Not everyone is able to afford Lexis or Westlaw, the two biggest subscriber based on-line legal services. In law school we had access to both, because both companies wanted to earn your loyalty whenever you got out and started studying. Many firms have much more the other, and I suppose large firms may subscribe to both. Even with access to a single of these, I discovered that I can often find things faster and easier with free resources. Many states have statutes and the like on-line these days. More and more are becoming available all the time.
That’s when the book “Legal Research” does its part. It provides to be able to follow research methods that may you answer your legal questions. Course . has sections for on-line research too as info about law libraries for people who have use of one.
The book consists of 386 pages divided among ten information packed sections. The chapters include:
One: Knowing Basics of your Law. Brief descriptions with the the law is, regarding law, state versus federal law, along with the court network. Too basic for an attorney, but for the layperson the book was written for, this is the good introduction.
Two: Finding legal act Websites. This chapter explains where legal information is located, primary and secondary sources, websites for legal topics, and legal research websites. Consists of Lexis and Westlaw, however other sites that are free of charge. I like the tips and warnings through the actual book also. Good caution not every opinion you find is good law. Obvious to one who had it drilled into them during law school, but most likely not known ordinarily laypeople.
Three: Identifying Your Legal Issue. In order to know an individual go looking, like could be the case civil or criminal, figuring the actual area of law extra flab to research, what resources will a person to with the simple fact is to find, and finding out your legal research question. This is important, you wish to know what you’re really hunting for before proceeding searching.
Four: Finding and Using Secondary Vendors. This chapter explores sources such marketing and advertising resources (including a bit about deciding if reliable), self-help legal books, legal encyclopedias, form books, practice manuals, continuing legal education publications, law reviews, and many. Many lawyers will have a lot top kinds of resources, may will find even more at legislation library. This chapter provides for a brief brief review what these sources normally.
Five: Finding and Using Constitutions, Statutes, Regulations, and Ordinances. Are generally generally the almost all legislatively or administratively created law. This chapter explains how to find these resources and how to use them. It covers finding and using constitutions, finding federal statutes, finding state statutes, understanding them, finding regulations and also rules and ordinances. Each of these tend to be crucial depending against your particular provide. This chapter is an honest introduction for this world of “laws” for those that are charting unfamiliar territory.
Six: Finding Cases. Some of our law is not found in statutes, but in the decisions of cases that have already been figured. These cases interpreted laws and currently employ the rule until legislature changes it, or another case overrules it. Roe v. Wade is in the following paragraphs a famous case is actually looked to regarding abortion law. This chapter helps the reader learn easy methods to use citations to find cases, find cases on the internet, find cases within the law collection.
Seven: Using Case Law. This chapter actually explains what an instance is, the way that they are published, and how cases affect later arguments. If you matter depends on case law, this chapter will a person to.
Eight: Validating Your Search for. I pointed out the end earlier, which chapter goes further to help you guaranteed that you have “good law.” It teaches you the way to Shepardize a Case, a task we lawyers use guarantee that the cases we are relying on are still good. Prone to are striving to make in a situation yourself, will have to be sure you are relying on “good .” These are the forms of things lawyers know which laypeople don’t.
Nine: Organizing and Putting Your Legal Research make use of. One thing clerks, legal interns, and associates spend lots of time doing is get to know. Once you find the information, you must put what you find in written form for those that asked you to find it. This chapter provides the basics for writing a legal memorandum. Quite a bit less thorough currently being the semester class most novice law students take, but good for that non-lawyer. However a brief section about going to court and a legal court process leading to a couple pages on finding and working with a legal counsel.
Ten: Research Hypothetical and Memorandum. Maybe it is they lawyer improve by case studies and examples that this chapter provides a research problem, how learn the facts, and then how to approach motor oil to knowledge. It’s very short, and so it will a number of circumstances non-lawyer a little example of how to from the law and go about finding your answer.
The book chapters stop here on-page 255. The next 100 plus pages can be a glossary, which a person definitely would not need should they have a legal dictionary. Nolo actually uses a simple legal dictionary that won’t replace “Black’s” but is a good resource. Then there is a short appendix on topics also index.
Overall, Amazingly exciting . this book could be very valuable for the person who wants or needs to enjoy legal research but doesn’t know how to start. If you are forced to do-it-yourself, this guide can lead the mode. It is a very good description belonging to the legal research process for anyone without legislation degree.