1.
What website is designed to help low income Minnesotans with legal questions?
Correct Answer
C. LawHelpMN.org
Explanation
LawHelpMN.org, managed by the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition, has a wealth of legal information and referrals. Clinic assistants should familiarize themselves with this site and educate volunteer attorneys about it whenever possible.
2.
What is a "fact sheet" and when would you use it?
Correct Answer
A. A brief explanation of the law around a certain issue to assist attorneys in becoming familiar with the law quickly
Explanation
The fact sheet is a form, updated by Legal Aid on an annual basis, for clinic attorneys to use that summarizes the law quickly and in language most clients can understand. They are extremely useful to clinic attorneys.
3.
Complete the web address of the VLN webpage which lists most of the resources a clinics attorney would find helpful: www.volunteerlawyersnetwork.org/
Correct Answer
volunteer/clinic
clinic
http://www.volunteerlawyersnetwork.org/volunteer/clinic
www.volunteerlawyersnetwork.org/volunteer/clinic
Explanation
This page on the VLN website lists most of the resources from legal aid fact sheets to the VLC wiki to the link to look up a court record. Clinic assistants should familiarize themselves with this site and educate volunteer attorneys around it whenever possible.
4.
What is the VLN wiki? (Check all that apply)
Correct Answer(s)
A. Created by a group of librarians, it provides online access to most VLN resources, some of which are password protected
C. Created by a group of librarians, it includes an option by which an attorney may submit a question and librarians will submit an answer
Explanation
(Choices a and c are the correct answers) The resources on the Wiki include form letters and court forms developed especially for clinic attorneys. Clinic assistants should familiarize themselves with this site and educate volunteer attorneys whenever possible. The username to access the site is: VLNClinic and the password is: 600nicollet.
5.
True or False: There is a link to the VLC wiki from: www.volunteerlawyersnetwork.org/volunteer/clinic
Correct Answer
A. True
Explanation
Most sites that a clinics attorney would frequently use are listed on this VLN webpage.
6.
What legal aid fact sheet would you give a client whose wages have been garnished to pay a debt?
Correct Answer
B. Garnishment and your rights
Explanation
On the site: www.lawhelpmn.org; select Debt and Garnishment and choose Fact Sheet C-4. This provides information about wage garnishment to satisfy debts.
7.
What does the "get legal help" tab on the www.lawhelpmn.org website do?
Correct Answer
B. List agencies who provide legal services by zip code and type of area
Explanation
This tab is designed to help a person or his/her advocate find a legal aid office or community resource that may be able to help him/her with a civil legal problem.
8.
Is LawHelpMN.org available in Spanish, Somali and Tagalog?
Correct Answer
A. Yes
Explanation
While the resources that are in English are almost completely available in Spanish and Somali, there is a wealth of information available in other languages: Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Bosnian, Cambodian, Chinese, French, Hindi, Hmong, Korean, Laotian, Oromo, Punjabi, Russian, Serbo/Croatian, Swahili, Tagalog, Urdu and Vietnamese.
9.
Once you are in a legal topic, what tab do you follow to find court forms on LawHelpMN.org?
Correct Answer
B. Self Help Forms Tab
Explanation
This tab provides the forms needed for a particular topic should a person wish to do-it-yourself.
10.
True or False: The "Court Info" tab will give court information for any court in the country.
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
The Court info tab will give court information for any court in the state.
11.
True or False: ProJusticeMN is a poverty law resource for pro bono and legal services practitioners, law students and faculty.
Correct Answer
A. True
Explanation
ProJusticeMN was developed to help attorneys while LawHelpMN was designed to help laypersons. Both can be extremely helpful to attorneys.
12.
True or False: LawHelpMN.org and ProJusticeMN require a username and password to access some parts of the sites.
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
ProJusticeMN does require a username and password to access some parts of the site. Private attorneys are approved to use the site, if they do pro bono, in order to restrict the use of resources for their intended purpose (to help those in poverty). LawHelpMN does not require a password-it is open to everyone.
13.
What is the Minnesota Courts website?
Correct Answer
www.mncourts.gov
http://www.mncourts.gov/
Explanation
The correct answer is www.mncourts.gov and http://www.mncourts.gov/. These are the official website URLs for the Minnesota Courts.
14.
Can you access court records and dockets from this site?
Correct Answer
A. Yes
Explanation
Most court records can be accessed online. Select the "Find Court records" tab at the top of the main page, then click on "access trial court records." You will then be prompted to accept the terms of use and then will be redirected to the page in which you may enter search terms.
15.
Can you find conciliation court records on the site listed in the previous question?
Correct Answer
A. Yes
Explanation
Conciliation court cases are now listed on this same page.
16.
Can you find an Answer form on the courts site?
Correct Answer
A. Yes
Explanation
Yes, by selecting "court forms" from the menu on the left side of the main page.
17.
What resources are available from the 4th District's self-help link?
Correct Answer
E. All of the above
Explanation
The courts webpage is another excellent resource that clinic assistants should take time to familiarize themselves with and, when possible, teach to the volunteer lawyers.
18.
True or False: There is a wide selection of civil forms on the 4th Judicial District court forms site as well as the state-wide forms site.
Correct Answer
A. True
Explanation
When looking for a court form, it's best to start with the Fourth Judicial District page and then check out the state page. An efficient way to do this is from the VLN webpage noted above.
19.
True or False: There are links to specific courts within the 4th Judicial District's website.
Correct Answer
A. True
Explanation
True; these include family court, conciliation court, probate court, criminal court and more.
20.
Www.volunteerlawyersnetwork.org offers which of the following resources?
Correct Answer
D. All of the above
Explanation
All of the materials on the VLN website are accessible by anyone.
21.
True or False: The University of Minnesota Law Library website offers links to local and state government websites.
Correct Answer
A. True
Explanation
True; by accessing their website at: http://local.law.umn.edu/library/home.html, individuals who are non-students or non-faculty can click on the tab at the top of the page that says U of M-TC Community, then click on Research Resources. From that link, he/she can click onto Law-Related Web Resources and find the links to local and state government websites.
22.
Where can a person go to to file a consumer complaint?
Correct Answer
www.ag.state.mn.us
http://www.ag.state.mn.us/
Explanation
This is the Minnesota Attorney General's website. It provides information on filing a complaint.
23.
Can you file a complaint online at the Minnesota Attorney General's website?
Correct Answer
A. Yes
Explanation
Yes; from the home page, by clicking on the tab entitled Consumer Complaint, a person wishing to file online can follow the instructions to download a form and file online.
24.
True or False: Clients can find and lay claim to unclaimed property on the Minnesota Department of Commerce website.
Correct Answer
A. True
Explanation
By visiting the Dept of Commerce's website at: www.commerce.state.mn.us and clicking the Unclaimed Property tab and then the link for List of Names, an individual can find unclaimed property by searching under a person's name here. To claim property, click the link entitled Filing a Claim Form.
25.
What is the website for the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry?
Correct Answer
www.dli.mn.gov
http://www.dli.mn.gov/main.asp
Explanation
This is the exact web address.
26.
What is the current federal minimum wage?
Correct Answer
A. $7.25/hour
Explanation
The federal minimum wage, as of July 24, 2009, is $7.25.
27.
What is the purpose of the Contractor Recovery Fund?
Correct Answer
B. To compensate owners who have suffered an actual loss due to the dishonesty of a licenses contractor.
Explanation
The Contractor Recovery Fund compensates owners or lessees of residential property in Minnesota who have suffered an actual and direct out-of-pocket loss due to a licensed contractor's fraudulent, deceptive or dishonest practices, conversion of funds or failure of performance.
28.
Does the client need a judgment first before making a claim to the contractor recovery fund?
Correct Answer
A. Yes
Explanation
A client must exhaust all other possible legal remedies before making a claim with the recovery fund. The first step is for a client to obtain a judgment.
29.
Where do you find information for a client who needs to get a certificate of rent paid?
Correct Answer
B. Minnesota Department of Revenue
Explanation
By visiting the Minnesota Department of Revenue's website at: www.taxes.state.mn.us, a client can find information on getting a CRP by clicking on the Individual Income Tax link, then Refunds, then Property Tax Refund and finally, the hyperlink Certificate of Rent Paid.
30.
Where can you find information on mechanic's liens?
Correct Answer
C. Minnesota Attorney General's website
Explanation
The Minnesota AG's website includes a PDF entitled "Citizen's Guide to Home Building and Remodeling" which includes information about mechanic's liens. It is located at: www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Housing/CitGuide/Default.asp