource development
Bankruptcy/Consumer
- National support center
- Manuals and newsletters under ‘publications’ may be purchased online
- Documents in ‘unreported cases’ available free of charge
- Good source for legislative news and updates
- Recent Circuit Court Opinions available in ‘Online Resources’
- Weekly podcast available free of charge
- Links to Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure and all Federal Bankruptcy Courts
National Association of Consumer Advocates
- Membership organization
- Amicus briefs in leading consumer protection cases available to non-members
- Consumer-education articles available in Resource Center
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Bankruptcy & Consumer Law Resources
- Links to case documents from bankruptcy litigation
- Links to case documents from consumer law litigation
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on bankruptcy law and consumer law
Civil Procedure/Administrative Law
Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys
- Revised in 2006
- Covers all aspects of federal litigation
- HTML version, which will be fully linked to underlying cases and statutes, forthcoming at eJustice
Community Development
- Users may subscribe to e-newsletters and policy updates
- ‘Resources’ contains information for organizing communities such as, Technical Assistance & Training, Emerging Organization Program Grant opportunities , and Organizational Development Tools
- ‘Issues’ section links to various grassroots policy projects, including the Community Voting Project, the Housing Trust Fund Project, and the Fair Immigration Reform Movement
- Works locally and nationally to promote community reinvestment and economic development in lower-income and minority communities
- Users may browse ‘Publications’ by type of publication, which includes, among others, Research Reports, Reinvestment Alerts, Legislative and Regulatory Comment Letters, and Fact Sheets
- ‘Fact Book’ provides home buyer and foreclosure trends over a six year period for Chicagoland communities
- ‘CU BloG’ offers regular entries and users may register to comment
National Community Reinvestment Coalition
- ‘Best Practices’ section provides a detailed report on the National Civil Rights Best Practices Campaign
- ‘POLICY’ section links to information on Community Reinvestment Act, OCC Preemption Ruling, Predatory Lending Toolkit, and Policy Reports
- Information on Public Internet Channel
- Information on One Global Economy through technology
- Links to The Beehive, an online resource to help low-income people with: Money, Health, School, Jobs, Family, Housing, Immigration. Available in English and Spanish
- Access to the Katrina Help Center
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Community Investment
- Financial Links for Low-Income People provides a toolkit for increasing and retaining participants in financial education programs, report on the impact of financial education on low-income people, and links to purchase curriculum online
- Saving for Education, Entrepreneurship and Down payment (SEED) provides a report on the impact of children’s savings accounts on eliminating poverty, education opportunities, and future aspirations, information on national efforts and national legislation to establish universal children’s savings accounts as well as information on state policy development, and access to a quarterly newsletter
- Section on the Community Reinvestment Act offers a report on using the CRA to sustain financial education programs
- Links to case documents in litigation on community investment issues, such as affordable housing development, community development block grants, job creation, and other community investment issues
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on community investment
- Users may subscribe to a free, bimonthly newsletter, Community Investment News
National Economic Development and Law Center
- Publications cover early care and education, economic impact reports, employment and work force preparation, legal resources, and self-sufficiency standard
- Self-sufficiency calculator can help counselors identify which of 14 different benefits and tax credits clients are eligible for
- Program areas include children, youth & families; community infrastructure; jobs, income and assets; National Network of Sector Partners; and assets, savings and investments.
Disability
National Disability Rights Network
- Links to state Protection and Advocacy Organizations in the ‘About Us’ section
- Amicus briefs available in ‘Amicus Activity’
- P&A news offers updates on network activity
- Regulatory Activity lists comments on proposed federal regulations that raise issues affecting the lives of individual with disabilities
- Inside Washington is a regular publication of policy alerts
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund Inc.
- DREDF is a national law and policy center dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities through legislation, litigation, advocacy, technical assistance, and education and training of attorneys, advocates, persons with disabilities, and parents of children with disabilities
- Case documents available in ‘Legal Cases’
- Archives for Newsletters and Articles available
- ADA guidelines for various commercial establishments available in ‘Technical Assistance’ section
- Articles, manuals, other publications on specific disability law topics available in ‘Issue Areas’
- Members receive multiple publications on federal and state legislative developments and have access to an online case database
- Disability law updates available on the main page
- Links to federal agencies and other resources for information on disability rights
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law National Support Center
- Action Alerts provide opportunities to comment on proposed regulations, join writing campaigns, etc. and are found in ‘Take Action’
- ‘Newsroom’ information available in RSS and via e-mail
Department of Justice ADA Home Page
- Best source of federal information on ADA laws, regulations, and enforcement
- Disability Rights Online periodic newsletter
- Full text of relevant acts and regulations under ‘ADA Regulations and Technical Assistance’
- Links to other government agencies that have responsibilities under the ADA
- Information in Spanish under ‘Reglamentos y Materiales’
Disability Resources on the Internet
- Lists disability organizations for each state, under ‘States’
- Information on specific disabilities available under ‘Subjects’ with links to additional resources for each subtopic
- Information for clients with disabilities and/or parents
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law - Disability
- Links to case documents in litigation regarding Americans with Disabilities Act, assistive technology, medical benefits, Rehabilitation Act, other disability issues, and other discrimination issues
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on issues affecting disabled persons
Disaster Assistance
- People Who Need Help can find links to legal services, FEMA information, and other information on disaster relief
- Legal Aid & Defender programs can access information on substantive law areas, state defender programs, and training programs
- News from the Field section offers current and archived newsletters
- Information on pro bono volunteer opportunities
- Provides information about FEMA programs and what benefits survivors should receive
- Site built using wiki software, which enables users to contribute stories, useful information
- Includes information on recertification and appeal, official FEMA statements, FEMA policies, and training and advocacy materials
ABA - Hurricane Katrina Disaster Resources
- Victims and their families can access information on attorney referrals, links to tax information, and links to FEMA application guides (in English and in Spanish)
- Information for lawyers includes relocation boards, specific assistance for lawyers who are also victims, and guides for practice areas affected by disaster
- Volunteer opportunities are also available
New Orleans Coalition for Legal Aid & Disaster Relief
- Legal Assistance section offers victims information on FEMA and insurance information for individuals and small businesses
- Benefits assistance answers questions that victims may have
- Users may contact the Coalition directly with questions
- Resources is a list of associations and organizations offering assistance to victims
- Blog contains archived news information
Florida Disaster Assistance Manual
- Includes information on how to prepare your program for a disaster, chronological list of tasks before and after a disaster, development and coordination of disaster resources, and legal representation in disaster assistance cases
Education
The Center for Law and Education
- National support center
- Information on Title I and special education issues
- Contact information located at bottom of home page
- Subsections for Students, Parents, Teachers, Administrators
- Laws and regulations available in ‘Policy’
- Reports, statistics, and publications available in ‘Research & Statistics’
Regional Resource and Federal Centers Network for Special Education
- Formerly the Federal Resource Center for Special Education
- Subdivided geographically into six Regional Resource Centers
- Links to state offices and resources available in ‘Information Services’
- Links to information on IDEA, Title I, IEPs, etc. in ‘Topical Index’
Council for Exceptional Children
- Daily news updates available in ‘News And Issues’
- Legislative updates in ‘Legislative Action Center’
- Weekly updates on public policy in ‘Policy & Advocacy’
- Free registration for access to forums and e-communities
Learning Disabilities Association of America
- News and information on federal legislative activities in ‘Bulletins’
- Current and archived news briefs available in ‘LDA News’
- Monthly update on current research on learning disabilities available in ‘Research’
- Best practices and advocacy information can be downloaded in ‘Guides’
- Links to state resources and programs
National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition
- Lesson plans and other information for teachers available in ‘Practice’
- ‘Policy’ includes federal legislation and white house initiatives as well as state legislation
- Current and archived articles available to download in ‘Web Resources’
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law - Education
- Links to case documents from litigation on education issues; cases are organized into multiple sub-categories and are available for download free of charge
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on education law
Employment-Labor-Unemployment Compensation
National Employment Law Project (NELP)
- National support center
- Archived litigation documents in ‘Litigation’
- Subdivided into Projects, which include Immigrant & Nonstandard Workers, U.I. and Safety Net Project, Second Chance Labor Project, and Work and Family Project
- Policy materials for Immigrant & Nonstandard Project in ‘Materials’
- Federal and state policy materials for Unemployment Insurance available in ‘Publications By Type’
- Topical email discussion groups available
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Links to federal EEO Laws, Discriminatory Practices, and Entities Covered by EEO Laws available in ‘About EEO’
- Steps for filing a complaint in ‘How to File’
- General Counsel Annual Litigation Report available in ‘Litigation’
- Employment Law Guide, updated as of September 2005, available under ‘Compliance Assistance’
- Links to selected labor laws
- Latest labor statistics such as, consumer price index, unemployment rate, payroll rate, etc. available at bottom of DOL home page. Subscribe to labor statistics updates here.
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Employment & Labor
- Links to case documents from litigation of employment and labor law; cases are organized into sub-categories and are available for download free of charge
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on employment and labor law
Family Law
American Bar Association – Commission on Domestic Violence
- Listserv available by completing form
- Safety plan brochures available in multiple languages
- ‘For Attorneys’ section contains model code resources, appellate resources, and training materials
American Bar Association - Family Law Section
- Access to e-newsletters, listserv, and other online resources available to members
- Non-members can access a summary of family law in the 50 states, published by Family Law Quarterly
- Resources for military families available in ‘Military Committee’
- Contact information and links to resources available in states affected by hurricanes available in ‘Hurricane Relief Resources’
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Child Support Enforcement
- ‘Handbooks and Pamphlets’ contains information on tribal child support enforcement systems, information for families using TANF, and profiles of state child support enforcement systems
- ‘Policy Documents’ published by OCSE available, which include policy interpretations
- Link to map of state and local IV-D agencies
- Links to other Family Law resources available in ‘Resources & Links’
- Cases of interest available in ‘Cases & News Items’
- Archive of child support articles in ‘Articles’
Center on Law and Social Policy
- RSS and podcast subscription available free and for each section
- Legislative analysis, policy articles, and fact sheets available in each section, which includes Child Care & Early Education, Child Welfare, Child Bearing and Pregnancy Prevention, Disconnected Youth, and Work-Life, among others
- Recent publications available in ‘Couples and Marriage Policy’
- Recent publications available in ‘Child Support and Low Income Fathers’
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Family Law
- Links to case documents in litigation involving family law; cases are organized into sub-categories and are available for download free of charge
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on family law
Food Programs
Food Research and Action Center
- National support center
- ‘Legislative Action Center’ has information on budget/appropriations proposals and legislative calendars
- Basic information available for all ‘Federal Food Programs’
- Information on food stamp programs for immigrant families
- Information on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act in ‘Child Nutrition Program’
- Information for seniors in ‘Elderly Resource Center’
USDA Food and Nutrition Service
- Newsroom provides current and archived news items, fact sheets, and Federal Register Notices
- Research includes Study and Evaluation Plans that describe the programs funded by the USDA each year, Food Stamp Studies, Child Nutrition Studies, WIC Studies, and Food Security Studies, among others
- Regulations and Policy provides links to enacted legislation, regulations, and policy for all government food programs
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Food Programs
- Links to case documents from litigation involving government food programs; cases are organized into sub-categories which include food stamps, WIC, and other food programs
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on food programs
Health-Mental Health
- National support center
- Free membership provides access to e-newsletter
- ‘Library’ includes sections on Children’s Health, Prescriptions, Reproductive Health, Medicaid, Medicare
- ‘Cases’ contains recent and archived case reports, divided by category
- ‘News’ contains alerts, general health news, and links to other health news sources; users may also add a news item
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
- Users may subscribe to e-news as well as RSS for ‘News’ and RSS for legislative alerts
- ‘Take Action’ section includes legislative updates and opportunities to join activities
- ‘Docket’ subsection links to detailed summaries of important litigation, divided into several categories, including Children’s Mental Health, Criminalization, Fair Housing, Voting Rights, Community Service, and Education
- ‘Issues’ button on home page allows users to browse content by category
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- ‘Regulations & Guidance’ includes links to detailed overviews of laws, rulemaking proposals (including an option to submit comments electronically using “e-rulemaking”), manuals, HIPPA administration, and health insurance reform
- Detailed information on Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP programs available
- ‘Research’ section provides links to statistics, trends, and reports
- Users may register to receive multiple e-newsletters
- ‘Issue Areas’ section includes links to relevant content on Medicaid and Children’s Health, Medicare, Prescription Drugs, the Uninsured, Private Insurance, and Minority Health; each section includes an overview, recent news, and links to articles and analysis by other health advocacy organizations
- ‘Tools for Advocates’ provides guides for effective advocacy, tool kits for organizing, tips on contacting the media and elected officials
- Users may browse by ‘Category’ or by ‘State’
- ‘Recent Updates’ includes updated data as well as new data
- ‘Raw Data’ allows users to download data, organized by category
- Users may subscribe to any one of many e-newsletters, reports, update services that are provided by the Kaiser Family Foundation
- RSS is also available for multiple reports
- Weekly alerts are available via e-mail
- Litigation includes active cases, archived cases, and other litigation news
- FAQs, Medicare Part D, and Spanish language resources available
- Center projects include research publications, forums, and newsletters
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Health Law and Policy
- Advocacy materials include background materials for Illinois’ Medicaid waiver program, report on effective community organizing on healthcare issues, and a case study of Illinois’ path to universal health coverage for children
- Information on Shriver Center litigation includes a report of effective litigation of low-income children’s access to Medicaid and a presentation on a recent consent decree
- Links to case documents from litigation of health issues; cases are organized into numerous sub-categories and documents are available for download at no cost
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on health policy and law
Housing
- National support center
- Each section include links to general authorities, laws, and regulations for federal housing program, as well as, information packets and recent developments
- Sections include Public Housing, Section 8 Housing, Section 8 Homeownership, HUD Rental Housing, Housing Preservation, Fair Housing, and Rural Housing Service
- Provides access to the Housing Justice Network, a discussion group for housing advocates across the United States
- Workshop materials from a recent Housing Justice Network Conference address, among other topics, Issues in Housing and Disability Litigation, Slowing Down Criminal Activity Eviction Cases to Find the Truth, and Rent Issues in Public Housing: Verification, Calculation, Earned Income Disregard
ABA Commission on Homelessness and Poverty
- ‘Products and Publications’ provides free access to reports on Homeless in Court, and Advocacy Handbooks for attorneys representing homeless clients
- ABA members may join the Commission
- ‘Homeless Courts’ presents information on Homeless Court Programs - special court sessions that deal with misdemeanor criminal proceedings against the homeless
National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
- ‘Publications’ includes fact sheets, reports, guides to resources for attorneys; users can also browse publications by category
- ‘Housing’ section is divided into multiple categories: Domestic Violence, Base Closure Property, Title V, and Veterans
- Over 800 publications, periodicals, and data sets – users may browse by topic
- Users may subscribe to multiple listservs
- ‘Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse’ provides information on state and local regulatory barriers to affordable housing; topics include Administrative Processes, Building & Housing Codes, Fair Housing, Fees & Dedications, Planning and Growth Restrictions, Redevelopment, Rent Controls, Historic Preservation, Tax Policies, and Land Development
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Newsroom offers state-specific news and webcasts
- Library includes research information, general housing topics, and public housing information, among others
- Handbooks and forms are available for a broad array of topics
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Housing Law and Policy
- Inside Housing current and archived issues available
- Information on Housing Restoration
- Links to case documents from litigation involving housing issues; case documents are organized into multiple sub-categories and are available for download free
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on housing issues
Immigration
National Immigration Law Center
- National support center
- Information on notable litigation, policy articles, and issue overviews available for each section, which include Immigration Law and Policy, Employment Issues, Public Benefits, Driver’s License, and DREAM Act
- Users may subscribe to a print newsletter or access the newsletter online
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- ‘Forms & Fees’ provides downloadable forms with information on where and when to file, and fees, when applicable
- Instructions on what forms may be filed electronically and how to do so
- ‘Services & Benefits’ provides links to laws, regulations, and general information for the various types of visas and different immigration processes
- ‘Laws, Regulations, & Guides’ provides information on policy, links to text of immigration acts and regulations, and BIA decisions
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law - Immigration
- Links to case documents in litigation involving issues affecting immigrants, available for download free of charge
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on issues affecting immigrants
Juveniles
- Users may subscribe to periodic updates
- ‘Litigation’ section provides detailed reports of recent cases involving youth law
- ‘Foster Care Reform’ section provides a docket of cases including active litigation, pending settlement agreements, and damages cases
- Each topic includes links to relevant cases and articles; topics include Child Welfare, Economic Security, Health & Mental Health, and Juvenile Justice
- Users may subscribe to updates via e-mail
- ‘Research’ section provides access to national and state data and users may browse by type of data or by topic
- ‘Child Watch Columns’ offer weekly editorial comment
Child Welfare League of America
- National and State Fact Sheets provide information on the condition of at-risk children nationwide and in all fifty states
- Federal legislative alerts are available as an e-mail subscription
- Research and Data section includes publications of the National Data Analysis System, evaluations of research, best practices, and technical assistance
- Publications include a free e-newsletter, others may be downloaded or ordered
- Resources for pro-bono attorneys include an archive of child care articles
- What’s New section contains current legislative and policy information
- Users may create custom data reports and may use a number of sources, some of which are based on geographic areas, over a period of time, or by comparisons
- Kids Count Publications include data, indicator briefs, and working papers
- Publications includes a wide variety of issues that may affect children
National Center for Children in Poverty
- Data wizards provide data on 50 state policies, demographics and income converters
- Publications are available on several topics, including Economic Security, Early Childhood, Family Stability, and Demographics
- Fact sheets cover a wide variety of current topics
- Publications cover Building Blocks for Youth, Juvenile Justice, Child Welfare, Youth Rights, and Education
- Blog is updated regularly
ABA Center on Children and the Law
- Legal resources available for free download
- Directory of training seminars offered include free or low cost seminars
- Substantive information on courts’ attempts to improve child welfare court systems
- Users may join discussion groups
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Juveniles
- Links to case documents in litigation affecting juveniles available for download free of charge
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on issues affecting juveniles
Center for Adolescent Health and the Law
- News items are available in What’s New
- Publications include monographs, book chapters, and journal articles
- Policy compendium on confidential health services for adolescents is available
Migrant Issues
- National support center
- Information on farmworker housing, employment, food and nutrition, and immigration
- Action Alerts available via e-mail
- Legislative News contains information on Immigration and Labor legislation
- Safety and Health contains information on Environmental Health, Migrant Child Labor, and other archived reports
- HIV & AIDS section contains prevention messages in English and Spanish
National Center for Farmworker Health
- Subscriptions for Farmworker Newsletter and Migrant Health Newsline are available
- Library materials are available for purchase or for loan; registration is required
- Monograph series offers articles on health issues affecting migrant workers
- Fact sheets are available for health issues affecting migrant workers
Farmworker Legal Services of New York
- News contains articles from various legal and policy organizations
- Know Your Rights contains information for farmworkers in English and Spanish, the West Indies H2-A program, and a social security guide
- A litigation docket of archived cases with summaries is available
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Migrants
- Links to case documents from litigation involving issues affecting migrants; sub-topics include Housing, State Law Contract Claims, and Other Issues
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on issues affecting migrants
Rural Issues
- Database of Farm Service Agency administrative notices
- Special sections for Disaster Assistance, Shared Appreciation Agreements, and Contracts
- Farm Law Research section provides links to Farm Service Agency policy statements, handbooks and forms, and articles on agricultural policy
- Subscription to e-newsletter available
- Issues and Work includes: Corporate Farming, Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, Agriculture Policy, High Value Markets (environmentally and socially conscious farming), Beginning Farmer Opportunities, Rural Schools, and Emerging Issues
- Legislative Developments includes 2007 Farm Bill information and links, Action Alerts, and Newsroom information
- Blog is updated weekly and available via RSS feed
- Information on state farm unions
- Current news and policy resources available for each section, which include: Agricultural Programs, Trade, Economic Policy, Cooperatives, Environment, Energy, and Rural America
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Rural Issues
- Links to case documents from litigation involving issues affecting rural communities; subtopics include: Factory Hog Farms, Farm Loan Programs, Race Discrimination in Agriculture, Sustainable Agriculture, and Other Rural Issues
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on issues affecting rural communities
Seniors
National Senior Citizens Law Center
- Health Issues contains news, links to research statistics, policy statements, and recent complaints
- Questions & Answers section provides information for clients
- News section offers updates via e-mail (scroll to bottom of page)
The Center for Social Gerontology
- State legal services section includes recent news from legal service providers as well as state contacts lists
- Law & Aging section provides best practices and legal needs surveys
- Information on Guardianship & Alternatives
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law–Senior Citizens
- Links to case documents from litigation involving issues affecting seniors
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on issues affecting seniors
AARP/Legal Counsel for the Elderly
- Manuals for intake procedures, housing and eviction issues, and holistic legal practice available
- Information and technical support on legal hotlines
ABA Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly
- Publications are available for purchase online
- Legislative updates on state health decisions, information on guardianship and durable powers of attorney
Social Policy
- Multiple RSS feeds available
- Research reports and commentary available on numerous substantive topics, including Crime & Justice, Economy & Taxes, Education, Health & Healthcare, Housing, Welfare, and Work & Income
- Toolkit includes Policy Jargon Decoder, Fact Sheets on Issues, and Data Methods
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- Updates are available via RSS feed and e-mail
- State Policy section includes analysis of state budgets, report on state income taxes & low-income families, and a state-by-state analysis of income trends
- Areas of research include Asset Tests in Public Benefits Programs, Earned Income Tax Credit, Federal Budget, Food Assistance, Health Policies, Housing Policy, Low-Income Immigrants, Poverty & Income, Benefit Program Simplification and Coordination, Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, and Welfare Reform & TANF
Center for Law and Social Policy
- Archived audio conferences available for download free of charge
- Multiple RSS feeds available
- Reports, policy sheets and fact sheets are available in several topical areas, including Childcare & Early Education, Child Support & Low-Income Fathers, Child Welfare, Childbearing & Pregnancy Prevention, Civil Legal Assistance, Marriage Policy, Disconnected Youth, Global Social Policy, Post Secondary Training & Education, Prisoner Reentry, Welfare Policy, Work-Life, and Workforce Development
- Subscribe to e-mail lists and RSS feeds
- Topic areas include Living Standards & Labor Markets, Education, Government and the Economy, Trade & Globalization
- Datazone offers national, state, and regional data on employment, earnings, and labor market trends as well as online calculators for a basic family budget
- Economic Indicators offers information on gross domestic product, family income, and analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly reports
- Issue Guides are available for Living Wage, Minimum Wage, Offshoring, Poverty and Family Budgets, Retirement Security, Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, and Welfare
Social Security-SSI
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
- Links to case documents for litigation involving social security/SSI benefits; subtopics include Hearings, Social Security, Social Security Disability Benefits, and Supplemental Security Income
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on social security/SSI benefits
Social Security Administration Office of Disability - Disability Programs
- Information for applicants includes on How to Apply, a Disability Starter Kit, and a Benefits Planner; also available in other languages
- Information on Medicare or Medicaid benefits, including help with Medicare prescription drug costs, information on Medicare premiums, and a guide to helpful contacts
- Links to program rules, information on the administrative hearing process, and an online Social Security Handbook
National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives
- Comprehensive index, organized by topic, of litigation materials
- Case summaries available via mail order
- Listing of Impairments for Adults, Listing of Impairments for Children, the Medical-Vocational Guidelines (Grids) available via mail order
Health and Disability Advocates
- Formerly SSI Coalition for a Responsible Safety Net
- Access to Health Care includes facts sheets and guides to Medicaid and other materials
- Programs and Services for Children includes Help for Parents, and information for Advocates
- Workforce Development provides information on national guidelines, the Ticket to Work & Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998
Welfare
National Center for Law and Economic Justice
- Formerly the Welfare Law Center
- Docket of case reports and legal documents
- Reports and articles on Childcare and Welfare, Disability and Welfare Reform, Food Stamp Access, and Access to Medicaid
Economic Success Clearinghouse
- Formerly the Welfare Information Network and now part of The Finance Project
- Resources on Welfare Policy and Services, Workforce Development, Work Supports, Income Supplements, and Asset Development
- Subscription to e-newsletters available
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Welfare and Work Supports
- Link to report on administrative barriers to welfare benefits
- Comments to 2006 TANF regulations
- Links to court documents filed in federal and state welfare cases – all documents available for download free of charge and may be tracked using RSS feeds
- Links to Clearinghouse Review articles on welfare
Women
- RSS feeds available for each section of web site
- Publications may be purchased online
- Docket of cases (with links to court documents) filed with the EEOC and in federal court
- Links to pending legislation and recently enacted bills
- Content under each issue topic includes reports, legislative/advocacy materials, and fact sheets; issues include Athletics, Child Care, Child Support, Education, Employment, Women’s Rights, Reproductive Rights, Sexual Harassment, Social Security, Tax, and Women in the Military
- Legislative Action Center offers e-alerts, links to proposed legislation
Center for Reproductive Rights
- Information and court documents from court challenges to legislation regulating abortion
- Links to U.S. Supreme Court cases involving reproductive rights
- Comprehensive docket of cases (both U.S. courts and international courts) and court documents filed by the Center
- Publications may be purchased online; free registration for e-mail list
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law – Women’s Law and Policy
- Access to manuals and information on Illinois legislation that affects survivors of violence, including the Illinois Crime Victim Compensation Act and the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act
- Advocacy materials on education reform to promote school success among pregnant and parenting students and students who are victims of domestic or sexual violence
- Information on crisis assistance for victims of domestic violence through TANF
Other Legal Services
- Legal Services Corporation
- National Legal Aid & Defender Association
- Probono.net
- LSC Recipient Information Network
- LSNTAP
Federal and State Courts
Statutes/Regulations (Federal and State)
- United States Code
- WashLaw Web
- The Federal Register (1994 to present)
- GPO Access
- FindLaw State Resources
- Code of Federal Regulations
- FirstGov, the official site for U.S. Government information, services, transactions, and forms
Pending Legislation
- THOMAS – U.S. Congress on the Internet
Legal News
- Law.com
- Introduction to Basic Legal Citation
- Legal Journals on the Web
- Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School)
Search Engines
- FindLaw - Law, Lawyers and Legal Resources
- Vital Records Information for United States (birth, death or marriage certificate)
# eJustice » Blog Archive » Tools for Keeping Current and Avoiding Information Overload (February 13th, 2009 11:19 am):
[...] articles recent posted to eJustice can help answer these questions. Legal Research on the Internet is a guide to the best sources for substantive legal information of interest to poverty lawyers. An [...]