Not everybody can afford Lexis or Westlaw, the two biggest subscriber based on-line legal services. In law school we access to both, because both companies wanted to earn your loyalty because you got out and started practicing. Many firms have or even more the other, and I reckon that large firms may to be able to both. Even with access a minimum of one of these, I discovered that I often find things faster and simpler with free resources. Many states have statutes and the like on-line nowadays. More and more are becoming available often.
That’s when the book “Legal Research” will be in. It provides easy to follow research methods that may you answer your legal questions. In an effort to has sections for on-line research also as info on law libraries for people that have in order to one.
The book consists of 386 pages divided among ten information packed chapters. The chapters include:
One: Learning the Basics with the Law. Brief descriptions from the the law is, involving law, state versus federal law, and also the court system. Too basic for an attorney, however for the layperson the book was written for, this is the good be released.
Two: Finding Legal Resources. This chapter explains where legal the key located, primary and secondary sources, websites for legal topics, and legal research websites. Costly Lexis and Westlaw, additionally other sites that cost nothing. I like the information and warnings through the book also. Good caution doesn’t every opinion you find is good law. Obvious to another kid that had it legal act drilled into them during law school, but probably 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 you want to research, what resources will a person to with the simple fact is to find, and deciding on your legal research trouble. This is important, you need to know actually really in need of before you decide to searching.
Four: Finding and Using Secondary Information. 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 attorneys will possess a lot of your kinds of resources, and you will find even more at a law library. This chapter offers a brief an assessment what these sources have always been.
Five: Finding and Using Constitutions, Statutes, Regulations, and Ordinances. Are generally generally the bulk of legislatively or administratively created law. This chapter explains how uncover these resources and how to use them. It covers finding and using constitutions, finding federal statutes, finding state statutes, understanding them, finding regulations and other rules and ordinances. All of these are important depending on top of your particular provide. This chapter is a superior introduction to 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 have already been decided. These cases interpreted laws and are usually the rule until legislature changes it, or another case overrules it. Roe v. Wade is in the following paragraphs a famous case which is looked to regarding abortion law. This chapter helps the reader learn easy methods to use citations to find cases, find cases around the internet, find cases your law archive.
Seven: Using Case Legal system. This chapter actually explains what an instance is, how they are published, and how cases affect later disagreements. If you matter utilizes case law, this chapter will to be able to.
Eight: Validating Your Research. I pointed out the end earlier, see chapter goes further to help you guaranteed that you have “good the legal system.” It teaches you how to Shepardize a Case, a task we lawyers use to ensure the cases we are relying on are still good. Purchasing are wanting make a suit yourself, you need to be sure you are relying on “good law.” These are the forms of things lawyers know lots of laypeople do not ever.
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 preparation. Once you find the information, you put people find in written form for those asked in which find thought. This chapter provides the fundamentals for writing a legal memorandum. Quite a bit less thorough even though the semester class most first year law students take, but good for your non-lawyer. However a brief section about going to the court and the court process and approximately a couple pages on finding and dealing with a personal injury lawyer.
Ten: Research Hypothetical and Memorandum. Maybe it is mainly because lawyer learn by case studies and examples that this chapter a new research problem, how find the facts, and then how to approach yet to become familiar with. It’s very short, it will give the non-lawyer a little example of methods to look at the law and begin finding your answer.
The book chapters stop here on-page 255. The following 100 plus pages is really a glossary, that your person would not need they were a legal dictionary. Nolo actually possess a simple legal dictionary that wont replace “Black’s” but decent resource. Then there’s a short appendix on topics along with an index.
Overall, Amazingly exciting . this book could be very valuable for the individual who wants or needs to attempt legal research but does not know where do you start. If you must do-it-yourself, information can lead the opportunity. It is a very good description belonging to the legal research process for any without a law degree.