1、Legal Research ReviewLegal ResearchMarch 2005Leah Sandwell-WeissReference LibrarianPrimary Authority“The Law”generated by the three branches of governmentCasesStatutesAdministrative RegulationsAccessing primary authorities is the ultimate goal of nearly all legal researchSecondary AuthorityNOT“the l
2、aw”Provides citations to primary authorityProvides background information that can aid in understanding primary authority(“the law”)May present novel theories that later find their way into primary authority Often provides the best starting point for research,especially when legal issues are unclear
3、Mandatory Authority“The law”of your jurisdictionYour states highest courtYour states statutesYour states regulationsYour federal district courtYour federal court of appealsThe United States Supreme CourtHave to followPersuasive Authority“The law”from somewhere elseAnother states supreme courtAnother
4、 federal court of appealsSome secondary sourcesDont“have to”follow,but use to persuadeSecondary SourcesProvide commentary on law&references to primary law&other secondary sourcesPersuasive AuthorityLaw ReviewsTreatises(but not hornbooks or nutshells)RestatementsNot Persuasive AuthorityLegal Encyclop
5、ediasAmerican Law Reports(ALRs)Organization of Federal&State CourtsReading a CaseParallel Citation(editorial enhancement)Title(editorial enhancement)Docket#(editorial enhancement)Case Summary(editorial enhancement)Headnotes(editorial enhancement)Opinion(official)Case ReportersOrganized by jurisdicti
6、onCases in chronological orderArizona CasesArizona Supreme Court=Arizona Reports,P.,P.2dArizona Court of Appeals=Arizona Appellate Reports(1965 1976),Arizona Reports,P.,P.2dFederal Courts&ReportersSupreme Court=U.S.Reports(U.S.)(official)Supreme Court Reporter(S.Ct.)U.S.Supreme Court Reports,Lawyers
7、 Edition(L.Ed.,L.Ed.2d)Courts of Appeals=Federal Reporter(F.,F.2d,F.3d)District Courts=Federal Supplement(F.Supp.,F.Supp.2d)Finding casesAnnotated CodesSecondary SourcesDigest Topic Name and Key Number(subject index to all case law)If have case name but no citation:Digest Table of CasesDatabase sear
8、ch on Westlaw or Lexis(pick the most narrow database)DigestsAll cases on a given legal point collected under the same digest topic&key numberDigest topics&key numbers consistent through all West digestsSelect the appropriate DigestMost jurisdictionalUsing Digests to Find CasesFrom a case on pointUse
9、 the headnotes to identify relevant topics&key numbersFrom the Descriptive Word IndexLook up relevant subjectsCheck for new entries in pocket partFrom a topic entryCheck out the outline of key numbersUsing Digests,contdFind topic&key number in right volumeCheck court&dates to target appropriate case
10、s to readRead summariesUpdate with pocket parts or interim pamphletsFinding Cases OnlineUse Annotated Codes onlineFind known case online&use headnotes(Westlaw)or core terms/core concepts(Lexis)If already have a topic&key number,use them to find more cases on WestlawUse Shepards/KeyCiteTerms&Connecto
11、rs/Natural Language SearchesPay attention to database selectionCase Law TipsLook for mandatory authority firstNote:case law always primary authorityIf there is insufficient mandatory authority,look for primary persuasiveRead opinions in full and cite only to the opinion itself Statutory PublicationS
12、lip lawsSeparately issued versions of each law as passedSession lawsChronological arrangement of statutes Law as passed by legislature-No amendmentsCodesOrganized by subject,often called“Titles”“Current”version of law,with amendmentsAnnotated CodesCan be official or unofficialContain references to:C
13、ases(Notes of Decisions)Administrative code sections(CFRs)Legal encyclopediasLegislative historyLaw reviews&TreatisesWest Codes Headnotes&Key NumbersFinding StatutesIn PrintSubject indexesSecondary Sources References in casesPopular Names Table to find specific actOnlineReferences in casesShepards/K
14、eyCiteTerms&Connectors/Natural Language SearchesUpdating Primary LawPocket Parts in PrintCitators(Shepards/KeyCite)OnlineValidating-is it still“good law?”History of the case Was your case overruled/revised on appeal?Citing References Was your case been overruled/invalidated entirely?Was it chipped a
15、way at such that the validity is questionable?Has your specific issue been affected by negative treatment?Expanding Research Citing References&secondary sources on the same or similar points of lawLimiting Citing ReferencesHeadnote number(specific Topic/Issue)JurisdictionType of document(case law,ad
16、min law,secondary sources)Specific additional terms(Locate on Westlaw and Focus on Lexis)Depth of treatment(Westlaw)Completing Your ResearchDid you address the question asked?Did you research the correct jurisdiction?Do you understand the area of law you are researching?Did you find enough applicabl
17、e primary,mandatory authority to answer the question?If not,did you find relevant primary persuasive authority?Do you have the current language of all statutes?Completing Research,contdDid you use several methods to locate relevant case law?Did you validate statutes&cases using KeyCite/Shepards?Did you use KeyCite/Shepards to expand your research?Did you check a secondary source near the end of your research to see if you have found what there is to find?Do you keep finding the same materials everywhere you look?Remember,UPDATE,UPDATE,UPDATEQuestions?
