The Process of Legal Research Authorities and Options

by Kunz, Christina L.; Schmedemann, Deborah A.

• ISBN13: 9781454805526
• ISBN10: 1454805528
• Edition: 8th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-06-13
• Publisher: Wolters Kluwer

Summary

Long a favorite among students, The Process of Legal Research: Authorities and Options, Eighth Edition, combines instruction, examples, and illustrations with well-crafted problem sets that immerse students in the process of legal research. Stressing optimal options, the research and writing exercises in proven-effective text reflect the realities and needs of today's lawyers.

Table of Contents

Exhibits	p. xv
Charts and Examples	p. xix
Preface	p. xxi
Acknowledgments	p. xxiii
Introduction: Literacy in the Law	p. 1
The FEAT of Legal Research	p. 2
American Legal Sources	p. 4
Legal Research Resources	p. 6
Work-Flow in Legal Research	p. 8
Planning	p. 8
Searching	p. 8
Monitoring	p. 10
Stopping	p. 10
An Illustration	p. 10
A Counterpoint: Google Research	p. 20
Test Your Understanding	p. 22
Reflection Questions	p. 22
Your Scenario	p. 22
Focusing on your Client's Situation	p. 23
Study Your Client's Situation	p. 24
Gather Information	p. 24
Synthesize Information	p. 25
Summarize Information	p. 25
Develop Your Research Vocabulary	p. 26
Generate Research Terms	p. 27
Draft Research Issues	p. 28
An Illustration	p. 29
Test Your Understanding	p. 34
Reflection Questions	p. 34
Your Scenario	p. 34
Framing Your Legal Research	p. 37
Overview of Commentary Sources	p. 39
Encyclopedias and Treatises	p. 39
Skill Set 1. Using Print Finding Tools	p. 41
Skill Set 2. Updating Print Resources	p. 45
Periodicals: Law Reviews and A.L.R Annotations	p. 49
Skill Set 3. Using External Finding Tools	p. 51
Skill Set 4. Key-Word Searching in a Full-Text, Online Database	p. 52
Restatements of the Law and Jury Instructions	p. 60
Practice Guides	p. 68
Summary of Commentary Research	p. 68
Plan Your Research in Legal Authorities	p. 72
Test Your Understanding	p. 73
Reflection Questions	p. 73
Your Scenario	p. 73
Case Law Research	p. 75
Litigated Disputes, Judicial Decisions, and Guidance for Your Client	p. 78
Litigated Disputes and Judicial Decisions	p. 78
Guidance for Your Client	p. 82
The Common Law System	p. 84
Whose Law Governs?	p. 84
Which Decisions Matter Most?	p. 86
Overview of Case Law Research Options	p. 88
The Classic Approach: the West Reporter System in Print	p. 89
Understanding the West System	p. 89
Using the West System	p. 94
The Major Commercial Online Services: Westlaw and LexisNexis	p. 97
Westlaw	p. 97
LexisNexis	p. 107
The Alternative Commercial Online Services	p. 122
Court Resources	p. 126
Summary	p. 128
Test Your Understanding	p. 129
Reflection Questions	p. 129
Your Scenario	p. 129
Research in Enacted Law	p. 131
The Statutory System	p. 133
Legislative Process	p. 133
Statutory Texts and Guidance for Your Client	p. 135
Statutory Interpretation	p. 138
Overview of Statutory Research Options	p. 140
Unannotated Official Codes	p. 141
Annotated Codes in Print	p. 142
Commercial Online Research in Statutes	p. 150
Newly Enacted Laws and Session Laws	p. 155
Summary of Statutory Research	p. 159
Constitutions	p. 160
Charters and Ordinances	p. 161
Test Your Understanding	p. 163
Reflection Questions	p. 163
Your Scenario	p. 163
Research in Legislative History Materials	p. 165
Overview of Legislative History Materials	p. 167
The legislative Process	p. 167
Legislative history Materials	p. 169
Overview of Options for Researching Legislative History	p. 179
Statutory Codes	p. 179
United States Code Congressional and Administrative News (U.S.C.C.A.N.)	p. 180
Compiled Legislative Histories	p. 182
THOMAS, a Government Website	p. 183
Commercial Online Services	p. 185
ProQuest Congressional	p. 185
LexisNexis and Westlaw	p. 185
Hein Online	p. 189
Summary of Legislative History Research	p. 191
Options for Researching Pending Legislation	p. 193
Test Your Understanding	p. 193
Reflection Questions	p. 193
Your Scenario	p. 196
Research in Administrative Materials	p. 197
Rules and Regulations	p. 199
Connections to Statutes	p. 199
The Rulemaking Process	p. 200
Researching the Regulation Itself	p. 203
Updating the Regulation	p. 207
Researching the Regulation's History and Statutory basis	p. 211
Summary	p. 214
Decisions and Orders	p. 215
Parallels to Case Law	p. 215
Case Adjudication Procedures	p. 215
Researching Agency Decisions	p. 224
Summary	p. 225
Non-legislative Rules and Other Guidance Materials	p. 225
Loose-leaf Services	p. 226
Test Your Understanding	p. 226
Reflection Questions	p. 226
Your Scenario	p. 228
Researchin Rules of Procedure	p. 229
Procedural Law	p. 231
Overview of Procedural Research Options	p. 237
Deskbooks	p. 237
Court Websites	p. 238
Commentary	p. 238
Annotated Rules	p. 242
Case Law	p. 245
Summary of Research in Rules of Procedure	p. 246
Rules of Professional Responsibility	p. 247
Understanding Professional Responsibility Rules	p. 247
Researching Rules of Professional Responsibility	p. 248
Test Your Understanding	p. 251
Reflection Questions	p. 251
Your Scenario	p. 251
International Law and Tribal Law	p. 253
Legal Research in Public International Law	p. 253
Foreign Law	p. 253
Public International Law	p. 254
Treaties and Conventions	p. 255
Customary International Law	p. 258
Decisions by Courts and Arbitration Panels	p. 260
UN Materials	p. 262
Commentary and General Principles	p. 263
Private International Law	p. 264
Legal Research in Tribal Law	p. 265
Federal Indian Law	p. 266
Tribal Law	p. 267
Index	p. 269
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