Law libraries react to funding uncertainties.

When a legal question erupts in the middle of a trial, the judge takes a break and Hialeah lawyer Juan Montes dashes to the Miami-Dade County Law Library to find case law.

"Ridiculous!" is the word Montes uses at the thought that the law library at the courthouse on Flagler Street is in jeopardy of closing, falling victim to details of the court funding shuffle. Last year's legislation--passed to carry out the court funding shift from counties to the state, because of Revision 7 to Article V--does away with the mechanism of how most law libraries at county courthouses are financed through civil filing fees.

No provision was made for alternative sources of funding.

And because law libraries are not considered by legislators as an "essential service" of the courts, the funding will not be picked up by the state. So, across the state, courthouse law libraries are dangling in funding limbo.

The uncertainty of restoring funding has sparked petition drives, resolutions passed by county commissions and bar associations, and pleas to lawyers to contact legislators.

"A courthouse without a law library is like having a hospital with no medicine," Montes said. "If it's essential for lawyers, imagine for nonlawyers who have a right under our jurisprudence to represent themselves as pro se litigants. Where do they go?"

For those who work in fancy large law firms complete with elaborate law libraries, it may not seem like such a big deal. But it is to lawyers like Joseph George of Miami.

"I am a former government lawyer and solo practitioner. What I am up against are lawyers from big firms with their own internal law library. Once you get over that's their advantage, then you go the law library at the courthouse," George said.

He also does a significant chunk of pro bono work and he sends those clients to the courthouse law library to help on research.

"I tell people, 'I can't afford to do additional research for you. This is what you need to do. You are poor and I am still going to help you,' but I give them a list and tell them to go get this and bring it to me. Ready access is threatened to be curtailed or shut off completely. That is a real concern for me."

Those who care about the threatened law libraries are going on the offensive to try to get a "glitch bill" passed during this legislative session to restore funding.

Bob Riger, executive director of the Miami-Dade County Law Library, keeps a petition in that library for users to sign, and he has...