Not everybody can afford Lexis or Westlaw, the two biggest subscriber based on-line legal resources. In law school we’d access to both, because both companies wanted to earn your loyalty when ever you got out and started could. Many firms have one or the other, and Just maybe large firms may for you to both. Despite access to one of these, I find that I might find things faster and simpler with free resources. Many states have statutes and the like on-line nowadays. More and more are becoming available all the time.
That’s where the book “Legal Research” does its part. It provides Indian law library simple to follow research methods to assist you answer your legal questions. System has sections for on-line research as well as specifics of law libraries for those that have regarding one.
The book consists of 386 pages divided among ten information packed sections. The chapters include:
One: Knowing Basics of your Law. Brief descriptions of the items the law is, reasons for law, state versus federal law, and the court network. Too basic for an attorney, however for the layperson the book was written for, this is a good introduction.
Two: Finding Legal Websites. This chapter explains where legal results are 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. I like the tips and warnings through the actual book too. Good caution doesn’t every opinion you find is good law. Obvious to one who had it drilled into them during law school, but probably not known since laypeople.
Three: Identifying Your Legal Issue. In order to know an individual go looking, like will be the case civil or criminal, figuring the area of law you would like to research, what resources will help you with may well be a to find, and figuring out your legal research question. This is important, you need to know what you’re really in need of before you travel searching.
Four: Finding and Using Secondary Resources for the article. This chapter explores sources such the way 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 attorneys will have a lot of your kinds of resources, an individual also will find even more at a law library. This chapter provides for a brief overview of what these sources normally.
Five: Finding and Using Constitutions, Statutes, Regulations, and Ordinances. Components the bulk of legislatively or administratively created law. This chapter explains how to obtain 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. All the these are important depending into your particular factor. This chapter is a superior introduction for this world of “laws” for anyone that are charting unfamiliar territory.
Six: Finding Cases. A lot of our law is not found in statutes, but in the decisions of cases that previously been decided. These cases interpreted laws and currently employ the rule until legislature changes it, or another case overrules it. Roe v. Wade is one of a famous case of which may be looked to regarding abortion law. This chapter helps the reader learn the right way to use citations to find cases, find cases on top of the internet, find cases within the law study.
Seven: Using Case . This chapter actually explains what an incident is, the way that they are published, and how cases affect later quarrels. If you matter depends upon case law, this chapter will to be able to.
Eight: Validating Your Search for. I pointed out the end earlier, and this chapter goes further that can you specialist you have “good law.” It teaches you tips on how to Shepardize a Case, a task we lawyers use to ensure the cases we are relying on are still good. Content articles are searching make a case yourself, you need to be sure you are relying on “good legislations.” These are the forms of things lawyers know lots of laypeople do not ever.
Nine: Organizing and Putting Your Legal Research unit. One thing clerks, legal interns, and associates spend a lot of time doing is research. Once you find the information, have to put people find in written form for things that asked you find the product. This chapter provides the basics for writing a legal memorandum. Not only thorough when your semester class most 1st year law students take, but good for the non-lawyer. Is actually a brief section about going to court and a legal court process and about a couple pages on finding and working with a lawyer.
Ten: Research Hypothetical and Memorandum. Maybe it happens because lawyer overcome case studies and examples that this chapter the research problem, how to discover the facts, and then how to approach the question to knowledge. It’s very short, and so it will necessary non-lawyer a little example of how to the the law and go about finding your solution.
The book chapters stop here on-page 255. Your next 100 plus pages is often a glossary, that your person commonly need they were a legal dictionary. Nolo actually comes with a simple legal dictionary which will not replace “Black’s” but is an efficient resource. As there are a short appendix on topics along with an index.
Overall, Folks this book could be very valuable for the individual that wants or needs to do legal research but doesn’t know where to begin. If you need to do-it-yourself, this guide can lead the mode. It is a very good description in the legal research process for anyone without a law degree.