Not everyone is able to 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 when ever you got out and started practicing. Many firms have much more the other, and Just maybe large firms may in order to both. Despite access to 1 of these, I recognize that I can sometimes find things faster and easier with free resources. Many states have statutes and such on-line these days. More and more are becoming available normally.
That’s when the book “Legal Research” accessible. It provides simple follow research methods to help you answer your legal questions. In an effort to has sections for on-line research also as info about law libraries for those who have access to one.
The book consists of 386 pages divided among ten information packed sections. The chapters include:
One: Regulations Basics with the Law. Brief descriptions of the items the law is, reasons for law, state versus federal law, along with the court system. Too basic for an attorney, but for the layperson the book was written for, this is a good introduction.
Two: Finding Legal Websites. This chapter explains where legal facts are located, primary and secondary sources, websites for legal topics, and legal research websites. Consists of Lexis and Westlaw, however additionally other sites that have the freedom. I like the ideas and warnings through out the book as well. Good caution that every opinion you find is good law. Obvious to a person that had it drilled into them during law school, but most likely not known since laypeople.
Three: Identifying Your Legal Issue. Things to know an individual go looking, like may be the case civil or criminal, figuring the area of law extra flab to research, what resources will a person to with the simple fact is to find, and figuring out your legal research ponder. This is important, you want to know what you are really seeking before you go 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 common law library manuals, continuing legal education publications, law reviews, and so on. Many attorneys will have a lot in their kinds of resources, an individual will find even more at a law library. This chapter offers a brief overview of what these sources normally.
Five: Finding and Using Constitutions, Statutes, Regulations, and Ordinances. Tend to be some the almost all legislatively or administratively created law. This chapter explains how to 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 other rules and ordinances. Both of these are crucial depending into your particular hassle. This chapter is a good introduction to this world of “laws” for the people that are charting unfamiliar territory.
Six: Finding Cases. Much of our law is not found in statutes, but in the decisions of cases that formerly been planned. These cases interpreted laws and have grown to be the rule until legislature changes it, or another case overrules it. Roe v. Wade is an example of a famous case which usually is looked to regarding abortion law. This chapter helps the reader learn how you can use citations to find cases, find cases through the internet, find cases each morning law library.
Seven: Using Case Law. This chapter actually explains what a case is, how they are published, and how cases affect later disputes. If you matter depends on case law, this chapter will help you.
Eight: Validating Your Research. I pointed out the top earlier, so, as chapter goes further in order to assist you specialist you have “good law.” It teaches you how to Shepardize a Case, a procedure we lawyers use certain the cases we are relying on are still good. If you are searching make in a situation yourself, will have to be sure you are relying on “good law.” These are the types of things lawyers know lots of 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 research. Once you find the information, you must put that find in written form for things that asked in order to find the product. This chapter provides essentials for writing a legal memorandum. Quite a bit less thorough currently being the semester class most novice law students take, but good for your non-lawyer. There is a brief section about going to court and the court process and about a couple pages on finding and working with a legal practitioner.
Ten: Research Hypothetical and Memorandum. Maybe it happens because lawyer overcome case studies and examples that this chapter supplies a research problem, how get the facts, and then how to approach rare to research. It’s very short, it will supply the non-lawyer a little example of methods to with the law and begin finding your answer.
The book chapters stop here onpage 255. The following 100 plus pages is often a glossary, which a person does not need they were a legal dictionary. Nolo actually has a simple legal dictionary that will not replace “Black’s” but is a superb resource. There is a short appendix on topics plus an index.
Overall, Amazingly exciting . this book could be very valuable for the individual who wants or needs complete legal research but does not know how to start. If you need to do-it-yourself, this guide can lead the way. It is a very good description in the legal research process for all those without a law degree.