Legal Research in a Nutshell: By Morris L. Cohen, Kent C. Olson

by Cohen, Morris L.

• ISBN13: 9780314147073
• ISBN10: 0314147071
• Edition: 8th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-07-01
• Publisher: West Academic

Summary

Serving as both a text for beginning law students and a reference for experienced researchers, Legal Research in a Nutshell provides an overview of basic research methods. The expert authors discuss case law, statutes, secondary sources, and other research tools; they also analyze resources in more specialized areas, such as legislative history and administrative law. Completely updated with dozens of new Web addresses and 20 percent more illustrations of print and electronic sources, this comprehensive guide explains the investigative process using online databases, CD-ROM, and Internet resources, including free and commercial internet sites. Discussion also includes international and comparative law materials, as well as business and interdisciplinary research.

Table of Contents

PREFACE	iii
CHAPTER 1. THE RESEARCH PROCESS	1	(18)
1-1. INTRODUCTION	2	(1)
1-2. THE SOURCE OF THE LAW	2	(3)
1-3. THE FORMS OF LEGAL INFORMATION	5	(5)
A. ACCESS TO CHRONOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS	5	(2)
B. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES	7	(1)
C. PRINT AND ELECTRONIC RESOURCES	8	(2)
1-4. LEGAL LANGUAGE	10	(1)
1-5. LEGAL CITATIONS	11	(2)
1-6. BEGINNING A RESEARCH PROJECT	13	(4)
1-7. COMPLETING A RESEARCH PROJECT	17	(1)
1-8. CONCLUSION	18	(1)
CHAPTER 2. BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS	19	(25)
2-1. INTRODUCTION	20	(1)
2-2. OVERVIEWS	21	(1)
2-3. LEGAL ENCYCLOPEDIAS	22	(7)
A. AMER1CAN JURISPRUDENCE 2D AND CORPUS JURIS SECUNDUM	23	(5)
B. JURISDICTIONAL ENCYCLOPEDIAS	28	(1)
2-4. TEXTS AND TREATISES	29	(5)
2-5. RESTATEMENTS OF THE LAW	34	(3)
2-6. LAW REVIEWS	37	(5)
2-7 CONCLUSION	42	(2)
CHAPTER 3. CASE LAW SOURCES	44	(38)
3-1 INTRODUCTION	45	(6)
3-2. SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES	51	(13)
A. THE UNITED STATES REPORTS	53	(2)
B. SUPREME COURT REPORTER AND LAWYERS' EDITION	55	(5)
C. UNITED STATES LAW WEEK	60	(1)
D. ELECTRONIC RESOURCES	61	(3)
3-3. LOWER FEDERAL COURTS	64	(7)
3-4. STATE COURTS	71	(9)
A. OFFICIAL REPORTS	72	(3)
B. NATIONAL REPORTER SYSTEM	75	(4)
C. ELECTRONIC RESOURCES	79	(1)
3-5. CONCLUSION	80	(2)
CHAPTER 4. CASE LAW RESEARCH	82	(56)
4-1. INTRODUCTION	83	(1)
4-2. ELECTRONIC RESEARCH	84	(17)
A. WESTLAW	85	(9)
B. LEXIS NEXIS	94	(7)
4-3. WEST DIGESTS	101	(15)
A. FINDING CASES IN DIGESTS	105	(4)
B. DECENNIAL AND GENERAL DIGESTS	109	(3)
C. JURISDICTIONAL AND REGIONAL DIGESTS	112	(1)
D. WORDS AND PHRASES	113	(1)
E. DIGESTS AND KEY NUMBERS ON WESTLAW	114	(2)
4-4. AMERICAN LAW REPORTS ANNOTATIONS	116	(9)
A. FORMAT AND CONTENTS	117	(5)
B. FINDING ANNOTATION	122	(3)
4-5. CITATIORS	125	(11)
A. KEYCITE	126	(1)
B. SHEPARD'S CITATIONS ONLINE	127	(6)
C. SHEPARD'S CITATIONS IN PRINT	133	(3)
4-6. CONCLUSION	136	(2)
CHAPTER 5. CONSTITUTIONS AND STATUTES	138	(47)
5-1. INTRODUCTION	139	(1)
5-2. THE U.S. CONSTITUTION	140	(4)
5-3. STATE CONSTITUTIONS	144	(2)
5-4. PUBLICATION OF STATUTES	146	(2)
5-5. FEDERAL STATUTES	148	(23)
A. SLIP LAWS AND SESSION LAWS	148	(3)
B. THE UNITED STATES CODE	151	(8)
C. ANNOTATED CODES	159	(10)
D. KEYCITE AND SHEPARD'S CITATIONS	169	(2)
5-6. STATE STATUTES	171	(10)
A. SLIP LAWS AND SESSION LAWS	171	(1)
B. CODES	172	(3)
C. KEYCITE AND SHEPARD'S CITATIONS	175	(1)
D. MULTISTATE RESEARCH SOURCES	176	(4)
E. UNIFORM LAWS	180	(1)
5-7. CONCLUSION	181	(4)
CHAPTER 6. LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION	185	(37)
6-1. INTRODUCTION	184	(1)
6-2. FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE HISTORY SOURCES	184	(14)
A. BILLS	187	(1)
B. COMMITTEE REPORTS	188	(3)
C. DEBATES	191	(3)
D. HEARINGS AND OTHER CONGRESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS	194	(4)
6-3. CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH RESOURCES	198	(19)
A. THOMAS AND OTHER CONGRESSIONAL WEBSITES	200	(4)
B. CONGRESSIONAL INFORMATION SERVICE (CIS)	204	(3)
C. USCCAN	207	(3)
D. CQ RESOURCES	210	(2)
E. PRINTED STATUS TABLES	212	(3)
F. DIRECTORIES	215	(2)
6-4. STATE LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION	217	(3)
6-5. CONCLUSION	220	(2)
CHAPTER 7. ADMINISTRATIVE LAW	222	(39)
7-1. INTRODUCTION	223	(1)
7-2. BACKGROUND REFERENCE SOURCES	224	(4)
7-3. FEDERAL REGULATIONS	228	(20)
A.FEDERAL REGISTER	229	(5)
B.CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS	234	(7)
C.FINDING AND UPDATING REGULATIONS	241	(6)
D.SUPPLEMENTARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION	247	(1)
7-4. ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS AND RULINGS	248	(3)
7-5. PRESIDENTIAL LAWMAKING	251	(4)
7-6. STATE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW	255	(3)
A. REGULATIONS	257	(1)
B. DECISIONS AND RULINGS	258	(1)
7-7. LOCAL LAW	258	(2)
7-8. CONCLUSION	260	(1)
CHAPTER 8. COURT RULES AND PRACTICE	261	(20)
8-1. INTRODUCTION	261	(1)
8-2. COURT RULES	261	(7)
A. FEDERAL RULES	261	(6)
B. STATE RULES	267	(1)
8-3. LEGAL ETHICS	268	(2)
8-4. RECORDS AND BRIEFS	270	(2)
8-5. OTHER CASE INFORMATION	272	(2)
8-6. DIRECTORIES OF COURTS AND JUDGES	274	(2)
8-7. FORMBOOKS AND JURY INSTRUCTIONS	276	(4)
8-8. CONCLUSION	280	(1)
CHAPTER 9. TOPICAL RESEARCH SOURCES	281	(20)
9-1. INTRODUCTION	282	(1)
9-2. LOOSELEAF SERVICES	283	(9)
9-3. TOPICAL ELECTROMC RESOURCES	292	(1)
9-4. CURRENT AWARENESS TOOLS	293	(6)
A. LEGAL NEWSLETFERS AND NEWSPAPERS	294	(3)
B. TABLES OF CONTENTS SERVICES	297	(1)
C. LISTSERVS	298	(1)
9-5. SPECIALIZED INDEX	299	(1)
9-6. CONCLUSION	300	(1)
CHAPTER 10. REFERENCE RESOURCES	301	(13)
10-1. INTRODUCTION	302	(1)
10-2. LEGAL DIRECTORIES	302	(4)
10-3. STATISTICS	306	(2)
10-4. NEWS AND BUSINESS INFORMATION	308	(2)
10-5. INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH	310	(3)
10-6. CONCLUSION	313	(1)
CHAPTER 11. INTERNATIONAL LAW	314	(37)
11-1. INTRODUCTION	315	(1)
11-2. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS	316	(8)
A. UNITED NATIONS	317	(3)
B. WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION	320	(1)
C. EUROPEAN UNION ANP OTHER REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS	321	(3)
11-3. TREATIES	324	(13)
A. SOURCES	325	(5)
B. INDEXES AND GUIDE	330	(4)
C. INTERPRETATION	334	(3)
11-4. DISPUTE RESOLUTION	337	(8)
A. INTERNATIONAL COURTS	337	(4)
B. REGIONAL AND NATIONAL COURT	341	(3)
C. ARBITRATIONS	344	(1)
11-5. SECONDARY SOURCES AND DOCUMENT COLLECTIONS	345	(3)
11-6. SOURCES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION	348	(2)
11-7. CONCLUSION	350	(1)
CHAPTER 12. THE LAW OF OTHER COUNTRIES	351	(29)
12-1. INTRODUCTION	352	(1)
12-2. ENGLISH AND COMMONWEALTH LAW	353	(13)
A. CASE LAW	354	(5)
B. STATUTES AND REGULATIONS	359	(4)
C. SECONDARY SOURCE	363	(3)
12-3. CIVIL LAW	366	(13)
A. RESEARCH IN ENGLISH	366	(9)
B. RESEARCH IN ORIGINAL SOURCES	375	(4)
12-4 CONCLUSION	379	(1)
APPENDIX A. SOURCES FOR STATE APPELLATE COURT CASES	380	(24)
APPENDIX B. STATE RESEARCH GUIDES	404	(10)
APPENDIX C. TOPICAL LOOSELEAF AND ELECTRONIC SERVICES VI	414	(10)
WEBSITE INDEX	424	(19)
TIME INDEX	443	(16)
SUBJECT INDEX	459