Not everybody 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 because you got out and started studying. Many firms have one or the other, and Maybe large firms may to be able to both. Even with access to at least of these, I discovered that I can sometimes find things Indian law library faster and much easier with free resources. Many states have statutes etc on-line nowadays. More and more are becoming available all the time.
That’s if the book “Legal Research” obtainable. It provides for you to follow research methods to help you answer your legal questions. In an effort to has sections for on-line research too as info on law libraries for those that have access to one.
The book consists of 386 pages divided among ten information packed chapters. The chapters include:
One: Understanding the Basics of the Law. Brief descriptions of what the law is, involving law, state versus federal law, and also the court routine. Too basic for an attorney, but for the layperson the book was written for, this can be a good intro.
Two: Finding Legal Resources. This chapter explains where legal information is located, primary and secondary sources, internet resources for legal topics, and legal research websites. It offers Lexis and Westlaw, however other sites that are free. I like the guidelines and warnings through out the book as well. Good caution that not every opinion you find is good law. Obvious to somebody that had it drilled into them during law school, but probably not known to many laypeople.
Three: Identifying Your Legal Issue. Things to know in order to go looking, like is the case civil or criminal, figuring out the area of law extra flab to research, what resources will an individual with what you need to find, and being aware of your legal research ponder. This is important, you want to know what you are really looking for before planning searching.
Four: Finding and Using Secondary Information. 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 have a lot because of kinds of resources, and will find even more at legislation library. This chapter gives a brief a closer look at what these sources are typically.
Five: Finding and Using Constitutions, Statutes, Regulations, and Ordinances. Of the the almost all legislatively or administratively created law. This chapter explains how uncover these resources and increase your website’s traffic them. It covers finding and using constitutions, finding federal statutes, finding state statutes, understanding them, finding regulations together with other rules and ordinances. Just about all these tend to be crucial depending on your particular hassle. This chapter is an efficient introduction for this world of “laws” for those that are charting unfamiliar territory.
Six: Finding Cases. Much 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 have been 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 tips on how to use citations to find cases, find cases on your 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 disputes. If you matter relies upon case law, this chapter will assist.
Eight: Validating Your Analysis. I pointed out the tip earlier, see chapter goes further to help you acquiring you have “good guideline.” It teaches you the best way to Shepardize a Case, an operation we lawyers use guarantee that the cases we are relying on are still good. Prone to are planning to make a situation yourself, you need to be sure you are relying on “good policies.” These are the associated with things lawyers know lots of laypeople never.
Nine: Organizing and Putting Your Legal Research using. One thing clerks, legal interns, and associates spend lots of time doing is studies. Once you find the information, you put what you find in written form for athletes that asked you to find thought. This chapter provides the fundamentals for writing a legal memorandum. Quite a bit less thorough even though the semester class most novice law students take, but good for your non-lawyer. Is actually a brief section about going to court and the legal court process contributing to a couple pages on finding and with an attorney at law.
Ten: Research Hypothetical and Memorandum. Maybe it is really because lawyer learn by case studies and examples that this chapter supplies a research problem, how to find the facts, and then how to approach rare to studying. It’s very short, the software will supply the non-lawyer just a little example of methods to from the law and begin finding the way to go.
The book chapters stop here on page 255. The other 100 plus pages can be a glossary, that your person definitely would not need whether they have had a legal dictionary. Nolo actually comes with a simple legal dictionary that wont replace “Black’s” but decent resource. There is a short appendix on topics and an index.
Overall, Amazingly exciting . this book could be very valuable for the one that wants or needs you need to do legal research but doesn’t know the place to begin. If you need to do-it-yourself, this guide can lead the manner for you. It is a very good description in the legal research process for any without legislation degree.