Not anyone can afford Lexis or Westlaw, the two biggest subscriber based on-line legal services. In law school we’d access to both, because both companies wanted to earn your loyalty because you got out and started training. Many firms have much more the other, and Just maybe large firms may for you to both. Despite access to at least of these, I recognize that I can often find things faster and much easier with free resources. Many states have statutes and such on-line these days. More and more are becoming available often.
That’s area book “Legal Research” will be in. It provides simple follow research methods to assist you answer your legal questions. Course . has sections for on-line research too as info about law libraries for people who have to be able to one.
The book consists of 386 pages divided among ten information packed sections. The chapters include:
One: Understanding the Basics among the Law. Brief descriptions of what the law is, sources of law, state versus federal law, and 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 Resources. This chapter explains where legal information and facts is located, primary and secondary sources, online resources for legal topics, and legal research websites. Consists of Lexis and Westlaw, furthermore other sites that are free of charge. I like the common law library guidelines and warnings through out the book too. Good caution not every opinion you find is good law. Obvious to someone 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 may be the case civil or criminal, figuring the area of law would like to to research, what resources will an individual with the simple fact is to find, and finding out your legal research subject. This is important, you wish to know that which you are really hunting for before you decide to searching.
Four: Finding and Using Secondary Resources for the article. 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 so on. Many law firms will possess a lot of your kinds of resources, and you will find even more at legislation library. This chapter provides brief overview of what these sources might be.
Five: Finding and Using Constitutions, Statutes, Regulations, and Ordinances. Of the the almost all legislatively or administratively created law. This chapter explains how identify these resources and strategies for them. It covers finding and using constitutions, finding federal statutes, finding state statutes, understanding them, finding regulations along with rules and ordinances. Each of these are crucial depending on top of your particular trouble. This chapter is a superior introduction for this world of “laws” for anyone that are charting unfamiliar territory.
Six: Finding Cases. Some of our law is not found in statutes, however in the decisions of cases that formerly been made a decision. These cases interpreted laws and are now the rule until legislature changes it, or another case overrules it. Roe v. Wade is an example of a famous case is actually looked to regarding abortion law. This chapter helps the reader learn the right way to use citations to find cases, find cases around the internet, find cases within the law library.
Seven: Using Case Legal system. This chapter actually explains what in instances is, how they are published, and how cases affect later quarrels. If you matter relies on case law, this chapter will a person to.
Eight: Validating Your Search for. I pointed out the end earlier, which chapter goes further aid you acquiring you have “good legal.” It teaches you the way to Shepardize a Case, an activity we lawyers use to create the cases we are relying on are still good. Purchasing are trying to make a case yourself, you must be sure you are relying on “good policies.” These are the regarding things lawyers know plenty of laypeople never.
Nine: Organizing and Putting Your Legal Research using. One thing clerks, legal interns, and associates spend lots of time doing is preparation. Once you find the information, you must put what you find in written form for homeowners who asked you to find the concept. This chapter provides essentials for writing a legal memorandum. Not only thorough while the semester class most first year law students take, but good for the non-lawyer. However a brief section about going to court and the court process resulting in a couple pages on finding and working with a personal injury lawyer.
Ten: Research Hypothetical and Memorandum. Maybe it happens because lawyer overcome case studies and examples that this chapter any research problem, how find the facts, and then how to approach motor oil to research. It’s very short, so it will provide the non-lawyer a little example of methods to the the law and try finding the way to go.
The book chapters stop here on page 255. The next 100 plus pages is really a glossary, which a person does not need should they have a legal dictionary. Nolo actually possess a simple legal dictionary which don’t replace “Black’s” but is a superb resource. Then there’s a short appendix on topics and an index.
Overall, Amazingly exciting . this book could be very valuable for the individual who wants or needs to attempt legal research but doesn’t know where to start. If you are forced to do-it-yourself, information can lead the chance. It is a very good description in the legal research process for anyone without legislation degree.
Posted on:
February 15, 2020