This page explains how articles on Legal Advice Journal are researched, written, reviewed and corrected, and how the site makes money. It is here so readers can judge our work rather than take it on faith.
Who writes this site?
Articles are researched and written by Kate Lynn, the site’s founder and research editor, who is not an attorney. “Kate Lynn” is a pen name; the person behind it is a researcher and writer, not a lawyer, and the site makes no claim to legal credentials it does not have.
We think that is a reasonable basis for explaining how a legal *process* works — what a document does, what a court requires, what something costs. We do not think it is a basis for telling anyone what to do about their own situation, and we don’t.
What we use as sources?
In order of preference:
1. Primary legal sources — state statutes and codes, court rules, and published appellate decisions.
2. Official government materials — court self-help portals, state and federal agency guidance, published fee schedules, and official forms.
3. Bar association and law school publications — state bar consumer guides, bar journals, and university legal clinics.
4. Established non-profit legal aid organisations.
We avoid citing commercial law firm blogs as authority for factual claims. They are useful for understanding how practitioners describe a process, and we may reference them for that, but a firm’s marketing content is not a source of law.
Every article lists the sources it draws from.
How we handle numbers?
Legal costs vary enormously by state, by county, and by the complexity of a given matter. Where we give figures, we present them as ranges, attribute them, and label them as general estimates rather than quotes. We do not publish a specific dollar figure unless we can point to where it came from.
If you ever find an unsourced number on this site, that is a mistake. Please report it.
Jurisdiction
US law is state law far more often than people expect. Articles state which jurisdiction they describe, flag where states diverge significantly, and direct readers to their own state’s materials rather than implying a national rule where none exists.
Review and updates
Every article carries a visible last-updated date. Articles covering areas that change — fee schedules, statutory thresholds, procedural rules — are reviewed at least annually, and sooner when we become aware of a change. Substantive updates are noted on the article.
Corrections
We correct errors, and we say that we have.
Report an error to [corrections@legaladvicejournal.com]. We aim to respond within five business days. Factual corrections are made to the article and noted at the bottom with the date and a description of what changed. We do not quietly edit and move on.
Use of AI
> Research and drafting may be assisted by AI tools. Every article is directed, fact-checked against primary sources, and edited by a human before publication, and a human is accountable for everything published here.*
Contact
Editorial enquiries: [editor@legaladvicejournal.com]
Corrections: [corrections@legaladvicejournal.com]
We cannot answer questions about individual legal situations, and we don’t try to. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state.