California State Law Library

The California State Law Library (Witkin State Law Library) in Sacramento is the primary resource for deep legal research, particularly legislative history. However, your best tool depends on whether you can visit in person or need remote access.

• For Legislative History: Use the California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov) website. It is the official, free source for searching California codes, bill text, and committee analyses dating back to 1993.
• For Practice Guides: CEB (Continuing Education of the Bar) is the gold standard for California-specific "how-to" legal guides. While a private subscription is expensive, many local county law libraries provide free access to CEB OnLaw for residents.
• For Case Law & Research: If you lack a paid Westlaw or Lexis subscription, Google Scholar is an effective free tool for searching California appellate and Supreme Court opinions. For self-help and simplified forms, LawHelpCA.org is the best starting point for non-lawyers.

If you are near Sacramento, visiting the Witkin Library allows you to use premium databases for free and consult with specialized librarians who can locate obscure historical records.

Are you looking for a specific legal form to file, or are you trying to research the intent behind a particular California statute?