Columbia Jailhouse Lawyer's Manual

A Jailhouse Lawyer's Manual (13th Ed, 2024, 1520 pages, $30) is a handbook of legal rights and procedures designed to inform prisoners of their rights and how use to judicial process to secure these rights on both the federal and state level, with an emphasis on New York State law.  With the needs of currently incarcerated people across the country in mind, the Columbia Human Rights Law Review has endeavored, to the extent feasible, to make the 13th Edition of the JLM useful to all who use it without regard to where they are incarcerated. The JLM covers a wide variety of topics and also includes a directory of legal and social services for incarcerated people around the country. The information on federal actions will be helpful to a person in a federal prison, or pursuing federal claims, no matter where they are located. The law, procedures and forms relating to state actions vary from state to state, however. Where possible, we provide information that is generally applicable, although we often use New York forms and procedures for specific illustrations. We regret that the size and scope of the book prevent us from providing forms and specific procedural information for all states. Nevertheless, people incarcerated outside New York will find the JLM a valuable research tool.  This is a student-run, volunteer organization; they cannot provide legal advice or respond to individual inquiries. 

For incarcerated persons, the 13th Edition of the main JLM is $30.  The Immigration & Consular Access Supplement is $15. Shipping is included in the price. Prices and availability may be subject to change. Make checks payable to "Columbia Jailhouse Lawyers' Manual." Expect at least 8 weeks for your order to arrive before following up.  More information on ordering at https://jlm.law.columbia.edu/order-the-jlm. For non-prisoners, the main JLM is $140 and supplements range from $50-100.