Cases are available in numerous locations in online format. In addition to multiple fee-based services, cases can be easily searched and viewed for free via Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com, as well as through the Court’s website. Opinions issued by the Court of Appeals and Court of Special Appeals are often newsworthy for the legal developments they announce so it may be a good practice to daily check the Court’s website for new opinions at www.mdcourts.gov/opinions/opinions. Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) COMAR contains the regulations of Maryland agencies, except emergency regulations which are published only in the Maryland Register. Each regulation is identified by its own number, a series of four two-digit numbers (e.g., 00.00.00.00). Each department and many agencies have persons who are particularly knowledgeable about current and future regulations. COMAR is arranged by department and agency and has a table of contents for each title. The full text is available on the Maryland Division of State Documents website (www.dsd.state.md.us). A general index to COMAR is available in law libraries and on the Maryland Division of State Documents website. People’s Law Library of Maryland (People’s Law) People’s Law (www.peoples-law.org) is a free, plain-language legal information website maintained by the Maryland State Law Library. It includes a collection of hundreds of articles about the types of civil legal issues most common among self-represented litigants in Maryland state courts. People’s Law articles address specific questions about legal topics like domestic violence, child support, consumer credit, residential leases, wills and estates, and guardianship. People’s Law also provides plain-language explanations of court procedure and mediation; legal forms; a county-by-county calendar of free legal clinics; and a searchable directory of local and statewide legal service providers. People’s Law is an excellent tool when a topic is new or unfamiliar. Maryland Law Encyclopedia (MLE) As you might easily deduce, the MLE is an encyclopedia containing summaries on a broad range of Maryland law topics with citations to statutes, regulations, and cases supporting the propositions stated. Once you identify a statute, regulation, or case citation, you can easily look it up. The MLE is available only via fee-based Westlaw subscriptions or for free at any public law library.
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