COVID-19 updates: Free vaccine clinics
Law Library
Contact us
Address
1815 Courthouse
15 Kellogg Blvd. West
Saint Paul, MN 55102
Hours
Monday-Friday
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
The Library is closed
on county holidays.
The Ramsey County Law Library provides residents with free law-related resources including books, journals, electronic databases, informational workshops and legal assistance. Law Library staff members are trained in legal research and can assist patrons in locating legal information in the library.
The law library is open to patrons conducting legal research or who have business in the courthouse.
At this time, the Housing/Conciliation Court Clinic and the Criminal Law clinics will continue with phone consultations. Please call the library at 651-266-8391 to set up an appointment.
Learn more about what law libraries can do to help self-represented litigants by watching this video.
Visit the story map to learn more about county law libraries across the United States.
New Ramsey County Digital Law Library
The law library offers remote access to Lexis treatises via the Ramsey County Digital Law Library.
Registered users can check out electronic copies of essential resources such as:
- Dunnell Minnesota Digest
- LexisNexis Practice Guide: Minnesota Criminal Law
- Minnesota Civil Practice
- Minnesota Family Law Practice Manual
- Minnesota Residential Real Estate
- Pirsig on Minnesota Pleading
- Stein on Probate
And many more! This resource is available to all registered Minnesota attorneys. To sign up, please contact the law library at 651-266-8391 or email us at [email protected].
Access the digital law library
Remote hearings in Ramsey County at the Law Library
If you wish to participate in a remote hearing in Ramsey County, but don’t have a computer or space to do so, the Law Library can help. We have space, access to reliable WiFi, and equipment to help you safely attend your hearing. You can schedule your appointment with the law library by calling 651-266-8391.
Time-limited remote access to Westlaw available
Attorneys and legal researchers who need to access content in Westlaw can do so at the Thompson Reuters website.
To register for temporary access to Westlaw Edge, patrons must select “Government” (Pro Se, Law Student, or anything else will not work). Patrons cannot use an email that has already been registered with the OnePass system. This temporary access is good for 45 days or 20 hours, whichever comes first. If you have questions, please contact the law library.
Mission
The mission of the Ramsey County Law Library is to provide the best legal information services to residents, using print and online material in the most cost-effective manner. Legal information is a basic component of access to justice.
Pandemic guidelines
As of June 14, 2021, the Ramsey County Law Library will reduce or eliminate some of the COVID-19 restrictions regarding patron library use:
- Masks: Library users are required to wear masks.
- Occupancy: Seven library patrons are permitted in the library at one time.
- Purpose: Library users must use the library for court business or legal research purposes. General internet searching, YouTube or social media access is not considered legal research. If library staff observe that you are not doing legal research, you will be asked to leave the library.
- Sign in: All users must sign in.
- Time limits: Library users may use computers for up to one hour and table space for up to one hour.
- Barriers: Plexiglas barriers will remain in staff and public work areas.
- Cleaning: Library staff will sanitize areas used by library patrons.
All previous pandemic policies are null and void.
Housing and conciliation consultation
At this time, all clinics are held through phone consultation only. Please call the law library at 651-266-8391 after 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning to schedule an appointment.
Free legal consultation from volunteer attorneys is available every Tuesday from 1-4 p.m. at the Ramsey County Law Library for Ramsey County residents or self-represented litigants with a case in Ramsey County. This clinic assists with Conciliation Court and Housing Court issues.
Criminal expungement workshops
Please note that during the Peacetime Emergency, the Expungement Clinic has been suspended. You may call the Volunteer Lawyers Network at 612-752-6677 for questions about criminal expungement.
Note: Expungement is typically denied to people who: are on probation or parole; are currently charged with a new crime; owe fines or fees to Ramsey County; or request expungement for a driving offense.
Criminal Law Clinic
At this time, all clinics are held through phone consultation only. Please call the law library at 651-266-8391 after 10 a.m. on the first or third Thursday morning to schedule an appointment.
If you have a criminal law question, come to the Law Library for a free consultation from a volunteer attorney. Our Criminal Defense Law Clinic occurs every first and third Thursday of the month from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. at the Ramsey County Law Library.
This clinic is open to all Minnesota residents and there is no income restrictions.
Please call the library at 651-266-8391 for further information.
Search catalog
The Minnesota State Law Library's free online catalog contains the Ramsey County Law Library's books and periodicals, and titles owned by the Minnesota State Law Library and metro-area county law libraries as well as some counties in Greater Minnesota.
If "RAMSEY CO. LAW LIB. Main Collection" is listed in the LOCATION line of your search results, the item is at our library.
Call 651-266-8391 for help using the catalog.
Legal research resources
Have you tried the Minnesota State Law Library's Legal Topics index? Libguides are available covering many subjects.
Learn more about your legal problem and going to court (for non-attorneys)
Law Library Online Resources
New Ramsey County Digital Law Library
- This online database contains electronic versions of the Lexis titles contained in the Ramsey County Law Library print collection.
- Users can log in remotely and check out an item for a two-week period.
- This service is available to all attorneys registered to practice in Minnesota. To set up your account, contact the law library at 651-266-8391 or email us at [email protected].
Westlaw
- Online research provides access to Minnesota and U.S. cases, headnotes, statutes, court orders, court rules, and administrative decisions.
- Coverage includes all state and federal jurisdictions, law reviews and a robust collection of secondary treatises. Litigation resources include selected briefs, orders, pleadings, and jury verdicts.
- You may call the law library to find out if what resources are available for searching on our Westlaw service.
PACER
Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) provides online access to case and docket information from federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts.
Law Library print resources
- Core collections in a wide variety of subject areas.
- Selected print reporters and digests.
- Minnesota primary law, historical and current.
- Minnesota CLE Materials and Deskbooks.
- Wisconsin Statues and secondary resources including JIGs.
- Journals and law reviews.
- Summer 2020 reading list on racism (PDF)
- Ramsey County Collection Development Policy (PDF)
Legal referrals
- Legal Resources for Public Libraries
- Housing/Conciliation Court Resources
- Housing/Conciliation Court Client Takeaway Sheet
- Housing manual (PDF)
- Larry McDonough, Residential Eviction Defense Manual
- Table of Contents for Conciliation Court Manual (PDF)
- Conciliation Court Manual (PDF)
- Legal Assistance, Resources & Information for Ramsey County,
- Legal Referrals by Subject
Other services
Fax
651-266-8399
$1 per page
The fax machine sends and receives faxes under 21 pages.
Photocopier and printer
Single-sided pages cost 15 cents per page.
Book retrieval
Free of charge
eFiling
The Law Library provides a scanner for attorney eFiling.
Minnesota Judicial Branch eFile & Serve - Quick Reference Guide (PDF)
Board members and library staff
Current members of the Ramsey County Law Library Board of Trustees:
- John Trojack, Esq., Law Library Board Chair
- The Honorable Robyn Millenacker
- The Honorable Nicole J. Starr
- The Honorable Thomas A. Gilligan, Jr.
- Commissioner Nicole Joy Frethem
- Thomas Boyd, Esq.
- Rosita Severin, Esq.
Ramsey County Law Library staff
- Shannon Stoneking, Director
651-266-8391 - Pauline Afuso, Reference Librarian
- Michael Florin, Law Library Senior Assistant
Law Libraries: Open to the Public
Learn how law libraries across the United States – including the Ramsey County Law Library – are building stronger communities by serving self-represented litigants in this video created by the American Association of Law Libraries and the Self-Represented Litigation Network.