"Legal Research Using WESTLAW" is an invaluable guide for anyone conducting legal research with WESTLAW, a popular research vehicle. The book provides instruction in a step-by-step manner and highlights all of the intricacies of WESTLAW. It is fully illustrated for easy reference and offers tutorials that enhance understanding of the material. The-end-of chapter exercises present problems that are similar to those found in real law offices.
This best-selling coursebook on legal research is known for its clear, step-by-step instruction in the basics. Using a building-block approach, Basic Legal Research: Tools and Strategies, Revised Eighth Edition breaks material into discrete, readily comprehensible parts. Ideal as a course book or reference, this text emphasizes online research, with targeted coverage of print materials. Its comprehensive coverage and self-contained chapters offer flexibility to fit a variety of course structures. Useful pedagogy throughout the text includes end-of-chapter checklists, clear examples, and summary charts. Helpful sample pages and examples of research sources guide students through the presentation, and an accompanying workbook provides exercises to test comprehension and to apply legal research tools and strategies. New to the Revised Eighth Edition: New coverage of Westlaw Precision Coverage of the latest Shepard’s and KeyCite features New material on use of generative AI for legal research Benefits for instructors and students: Clear, step-by-step instruction covering the basics of legal research A building-block approach that breaks the material into discrete and comprehensible parts Self-contained chapters on research sources that make the book adaptable to any type of legal research course End-of-chapter checklists, numerous examples, and summary charts that aid in understanding, retention, and review
The Fifth Edition of Legal Research Explained offers accessible, complete, and timely coverage specifically created for Legal Research courses. Deborah E. Bouchoux’s popular building-block approach ensures that all students can master these essential skills. The text is divided into five sections: 1) conducting legal research using primary authorities; 2) conducting legal research using secondary authorities and other research aids; 3) electronic and computer resources; 4) legal citation form and validating authorities; and 5) “putting it all together,” providing a final overview of the legal research process. Research assignments in each chapter, completely updated for this edition, give students practice with both conventional print resources and online sources. Charts, diagrams, and sample pages from research resources help students understand complex topics. In addition, Practice Tips in each chapter offer realistic and helpful suggestions for workplace success, and Ethics Alerts are included throughout the book. New to the Fifth Edition: New “Sidebar” feature provides quick tips showing how the material in that chapter applies to computer-assisted legal research systems, such as Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law. Discussion of GovInfo, which provides free public access to official and authenticated publications from all three branches of the federal government. Coverage of new tools used for cite-checking, including EVA and Bestlaw. Discussion of Westlaw Edge, Westlaw’s new research platform. Extensive new coverage of artificial intelligence features that boost legal research. References to helpful YouTube videos for tips on Shepardizing, KeyCiting, and researching. New section on sources that provide free public access to the law, including Harvard’s Caselaw Access Project, CourtListener, and RECAP Project. New section on preparing informal or email memoranda, with a new assignment. All new Research Questions and Internet Legal Research Assignments included. Professors and students will benefit from: Pedagogy designed to enhance the accessibility of the material, including helpful charts and diagrams, annotated sample pages and screen shots that illustrate legal research authorities, updated Practice Tips offering realistic and helpful suggestions for workplace success, and Ethics Alerts in every chapter. Well-designed assignments help students learn how to use a wide range of research sources. Chapters that demonstrate citation form for the resources discussed. Conscientious revision that ensures that the book has the most up-to-date material, presented in a readable and accessible format.
This essential primer on legal research is written specifically for criminal justice and social sciences students. The book's basic, how-to approach makes it suitable not only as a guiding text for research courses, but also as a key supplementary text for courses in which legal research is a secondary requirement. Stripped of the cumbersome information found in similar texts for legal students, this slim essentials book gives criminal justice and social sciences students the tools they need for successful research.
A comprehensive companion to your legal research coursebook, Basic Legal Research Workbook provides a well-chosen range of exercises and assignments to familiarize students with fundamental online and print research sources. Logically and intuitively organized, Basic Legal Research Workbook’s coverage mirrors the research sources studied in first-year Legal Research courses, including both online and print sources. Research exercises are presented at graduated levels of difficulty, from guided research to open research requiring more advanced research skills. Online research exercises progressively instruct students on the latest interface features of commonly-used databases. Print assignments cover multiple jurisdictions, reducing the demand on single library sources. New to the Fifth Edition: All exercises updated to include instructions for the latest research platforms Flexible exercises that can be completed online or in print Updated problem sets Inclusion of Student Learning Outcomes that support formative and summative student assessment Updated exercises that reflect the latest versions of Westlaw and Lexis Questions that introduce students to Bloomberg Law and the latest government websites (e.g., govinfo.gov) Professors and students will benefit from: Coverage that mirrors the research sources studied in first-year Legal Research courses, including both online and print sources A logical and intuitive organization Research exercises cover the scope and organization of research sources (emphasizing online but also including some print), review the research process, and reinforce students’ skills. Exercises are presented at graduated levels of difficulty, from guided research to open research requiring more advanced research skills Emphasis on online sources while maintaining coverage of key print resources for professors who teach print research. Online research exercises with progressively more complex questions to instruct students on the latest interface features of commonly-used databases Print assignments that can work in multiple jurisdictions, reducing the demand on single library sources Problem sets for all exercises An appealing and highly readable interior design.
The ABA Journal serves the legal profession. Qualified recipients are lawyers and judges, law students, law librarians and associate members of the American Bar Association.
Legal Writing I & II; Legal Research and Writing & Introduction to Litigation Practice contains a brief discussion of all of the topics covered in a law school courses on legal writing, including a typical first semester course on legal research, analysis and writing an objective memorandum, as well as a second semester course on persuasion and writing an appellate brief, motion to dismiss or motion for summary judgment. The discussion focuses on the basics of analogical reasoning and persuasion and leaves out the minutiae. Each topic is taken one step at a time, with each step building on the step before it. The sources of law are presented first, then legal research, and reading and analyzing cases and statutes. The book covers analogizing a case to a fact pattern and marshaling the relevant facts to the elements of a statutory rule next. And then first section of the book concludes with legal citation, CRAC and CREAC, and writing a legal research memorandum. The text also includes a lot of samples and examples of how the author would write a case brief, a legal memoranda and an appellate brief, as well as an appendix with charts, outlines and exercises students can use to practice these skills. Legal Writing I & II; Legal Research and Writing & Introduction to Litigation Practice covers all the skills students need to know to work at a law firm, and everything students have to learn to begin practicing in litigation department of a firm. The chapters of the book are as follows: 1.Sources of Law (Local Ordinances and Bylaws, State and Federal Law: Statutes, Regulations, Cases, Executive Orders, International Treaties, Compacts, and Agreements) 2.Legal Research (Secondary Sources, Researching Statutes, Researching Cases, Paper Research v. Computer Research) 3.Briefing Cases (Facts, Issue, Rule, Holding, Reasoning) 4.Applying Cases and Analogical Reasoning (Analogizing a Case to a Fact Pattern, Distinguishing a Case from a Fact Pattern) 5.Analyzing Statutes and Marshaling Facts (Determining a Statutory Formula, Definitions, Marshaling Facts to a Statutory Rule, Comparing a Case Interpreting a Statutory Rule to a Fact Pattern) 6.Citation (How to Cite Cases, How to Cite Statutes and Regulations, Quotations, Signals, Parentheticals, Reference Materials) 7.IRAC (Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion, Using “IREAC” when it is Necessary to Explain the Rule, Using “Ferrari Has Really Cool Race Cars” when it is Necessary to Analogize or Distinguish a Case, Synthesizing a Rule from Multiple Cases, Explaining and Applying a Rule with Multiple Cases) 8. Objective Legal Memoranda (Organization of a Research Memo, Sample Memo) 9. Other Examples of Legal writing (Client Letters, Exam Answers) 10. Improving Your Writing (Additional Tips and Resources) 11. Credibility in Persuasive Writing (the importance of writing well) 12. Bias (Implicit Bias, Microaggressions, Dealing with Bias in Others) 13. Ethical Rules for Advocacy (Competence, Diligent, Honesty and Fairness) 14. Civil and Appellate Procedure (Rules for the Form and Content of Briefs and Memos) 15. Requirements for Civil Motions and Standards of Review for Appeals 16. Persuasive Writing (Writing Persuasive Facts, Writing Persuasive Arguments) 17. Memoranda in Support of Motions (Applying the Rules of Civil Procedure to a Sample Memo) 18. Motion Session (Arguing a Motion Before a Trial Court Judge) 19. Appellate Briefs (Applying the Rules of Appellate Procedure to a Sample Brief) 20. Oral Argument (Arguing an Appeal before a Panel of Appellate Court Judges) In addition, there are numerous examples, exercises and sample documents in the appendix.
Print publication based on the online legal research materials available at TeachingLaw Features: Takes a clear, straightforward approach to research sources and strategies plus to citation (ALWD and Bluebook styles) and grammar. Covers 1L material including finding federal and state statutes and cases, using secondary sources, and strategies for effective and efficient research; also covers upper-class courses with materials on administrative law and legislative history. Breaks down the research process into manageable tasks, discussing strategies for the process and presenting specific strategies for each legal source, including specifics on updating the law. Uses hypothetical fact patterns and case briefs to illustrate research plans and strategies. Provides maps, diagrams, text boxes, and tables to summarize material and provide visual interest. Instructs through annotated facsimiles and screen shots of a wide variety of law and research sources. Provides abundant, thorough study aid materials Quick References and Checklists: reinforce and test students' understanding of the material Quizzes and Self-Assessments: allow students and teachers to test students' understanding of the material Exercises: for use as in-class to reinforce the readings, such as exercises on case analogies, statutory interpretation, conciseness, and citation Can be used both as an aid to instructors and students working partially or predominantly in the electronic environment of TeachingLaw and as a standalone primary or supplementary textbook. Online version of the book includes an idea bank, a school bank for sharing, and an integrated courseware program.
International and Foreign Legal Research: A Coursebook emphasizes legal research strategies applicable across the landscape of research sources, covering basic concepts as well as particular subjects of international law.
