Public Services

The BYU Law Library has limited space and access to library materials during construction this summer in 2024 and will be locked and closed to the public beginning April 29, 2024, until further notice (likely until fall semester begins). 

BYU Law Students: Please see your email for instructions on how to access the library and study carrels.

People outside the BYU Law Community, including non-law BYU students and faculty, attorneys, and local community patrons may request an exception for access to use our library materials. A request for access can be made using this form. Note that requesting access does not guarantee you access, and requests will only be granted for access to use our specialized library materials. Access for any other reason will not be granted (e.g. space to study and work, etc.). A decision regarding your request may take up to a full business day. Access, if granted, will always be brief, limited, and short-term (less than 2 hours) and will require an appointment made with a Reference Services employee to enter the library to use the access you’ve been granted.  

For access to physical materials that are located on the 2nd floor, access will not be immediate.

We have a web page where we keep a list of free and low-cost legal resources in Utah that we are made aware of. You may peruse that page, and some of those resources will have attorneys that you may contact. Here is the link: https://guides.law.byu.edu/legal-resources. We are not affiliated with any of the resources on this web page, and you will want to contact the resource directly to confirm the accuracy of information.

The BYU Law Library employees, both the full-time librarians and the law student part-time assistants, cannot offer legal advice. We are also not practicing attorneys and cannot take on your case and cannot contact attorneys on your behalf. We are here to connect you with legal resources that we have in our library and can provide you guidance in using them. You will have to use the resources yourself and determine what may or may not help you with your research or legal problem.

We have a web page where we keep a list of free and low-cost legal resources in Utah that we are made aware of. You may peruse that page, and some of those resources will have attorneys that you may contact. Here is the link: https://guides.law.byu.edu/legal-resources. We are not affiliated with any of the resources on this web page, and you will want to contact the resource directly to confirm the accuracy of information.

Reference services are available to help direct patrons to information and resources that may answer their questions or aid in their research. Be advised that library policy prohibits reference employees from doing research for patrons or answering specific legal questions; however, they can direct patrons to relevant sources and give instruction on their use. 

The physical Reference Desk is located on the main floor of the Library, and reference services are also offered virtually. Reference services are provided by both full-time librarians and part-time law student reference assistants. If you need a full-time librarian’s assistance, you should make an appointment to guarantee their availability by emailing reference@law.byu.edu. 

For reference hours, see here. 

The following are methods for contacting the reference employees virtually:

Email

You may email us your reference question or schedule an appointment at reference@law.byu.edu. For public patrons, we will attempt to answer reference questions within two business days, and we remind you that we cannot offer legal advice; we can provide answers to brief, factual research questions and resource inquiries. For example, we can help identify and locate legal materials or provide guidance in using legal resources or tools.

Call

To receive reference services by talking with a reference employee over the phone, call 801-422-6658. If a reference employee does not answer, feel free to leave a voicemail because it is checked regularly.

The BYU Law Library keeps previous versions of the Utah Code in print, so we have built up quite an extensive collection of historical Utah Codes. We have from 1855 to the present. We also have all the Utah Session Laws (all Utah laws compiled in chronological order).

The historical Utah Codes can be accessed by anyone that comes into the BYU Law Library, with some of the historical Utah Codes being in the Reserve Room on the main floor and some of them being on the first floor in the state materials collection. 

If you are not able to come into the BYU Law Library, you may contact the University of Utah’s law library because they have a grant to scan several decades worth of historical Utah Code Annotated, mainly from the year 1943 through 1995. They are published here as they are completed: https://dc.law.utah.edu/uca/. If what you need is between 1943 and 1995 but it is not on that web page yet, you may email the U at valeri.craigle@law.byu.edu and they will expedite scanning what you need within approximately 24 business hours.

The Law Library has access to Xchange, which is a Utah-government-owned and created database that provides access to Utah state district (trial) court dockets and documents, including traffic citations in Utah. 

How to Access Xchange at the BYU Law Library

If you are not a law student or faculty, you may access Xchange on one of the three legal research computers on the main floor of the Law Library by the Reference Desk. There is an icon on the desktop of these legal research computers for Xchange. It looks like this:

When you click the icon, login credentials will need to be entered in so that you can log in, and you’ll need to ask an employee at the Reference Desk to log you in. Reference hours are listed here so that you know when a good time to come into the library is.

Other Places to Access Xchange 

Patrons can call their local Utah state district court buildings to see if they have a Public Access Xchange Terminal. The law library at the University of Utah has free access, as well as the Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City.

The Utah State Bar has pre-authorized a limited number of recordings for self-study CLE credit. A fee is not charged to the attorney. The recordings approved for credit in 2019 are:

* 1L Mandatory Civility Meeting (2014) and 1L Mandatory Civility Meeting (2009) are each approved for 1.0 CLE credit, including 1.0 Professionalism & Civility credit.

** Professional Responsibility (Gilbert) (2010) is approved for 3.0 CLE credits, including 3.0 Ethics credits.

All of the CLE materials must be picked up in person from the law library circulation desk at BYU and may be borrowed for a 24-hour loan period. Please call ahead to determine availability (801-422-3593). 

You also have the option to listen to or watch these materials at the law library. To listen or watch in the library, when you pick up your CLE materials from the Circulation Desk, you may also check out headphones and an external drive (which is compatible with DVDs and CDs), which will allow you to watch or listen to the CLE materials on any computer that has a USB port and applications for CD listening and DVD watching. An employee at the Reference Desk can get you set up on one of the law library computers to watch or listen to CLE materials.

After you have listened to the recording, please contact Annalee Hickman (HickmanA@law.byu.edu) to have your credit posted. When contacting her, you must include the following information: (1) your name, (2) your Utah bar number, (3) the name of the recording, (4) how many hours of the recording you listened to, and (5) the date(s) that you listened to the recording.

Alternative Sources of Credit:

• University of Utah CLE Collection
• Online CLE/MCLE through the Utah State Bar.

The Utah State Bar has pre-authorized a limited number of recordings for self-study CLE credit. A fee is not charged to the attorney. The recordings approved for credit in 2018 are:

• Mandatory Civility Meeting (DVD) – approved for 1.0 CLE credit, including 1.0 Professionalism & Civility credit.
• Professional Responsibility (CD) – approved for 3.0 CLE credits, including 3.0 Ethics credits.
• Bankruptcy Law (CD) – 7.0 CLE credits.
• Criminal Law (CD) – 8.0 CLE credits.
• Civil Procedure (CD) – 11.0 CLE credits.
• Constitutional Law (CD) – 12.0 CLE credits.
• Family Law (CD) – 4.0 CLE credits.
• Federal Income Tax Law – 3.0 CLE credits.
• Wills and Trusts (CD) – 10.0 CLE credits.

All of the CLE materials must be picked up in person from the law library circulation desk at BYU and may be borrowed for a 24-hour loan period. Please call ahead to determine availability (801-422-3593). 

You also have the option to listen to or watch these materials at the law library. To listen or watch in the library, when you pick up your CLE materials from the Circulation Desk, you may also check out headphones and an external drive (which is compatible with DVDs and CDs), which will allow you to watch or listen to the CLE materials on any computer that has a USB port and applications for CD listening and DVD watching. An employee at the Reference Desk can get you set up on one of the law library computers to watch or listen to CLE materials.

After you have listened to the recording, please contact Annalee Hickman (HickmanA@law.byu.edu) to have your credit posted. When contacting her, you must include the following information: (1) your name, (2) your Utah bar number, (3) the name of the recording, (4) how many hours of the recording you listened to, and (5) the date(s) that you listened to the recording.

Alternative Sources of Credit:

• University of Utah CLE Collection
• Online CLE/MCLE through the Utah State Bar.

Reference services are available to help direct attorneys resources that may aid in their research. Be advised that library policy prohibits reference employees from doing research for patrons.

The physical Reference Desk is located on the main floor of the Library, and reference services are also offered virtually. Reference services are provided by both full-time librarians and part-time law student reference assistants. If you have an advanced legal research need and require a full-time librarian’s assistance, you should make an appointment to guarantee their availability by emailing reference@law.byu.edu. 

For reference hours, see here. 

The following are methods for contacting the reference employees virtually:

Email

You may email us your reference question or schedule an appointment at reference@law.byu.edu. We will attempt to answer reference questions within two business days. The more details you provide about the legal resource you need, the better we will be able to answer your question.

Call

To receive reference services by talking with a reference employee over the phone, call 801-422-6658. If a reference employee does not answer, feel free to leave a voicemail because it is checked regularly.

BYU Law Library subscribes to HeinOnline’s extensive library of over 2,800 academic legal journals for all BYU Law alumni anywhere in the world. Alumni can log into HeinOnline with their BYU NetID and password. Click here to access HeinOnline.

HeinOnline’s collections of other materials, including historical state legislation and case reporters, government documents, and other materials, can be accessed on campus at the BYU Law Library.

The Library has installed a limited number of legal research computers near reference for general public access. Resources such as Westlaw Patron Access and HeinOnline are available, as well as selected CCH and ProQuest Databases. Please ask a reference librarian for assistance in using these resources.

Please be aware that we no longer have public-access printers, so results need to be saved to email or a USB drive.

Reference services are available to help direct patrons to information and resources that may answer their questions or aid in their research. Be advised that library policy prohibits reference employees from doing research for patrons or answering specific legal questions; however, they can direct patrons to relevant sources and give instruction on their use. 

The physical Reference Desk is located on the main floor of the Library, and reference services are also offered virtually. Reference services are provided by both full-time librarians and part-time law student reference assistants. If you need a full-time librarian’s assistance, you should make an appointment to guarantee their availability by emailing reference@law.byu.edu. 

Research consultations are recommended for BYU faculty and students who are doing academic legal research. A consultation consists of an appointment with a full-time librarian where your research question is submitted to them in advance so they can prepare resources that may be good for your research. To request a research consultation for academic legal research, email reference@law.byu.edu. 

For reference hours, see here. 

The following are methods for contacting the reference employees virtually:

Email

You may email us your reference question or schedule an appointment at reference@law.byu.edu. For public patrons, we will attempt to answer reference questions within two business days, and we remind you that we cannot offer legal advice; we can provide answers to brief, factual research questions and resource inquiries. For example, we can help identify and locate legal materials or provide guidance in using legal resources or tools.

Call

To receive reference services by talking with a reference employee over the phone, call 801-422-6658. If a reference employee does not answer, feel free to leave a voicemail because it is checked regularly.

As a law student, it’s crucial to learn about generative AI (genAI) tools to meet the ethical obligation of competence required by Rule 1.1 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Several lawyers have been sanctioned for citing fictitious cases because they used genAI for legal research without understanding the technology. Developing competence in genAI ensures you protect yourself and your clients. With that foundation, you can begin building proficiency that will give you a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving legal landscape. Attending the Law School’s Legal Tech Initiative trainings will give you a jump start, but you don’t need to wait to begin learning.

Developing Competence in Generative AI

To build competence, start by choosing a generative AI tool. Paying for the best models, like GPT-4, Google Gemini Advanced, or Anthropic’s Claude 3 Opus, is best, but you can begin with free versions or take advantage of free trials and open betas to get started.

Professor Ethan Mollick, an AI expert at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, recommends spending around ten hours using genAI to understand how it might affect your industry. Try it out on everyday tasks you encounter as a law student, such as composing emails, preparing for class, understanding legalese, or brainstorming research ideas. Of course, always follow the rules your professors and employers set for using genAI.

Building Excellence and a Growth Mindset

Once you’ve developed a baseline competence, push the genAI tool further in areas where you have deeper expertise. Apply it to more complex legal tasks that require reasoning, such as understanding legislation or contracts, flagging specific issues or provisions in documents, or analyzing your legal writing. Try out the legal-specific AI tools you have access to. (Visit this page for access instructions.)

As these tools continue to evolve and become more advanced, think about how you might leverage their future capabilities in your legal practice. Remain curious and develop a forward-thinking mindset by staying informed about the latest advancements in AI and their potential applications in the legal field. You’ll set yourself apart from other lawyers and law students, and you’ll be prepared for the future of legal practice.

BYU Law’s Legal Tech Initiative (LTI) has two primary goals: technological competence and excellence. Students learn to use software common in the legal industry—such as Microsoft Word, document management systems, and e-discovery tools—and learn about important concepts like cloud technology, AI, and cybersecurity. In addition to learning the basics, students learn to turn their technology skills into a competitive advantage. They learn to leverage document automation, design thinking, and generative AI to do better, faster, cheaper legal work. These are some of the training sessions offered in the past:

The Law School also provides resources for on-demand technology training. You can find details on accessing these tools here.

• The Legal Tech Assessment provides training and assessment in the Microsoft Office Suite, PDFs, and more.
• The National Society for Legal Technology provides certifications in Legal Tech, eDiscovery, and Legal Research, including training modules for a wide variety of software tools.
• Pluralsight offers on-demand technology courses and certifications for those who want a deeper understanding of the underlying technology. It also offers “Executive Summaries,” which are videos aimed at teaching non-technology professionals what they need to know about various technologies.

Law students have free access to a number of legal tech tools. Details are available here.

NOTE: We are undergoing renovation in some library areas. Please contact Circulation/ILL to request any item that is unavailable.

First Floor (basement)

The first floor of the library houses documents from federal and state governments, as well as selected legal periodicals. Please ask Reference for assistance in locating specific records.

Second Floor (main)

The main floor of the library contains primary legal materials generated by federal and state governments, finding aids, selected secondary resources and items on reserve. The public Westlaw and HeinOnline computers are near the reference desk. Reference Assistants, located at the desk near these resources, can provide training on the use of the available digital and print collections.

Third Floor

The Law Library’s circulating book collection is shelved on the third floor. This floor is also the location of most law student personal study spaces. Non-students should avoid disturbing anyone who is studying, and must not remain on this floor any longer than is necessary to locate the books needed for their research. Circulating books may be carried to the main floor of the library where public study tables are provided for non-student patrons, or checked out from the Circulation Desk (also located on the main/ground floor).

The full-time law library faculty members are here to help you with your substantial writing! 

Make an appointment for a research consultation by emailing reference@law.byu.edu (or the individual email of the specific librarian with whom you would like to meet). Include information such as your availability for an appointment, your topic and thesis, which class it is for, and who the supervising faculty member is. Then, the librarian assigned to your appointment can prepare beforehand. 

Research consultations generally last 20-30 minutes.

BYU Pharos/Open Access/ExpressPrint Printers

BYU students use the BYU Pharos/Open Access/ExpressPrint printing system with their BYU ID cards.

Patrons who are not BYU students may use the Pharos/Open Access/ExpressPrint system to print with a courtesy card. Courtesy cards are free when you add money to the card. You can add any amount you would like. You can get a courtesy card at the Circulation Desk. You may always deposit more money onto your reusable courtesy card. There are several ways funds can be added to Courtesy Cards.

There is a color printer in the law school for student and community use. This printer is a BYU Campus Pharos/Open Access/ExpressPrint printer (named BYU Campus Public Color), and it works like the other BYU Pharos/Open Access/ExpressPrint printers across campus. It is on the third floor of the law library near the Rex E. Lee room. There is actually a BYU Campus Public Color printer and a BYU Campus Public B&W printer there. There is also a BYU Campus Public B&W printer (but not a color printer) in the following additional location: on the second floor (the ground floor) of the law library by the reference desk.

Anyone can print from one of the public computers in the law library on the second floor (the ground floor).

To print to one of the Pharos/Open Access/ExpressPrint printers from your own computer, you must download the BYU Pharos Printer drive.

1. Go to software.byu.edu.
2. If prompted, enter your BYU net ID and password.
3. Under the “Vendors” heading, click the “Pharos” link.
4. Click the “Download Now” button that corresponds with your computer’s operating system.
5. Click the plus sign button that corresponds with your computer’s operating system.
6. Click “Continue” to download the program.
7. Once the printer drive is downloaded to your computer, the BYU Campus Public Color printer will be available in your print dialogue box when selecting a printer. (The BYU Campus Public B&W printer will also be available.)

To print to the BYU Campus Public Color printer or the BYU Campus Public B&W printer from a law library computer or your own computer that has the BYU Pharos Printer drive:

1. From the File menu of your document, select Print.
2. From the drop-down menu on the Print dialogue box, select BYU Campus Public Color to print all the pages in your document on a color printer, or select BYU Campus Public B&W to print all the pages in your document on a black and white printer. Click “Ok.”
3. A window will pop up asking your net ID and a name for the print job; enter the number on your courtesy card as the net ID and give it any name you want and click “Print.” Your print job is then sent to a print queue that you can access from any printing release station on campus.
4. To print in color at the law school, go to the third floor of the law library near the Rex E. Lee room. There is actually a BYU Campus Public Color printer and a BYU Campus Public B&W printer there.
5. Swipe your courtesy card at the printing release station, and follow the instructions on the screen in order to select and print your job.

Please note:

• These two BYU public printers, and the cost associated with printing to them, are in no way affiliated or connected with the BYU Law Co-Op printing.
• When you download the BYU Pharos Printer drive, you will be downloading both the BYU Campus Public Color printer and the BYU Campus Public B&W printer.
• The cost of one sheet from the color printer, regardless of whether it actually has color on it, is $0.15.
• The cost of one sheet from the black and white printer is $0.07.
• The BYU Campus Public Color printer and the BYU Campus Public B&W printer share a screen at the printing release station on the third floor of the law library. This screen is used to swipe your courtesy card and select the job(s) to print. However, the BYU Campus Public Color printer and the BYU Campus Public B&W printer are two separate printers. Because there is no way to select between the two printers from the printing release station, your document will print from the printer you selected on your computer. The cost for that document will depend on the printer you chose from your computer, not on whether it has color. (For example, if you print a black and white document on the BYU Campus Public Color printer, you will be charged $0.15 per page. There are no refunds for mistakes.)
• Double-sided printing is considered the same as printing two pages and is charged accordingly.
• When you swipe your courtesy card at the printing release station and subsequently select a job to print, the cost is automatically deducted from the money on your courtesy card.

The BYU Law Library has access to Xchange, which is a Utah-government-owned and created database that provides access to Utah state district (trial-level) court dockets and documents, including traffic citations in Utah. It is to Utah law what PACER is to federal law, and if you practice law in Utah as an attorney, you will likely be using Xchange often for your cases. 

BYU Law students and full-time BYU Law faculty can access Xchange on their personal computer by getting the username and password from Reference Services to use solely for academic purposes or for Bar applications (You may not use it for any other purpose.). You can email reference@law.byu.edu for the login credentials.

How to Find Traffic Citations Received in Utah

You can find all citations in the State of Utah (Even those you went to traffic school for; these must also be reported to the Bar.) on Utah’s online Xchange Case Search system. After you are logged in on this link, follow the next steps precisely:

1. Change the jurisdiction (at the top left of the page) to “District & Justice” (Traffic citations are generally issued by a justice court, but the default in Xchange is usually just “District”). This is very important!
2. Type in your last name and first name with an asterisk at the end of each one: For example: Smith*  John*
3. Click on the “Search” button.
4. This is the most comprehensive search because the asterisk at the end of each name pulls up all possible variations in the system (middle name, middle initial, maiden name included, etc.–it all depends on how the officer issued the citation). If your name is fairly common, enter your birth date as well to narrow down the results. The court clerks encourage students to, after doing a general search, try a few variations of their name and try entering their birth date just to make sure the search is comprehensive.

If you have received a ticket outside of Utah and are applying to the Utah Bar (or any other jurisdiction that requires such reports), you will need to contact the state court in that state to find out what process you need to go through to find citations issued in that state.Questions or still having trouble finding what you need on Xchange? Contact Annalee Hickman Pierson at HickmanA@law.byu.edu.