Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to complete a law library registration?
It depends on where you live and where you work.If you live in Douglas County, but your office is elsewhere in Kansas, then you do not need to complete the registration.If you live in Douglas County, but your office is in another state, then you do need to complete the registration.If you do not live in Douglas County, but your office is in Douglas County, then you do need to complete the registration.
How do I contact the Douglas County Bar Association?
Contact information for the Douglas County Bar Association can be found on their website.
How do I contact the Office of the Public Defender in Douglas County?
Public Defenders are appointed to represent criminal defendants who cannot afford an attorney on felony criminal cases. The Kansas Holistic Defenders are appointed to represent criminal defendants who cannot afford an attorney on misdemeanor criminal cases.  Sometimes other attorneys are appointed to represent criminal defendants who cannot afford an attorney.  If you are a criminal defendant and cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint an attorney for you at your first court appearance.
How do I find the local laws and statutes of Baldwin City, Eudora, Lawrence, and Lecompton, Kansas?
The codified ordinances of Baldwin City can be found in the Code of the City of Baldwin City, Kansas, available on-line. Information on the ordinances of Eudora can be found in the Code of the City of Eudora, Kansas, available on-line.
How do I find the local laws and statutes of Douglas County, Kansas?
The codified resolutions governing Douglas County can be found in the Douglas County Code, available on-line and in hard copy in the Law Library.
How do I get to the library?
The Law Library is on the first floor of the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, 111 East 11th Street, in downtown Lawrence, Kansas. Come in the public entrance on the west side of the building that faces the old Court House. After going through the security checkpoint, proceed through the glass doors to the left of the elevators and down the hall until another hall opens to your right. Go down that hall and the Law Library is located on your left just before reaching the double glass doors. 
How long is my law library registration good for?
By statute, Law Library registration must be renewed annually by payment of the annual Law Library Registration Fee, "on or before January 15 of each year."
I am a local attorney. How do I get a law library key?
You must have completed the Law Library registration process in order to be eligible to be issued a key to the Law Library.  After you have completed your initial registration, inform Law Library Manager that you want a Law Library key issued to you. You will be provided with a Michael J. Malone Douglas County Law Library Door Key Application Packet. Read the Michael J. Malone Douglas County Law Library Door Key Policy contained in the packet and then complete the Law Library Key Authorization Form from the packet.
I am a public defender employed by the Kansas State Board of Indigents' Defense Services. Do I need to pay the law library registration fee?
No. K.S.A. 20-3126(c) states in part: “...All attorneys required to register, except those employed solely as public defenders by the state board of indigents' defense services, shall pay to the clerk at the time of registering an annual registration fee....”  You must still fill out the Law Library registration form, but no fees will be assessed.  
I am a registered attorney but do not currently have a Law Library key. How do I get one?
Inform the Law Library Manager that you wish to have a Law Library key – the Manager will provide you with a Michael J. Malone Douglas County Law Library Door Key Application Packet. Read the Michael J.
I am an attorney from outside of Douglas County and not required to register for the Law Library. Can I get a Law Library key issued to me? How?
Yes. As a courtesy, the Board of Trustees has authorized the issuing of Law Library keys to attorneys from outside of Douglas County who are not otherwise required to register for the Law Library. 
I am an attorney from outside of Douglas County and will be visiting the Douglas County District Court. Can I get a temporary law library key?
Yes. The Douglas County Law Library shall allow, as a courtesy, temporary access to the law library during court business hours for visiting attorneys who are not registered or otherwise entitled by statute or law library policy.Each Administrative Assistant of the seven divisions of the district court shall have a library key to check out to visiting attorneys to provide them temporary access to the Law Library.
I am an attorney who is required to register for the Law Library. How do I go about registering?
Complete registration instructions and form are in the “Join and Renew Registration” section of our web page. 
I am not a lawyer. May I use the Law Library?
Yes. The Law Library is open to anyone and everyone during public hours which are Tuesdays from 8:30am-3:00pm, and Wednesdays/Thursdays from 8:30am-12:30pm.
Is legal research software available in the library?
Yes. Westlaw can be accessed through each of the Library’s patron workstations. In addition, Bradley Software for parenting and child custody cases is available on one of the workstations.
Is there a charge for using the legal research software in the library?
No. All public patrons have access to all of the printed and electronic resources in the Law Library including Westlaw.
I’ve lost my library key! What do I do?
If a key is lost or stolen, you must notify the Law Library Manager/staff immediately upon discovery of the loss. During normal business hours, call the Law Library Manager at (785) 838-2477.   After normal business hours, notify the Sheriff's Office by calling (785) 841-0007.
I’ve reported my lost library key. How do I get a replacement?
Please see the Law Library Manager to report your missing Library key card.   There will be a $25.00 reissuing fee charged to replace the key. After you have paid the reissuing fee, the Law Library Manager will provide you with a Michael J. Malone Douglas County Law Library Door Key Application Packet. Read the Michael J. Malone Douglas County Law Library Door Key Policy contained in the packet.
May Law Library staff answer my legal question?
No. Answering legal questions is considered to be giving legal advice. Library staff members are prohibited from giving legal advice in any form at any time. An attorney should be consulted to answer your legal questions.
What are the library’s public hours?
The general schedule for the Law Library’s public hours is below. For a more complete schedule including holidays that the Library will be closed, see the Library Hours page of this web site.Sunday - Closed to public;Monday - Closed to public;Tuesday - 8:30am to 3:00pm;Wednesday - 8:30am to 12:30pm;Thursday - 8:30am to 12:30pm;Friday - Closed to public;Saturday - Closed to public;
What is the amount of the annual law library registration fee?
The Michael J. Malone Douglas County Law Library Board of Trustees has the current annual fee set at $50.00.  This is re-evaluated each year and is subject to change.
Why should I register for the Law Library?
1. K.S.A. 20-3126(c) states in part: “All attorneys required to register in such county shall register annually with the clerk of the district court….” 2. K.S.A. 20-3126(d) states in part that the Court Clerk: “…shall not file in the clerk's office in any matter or action, any pleading or other papers signed by an attorney required to register under this act who has not so registered and paid to the clerk of the district court the required registration fee.” 
What happens after a protection order is approved by a judge?
You will be assigned a case number and set for hearing on a Tuesday at 1:30pm. The defendant will be summoned to appear also, if they were served notice to appear before the court. This first hearing is not the hearing where evidence is presented. The first hearing is a status conference, which means it is an opportunity for both sides to state if they would like the protection order to be in place or if the defendant opposes the protection order. If so, the case is set for trial.
What happens if my protection order is not approved by a judge?
Then there is no active protection order in place. You may choose to file again with more information.
What happens when I submit a protection order petition?
When a protection order is submitted before noon on a weekday, the judge has until 5:00pm the same day to either grant or dismiss the request. If the protection order is submitted after noon, the judge has until noon the next business day to decide to grant or dismiss the order. Protection orders are only reviewed on weekdays.