Writs. We’ve all heard of them. There’s the writ of certiorari, the writ of habeas corpus, and the writ of mandamus, just to name a few. But what exactly is a writ and what does it do? Simply put, a writ is “an order issued by a legal authority with administrative or judicial powers, typically a court.” Historically, in the common law, writs were used to convey real property, grant privileges or rights, and to convey information. They were also written executive directives from the king, instruments by which the king could intervene into matters that were not resolved by feudal courts. Later, writs evolved, adopting a more judicial nature, acting as summonses or the initial documents in legal matters or as an order commanding a person to do something or refrain from doing something.
Read moreCiv Pro: Is my case contested or uncontested?
Many pro se litigants have questions about the legal terms “uncontested” and “contested.” The most common case where these legal terms are used are in divorces – for example, a “contested divorce” or “uncontested divorce.”
Uncontested or non-contested cases are cases that can be finished by agreement because both parties agree about all the issues. An uncontested divorce is “when the parties are not fighting each other about the divorce itself or the terms of their separation.”
Read moreImmigration Law Resources
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
In keeping with our commitment to promoting open and equal access to justice for all, we at the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library have assembled a list of online resources to help answer questions regarding the United States immigration process. Some of the resources provided are available to anyone with a web browser, while others are accessible through the law library, either remotely or on-site.
Read moreOnline Resources for Searching United States Supreme Court Cases
The following is a short guide on how to find Supreme Court cases and opinions that discuss the Due Process Clause of the United States Constitution using freely available online resources.
Read moreNew Databases from EBSCO
Starting July 1, the Law Library will offer its patrons two new databases from EBSCO: Legal Information Reference Center and Legal Source.
Read more