Not sure where to start with your legal research? We can help! Our Recommended Series guide lists popular legal series available at the library.

These series often cover a common subject or theme. No matter what your research situation is, our guide can help you find what you are looking for.

You might be an attorney looking for legal practice tips from an author you trust, like Dorsaneo or O'Connor. If so, you'd likely find the Texas Practice Guides page helpful, which is organized primarily by publisher.

Or maybe you're not an attorney, but you just need some basic information on a quick legal task, like drafting a lease agreement or filing a small claims case. If this is you, the Nolo Legal DIY Guides page has lots of titles that fit your needs.

Texas residents can borrow books and e-books with a free library account.

Practice Guides

Texas Practice Guides are written for attorneys who need to accomplish a legal task. Patrons who represent themselves in court may also find them helpful. The guides contain state-specific instructions, procedures, and form templates. Some examples include:

• LexisNexis Matthew Bender series
• O’Connor’s series
• Texas Practice Guide

Federal Practice Guides explain federal statutes and court rules, describe procedures, and often contain form templates. Some examples include:

• Moore’s Federal Practice
• Wright and Miller’s Federal Practice and Procedure

Nolo Legal DIY Guides

Nolo Legal DIY Guides can help non-attorneys understand the basics of a legal subject or how to tackle legal tasks. These books address a range of subjects in plain English, including:

• Everybody’s Guide to Small Claims Court
• Nolo’s Essential Guide to Divorce
• Renters’ Rights

Legal Encyclopedias

Legal Encyclopedias summarize the law using brief, high-level overviews of various topics. They provide citations that aid further research. Some examples include:

• Texas Jurisprudence
• American Jurisprudence
• Corpus Juris Secundum

Legal Overviews

Legal Overviews summarize an aspect of law with landmark cases, commentary, and notes. They are widely used by law students. Some examples include:

• Hornbooks
• Nutshell series
• Restatements

If you’re a Texas resident, you can register for a free library account online to access e-books remotely. To borrow print books, visit the library in Austin. You may also call or email us with your research questions.