Sunday, November 29, 2009

Patti Clapper ACP NCCP: My Top Ten Internet Resources

Thanks to Patricia Clapper, ACP NCCP, for submitting this guest article that was originally published in the 11.25.09 issue of Paralegal Strategies.

In my almost 15 years of working as a paralegal, I’ve learned a lot! When I first started “paralegaling”, we had no Internet or email. It makes me feel pretty old to say that, but I know many of you reading this can relate.

When the Internet finally hit, there were many times I would take work home with me because I had Internet at home (although it was dial up) and not at the office. I finally talked my attorneys into getting with the times and getting Internet and email at the office. When I think back, I don’t know how I existed before the Internet and email!

There’s so much information out there - if you know where to look. Below I have listed a few sites I’ve run across that can be helpful to legal professionals.

http://www.newchoicehealth.com/ (medical cost treatment estimator)

http://www.lamblawoffice.com/medical-records-copying-charges.html(courtesy of Lamb Law Offices, a summary of medical record copy statutes from all 50 States)

http://www.vpcalendar.net/ (print any calendar from 1901-2100)

http://www.uscounties.com/(site to locate what county a city is in, covers all 50 states)

https://www.vinelink.com/ (custody status for criminal offenders in state, county or city custody)
http://publicrecords.netronline.com/(links to county real estate records for all 50 states)

http://www.accurint.com/(low cost person finder/asset search, run by Lexis, only available to attorneys, police, insurance investigators, etc.)

http://www.nolo.com/dictionary/(plain English law dictionary)

http://www.vitalrec.com/(links to vital records offices in all 50 states)

https://pacer.login.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl?court_id=00idx(PACER – low cost access to filings in all Federal cases)

I have a blog where I post sites I use in my job - http://www.lglduck.blogspot.com/. Many of these sites came from fellow legal professionals who have shared them with me. If you know of any useful sites, I would love to hear from you so that I can then share with others.

Patricia F. Clapper, ACP, NCCP has been a paralegal with the general practice firm of Levine & Stewart in Chapel Hill, NC for almost 15 years. Her areas of practice include civil litigation, domestic law, criminal law, estate planning and contracts. Ms. Clapper earned her Associate Degree in Paralegal Technology from Central Carolina Community College in Sanford, NC. She is on the advisory board for the paralegal curriculum at Central Carolina Community College and currently serves as President of the North Carolina Paralegal Association. Ms. Clapper is also a member of the National Association of Legal Assistants and the Advocates for Justice - Paralegal Division

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