Big Sur, CaliforniaAre you keeping up? It’s milestone time, writers and friends. We’re five states into a nationwide quest for the premier free online legal resources. Think of our next detour as simply the Best. Rest. Stop. Ever.  They don’t call the land of my birth the “Golden State” for nothing. Sun-drenched beaches. Swaying palm trees. Undulating hills and rippling surf. Then there’s Northern California. (LOL!) Cooler. Quieter. Artsier. But serenely beautiful nonetheless. Do you long to write authentic inspirational legal thrillers? Could your Christian romantic suspense novel use an injection of dangerous criminal mischief? Then read on…

(1) For general California legal resources such as court and case law information, visit the California Research Links at the USC Gould School of Law’s website.

(2) California statutory law is divided up into twenty-nine separate codes. The state’s criminal laws rest in the California Penal Code. Make individual pages searchable by typing “Cntrl” + “F” (or “Command” + “F” on a Mac.)

By Cary Bass (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Cary Bass (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

(3) Interested in the hottest state legal news? Visit The Recorder, California’s consummate legal newspaper. Though many links yield access by subscription only, free information abounds.

(4) Does your story include a character facing death row? Go to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Capital Punishment site. For legal aid resources, visit LawHelpCA.org.

(5) The Los Angeles County District Attorney Office and San Francisco District Attorney Office sites offer victim advocacy resources. The L.A. County Public Defender and San Francisco Public Defender Offices protect the rights of defendants in criminal matters.

(6) Legal gobbledygook weighing you down? Check out LawGuru’s Online Legal Dictionary, an excellent resource for converting legalese into English.

Have desk, will write

Care to know which California residents write compelling Christian fiction? The state offers an embarrassment of riches, so forgive the short list. NY Times best-selling author and multi-award winning novelist Francine Rivers writes contemporary and historical romance. Rick Acker, a Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice, offers fast-paced legal thrillers. NY Times bestselling author Margaret Brownley composes historical fiction. Former ER nurse Candace Calvert writes heart-thumping romantic medical fiction. And, author Camy Tang writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense “with a kick of wasabi.”

So, tell me. Which are the best Christian books set in La La Land? Who are your favorite inspirational authors living in, or writing about, the state? Anyone remember when Jerry Brown, Jr., the crazy young Governor of California, dated sultry chanteuse Linda Ronstadt? :-D Leave a comment below. (And, don’t forget to follow my blog via email or RSS.) Blessings!

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The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. Visitors to this Web site should not act upon any information found herein without first seeking professional legal counsel. The author does not provide any warranties whatsoever with respect to any hyperlinks found on this Web site. The hyperlinks are offered as a service to my readers.

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