Not everybody can afford Lexis or Westlaw, the two biggest subscriber based on-line legal information. In law school we’d access to both, because both companies wanted to earn your loyalty whenever you got out and started studying. Many firms have one or the other, and Maybe large firms may for you to both. Despite access to one of these, I discovered that I can sometimes find things faster and simpler with free resources. Many states have statutes and such on-line nowadays. More and more are becoming available often.
That’s where the book “Legal Research” comes in. It provides simple follow research methods that may you answer your legal questions. The book has sections for on-line research too as information regarding law libraries for people that have regarding 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 the items the law is, involving law, state versus federal law, and 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 Resources. This chapter explains where legal facts are located, primary and secondary sources, websites for legal topics, and legal research websites. It offers Lexis and Westlaw, additionally other sites that are free of charge. I like the guidelines and warnings through the book too. Good caution doesn’t every opinion you find is good Indian law library. Obvious to a person that had it drilled into them during law school, but most likely not known numerous laypeople.
Three: Identifying Your Legal Issue. Things to know an individual go looking, like will be the case civil or criminal, figuring out the area of law you would like to research, what resources will an individual with try not to to find, and working out your legal research subject. This is important, you want to know what you’re really looking for before you go searching.
Four: Finding and Using Secondary Sources. This chapter explores sources such exactly how 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 firm will possess a lot of your kinds of resources, and you will find even more at legislation library. This chapter provides brief a closer look at what these sources might be.
Five: Finding and Using Constitutions, Statutes, Regulations, and Ordinances. Components the bulk of legislatively or administratively created law. This chapter explains how to find these resources and protect yourself with them. It covers finding and using constitutions, finding federal statutes, finding state statutes, understanding them, finding regulations and other rules and ordinances. Just about all these tend to be crucial depending on your own own particular issue. This chapter is an honest introduction for this world of “laws” for anyone that are charting unfamiliar territory.
Six: Finding Cases. A wide variety of our law is not found in statutes, however in the decisions of cases that previously been planned. These cases interpreted laws and have been the rule until legislature changes it, or another case overrules it. Roe v. Wade is individuals 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 top of the internet, find cases inside of law collection.
Seven: Using Case Law. This chapter actually explains what in a situation is, how they are published, and how cases affect later disputes. If you matter utilizes case law, this chapter will help you.
Eight: Validating Your Analysis. I pointed out the end earlier, which chapter goes further to help you retain all of your you have “good guideline.” It teaches you ways to Shepardize a Case, an activity we lawyers use to ensure the cases we are relying on are still good. If you are searching make a suit yourself, will have to be sure you are relying on “good policies.” These are the types of things lawyers know lots of laypeople don’t.
Nine: Organizing and Putting Your Legal Research to be able to. One thing clerks, legal interns, and associates spend a lot of time doing is research. Once you find the information, ought to put true find in written form for homeowners who asked you to find thought. This chapter provides essentials for writing a legal memorandum. Not as thorough as the semester class most newbie law students take, but good for your non-lawyer. However a brief section about going to court and the judge process and approximately a couple pages on finding and dealing with an attorney at law.
Ten: Research Hypothetical and Memorandum. Maybe it happens because lawyer learn by case studies and examples that this chapter supplies a research problem, how learn the facts, and then how to approach yet to become familiar with. It’s very short, so it will supply the non-lawyer just a little example of methods to from the law and go about finding your answer.
The book chapters stop here on page 255. The following 100 plus pages is really a glossary, that your person usually need they were a legal dictionary. Nolo actually is sufffering from a simple legal dictionary that won’t replace “Black’s” but decent resource. There is a short appendix on topics along with an index.
Overall, I do think this book could be very valuable for the one that wants or needs you need to do legal research but doesn’t know where to start. If you are forced to do-it-yourself, this guide can lead the chance. It is a very good description in the legal research process for any without legislation degree.