Washington Legal Research

by Heintz, Julie A.

• ISBN13: 9781594601439
• ISBN10: 1594601437
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-08-01
• Publisher: Carolina Academic Pr

Table of Contents

Preface	xix
Acknowledgments	xxi
Chapter 1 The Research Process and Legal Analysis	3	(16)
I. Washington Legal Research	3	(1)
II. The Intersection of Legal Research and Legal Analysis	4	(1)
III. Types of Legal Authority	5	(1)
IV. Court Systems	6	(5)
A. Washington Courts	7	(2)
1. Trial Courts	7	(1)
2. The Court of Appeals	7	(1)
3. The Supreme Court	8	(1)
B. Federal Courts	9	(1)
C. Courts of Other States	10	(1)
V. Overview of the Research Process	11	(8)
A. Generating Research Terms	12	(1)
B. Frequently Used Source Terms	13	(2)
1. Citation	14	(1)
2. Volume	14	(1)
3. Index	14	(1)
4. Table of Contents	15	(1)
C. Researching the Law	15	(4)
1. Organization of This Text	15	(1)
2. Publisher Relevance	16	(1)
3. The Effective and Efficient Researcher's Secret	17	(2)
Chapter 2 Introduction to Online Research in Washington	19	(14)
I. Integrating Print and Online Research	19	(1)
II. Online Sources for Legal Research	19	(3)
A. Commercial Websites	20	(1)
B. Government and Government-Affiliated Websites	20	(1)
C. University Websites	21	(1)
D. A Word About CD-ROM Products	21	(1)
III. Approach of This Text	22	(2)
IV. Two Basic Online Searching Methods	24	(9)
A. Terms and Connectors Searching	24	(5)
1. Select a Database	24	(1)
2. Generate Search Terms	25	(1)
3. Construct a Search	25	(35)
a. Using Boolean Connectors	26	(1)
b. Expanding or Restricting Your Search	26	(2)
c. Segment and Field Searching	28	(1)
d. Natural Language Searching	28	(1)
B. Table of Contents Searching	29	(2)
C. Creating Washington "Tabs"	31	(2)
Chapter 3 Judicial Opinions and Reporters	33	(22)
I. Reporters for Washington Cases	33	(10)
A. The Anatomy of a Reported Case	36	(5)
B. Additional Information in Reporters	41	(1)
C. Advance Sheets	42	(1)
D. Slip Opinions	42	(1)
II. Retrieving a Case Online When You Have a Citation	43	(1)
A. Commercial Providers	43	(1)
B. Government and Government-Affiliated Websites	44	(1)
III. Reporters for Federal Cases	44	(2)
A. United States Supreme Court	45	(1)
B. United States Courts of Appeals	45	(1)
C. United States District Courts	46	(1)
IV. Topical Reporters	46	(1)
V. Reading and Analyzing Cases	47	(6)
A. A Thimbleful of Civil Procedure	47	(2)
B. Analyzing the Substance of Cases	49	(3)
C. Strategies for Reading Cases	52	(1)
Appendix: Table of Reporter Coverage	53	(2)
Chapter 4 Statutes and Constitutions	55	(28)
I. Washington Statutory Research	55	(19)
A. Session Laws—Laws of Washington	56	(1)
B. Official Code—Revised Code of Washington	56	(2)
C. Unofficial Annotated Codes—Revised Code of Washington Annotated and Annotated Revised Code of Washington	58	(2)
D. The Research Process	60	(16)
1. Using the Codes in Print	61	(9)
a. Develop a List of Research Terms	61	(1)
b. Search the Index	61	(1)
c. Find and Read the Statutory Language	62	(2)
d. Find Relevant Cases Interpreting the Statutory Language	64	(1)
e. Update	65	(2)
f. Read the Cases that Your Research Reveals	67	(3)
2. Using the Online Codes	70	(3)
a. Searching Using Research Terms	70	(1)
b. Searching Using the Table of Contents	71	(1)
c. Updating Online	72	(1)
3. When to Use the Official Code	73	(1)
II. Researching the Statutes of Other States	74	(1)
III. Federal Statutes	75	(1)
IV. Constitutions	76	(2)
A. Researching the Washington Constitution	76	(1)
B. Broader State Protections—the Gunwall Factors	76	(1)
C. The United States Constitution	77	(1)
V. Court Rules	78	(5)
A. Washington Court Rules	78	(3)
1. Using Print Sources for Court Rules	79	(1)
2. Using Online Sources for Court Rules	80	(1)
B. Federal Court Rules	81	(2)
Chapter 5 Digests and Other Case Finding Tools	83	(20)
I. West Digests	84	(4)
A. Topics and Key Numbers	86	(1)
B. Headnotes	86	(2)
II. Digest Research in Print	88	(8)
A. Beginning with the Descriptive Word Index	88	(6)
1. Develop a List of Research Terms	89	(1)
2. Search the Descriptive Word Index	89	(1)
3. Update the Descriptive Word Index	90	(1)
4. Review Each Topic-Key Number in the Main Volumes of the Digest	90	(2)
5. Update Each Topic-Key Number	92	(1)
6. Read the Relevant Cases	93	(1)
B. Beginning with a Relevant Case	94	(1)
C. Beginning with the Topic Analysis Outline	94	(1)
D. Words and Phrases	95	(1)
E. Table of Cases	96	(1)
III. The Cumulative Subject Index	96	(1)
IV. Digest Research Online	97	(2)
A. Topical Searching	97	(1)
B. Using "One Good Case"	98	(1)
V. Terms and Connectors Searching	99	(2)
Appendix: Table of Digest Coverage	101	(2)
Chapter 6 Legislative History	103	(34)
I. The Legislative Process	103	(4)
II. Washington Bill Tracking	107	(2)
A. Researching with a Bill Number	107	(1)
B. Learning About Other Pending Bills	108	(1)
III. Washington Legislative History Research	109	(11)
A. Sources of Washington Legislative History	109	(3)
1. Bills	109	(1)
2. Digests and Histories	110	(1)
3. The House Journal and the Senate Journal	110	(1)
4. Bill Reports	111	(1)
5. Veto Messages	111	(1)
6. Session Laws	112	(1)
B. The Research Process	112	(7)
1. Online Research	114	(3)
a. Using the State's Website	114	(2)
b. Using Westlaw	116	(1)
2. Print Research	117	(1)
3. State Archives	118	(1)
4. TVW	118	(1)
5. Researching Older Statutes	119	(1)
C. Traditional Use of Legislative History	119	(1)
IV. Initiative and Referendum	120	(2)
V. Federal Legislative Research	122	(4)
A. Federal Bill Tracking	122	(1)
B. Federal Legislative History	122	(19)
1. Sources of Federal Legislative History	123	(1)
2. Compiled Legislative History	124	(1)
3. Print Sources for Federal Legislative History	124	(1)
4. Online Sources for Federal Legislative History	125	(1)
Appendix: Examples of Washington Legislative History	126	(11)
Chapter 7 Administrative Law	137	(18)
I. Administrative Law and Governmental Agencies	137	(1)
II. Administrative Regulations	138	(3)
III. Researching Washington Administrative Regulations in Print	141	(4)
A. Washington Administrative Code	141	(3)
B. Washington State Register	144	(1)
IV. Researching Washington Administrative Regulations Online	145	(2)
V. Researching the Validity of Regulations	147	(1)
VI. Judicial and Agency Decisions	147	(2)
VII. Other Agency Resources	149	(1)
VIII. Attorney General Opinions	149	(1)
IX. Federal Administrative Law	150	(5)
A. Code of Federal Regulations	151	(1)
B. Federal Register	152	(1)
C. Updating Federal Regulations	153	(1)
D. Decisions of Federal Agencies	154	(1)
E. Judicial Opinions	154	(1)
Chapter 8 Using Citators	155	(16)
I. The Process of Using a Citator	155	(10)
A. Purposes of Citators	155	(1)
B. Citator Terminology	156	(1)
C. Using Online Citators	157	(8)
1. Shepard's® Online	158	(3)
a. Using "Shepard's for Validation"	158	(1)
b. Using "Shepard's for Research"	159	(2)
2. KeyCite®	161	(51)
a. Using KeyCite to Update a Case	163	(1)
b. Using KeyCite to Do Additional Research	163	(2)
D. Analyze the Impact of Each Citing Source	165	(1)
II. General Tips	165	(3)
A. When to Use a Citator	165	(1)
B. Flags and Signals	166	(2)
C. Prior History on "Shepard's for Research"	168	(1)
III. Updating Other Authorities	168	(1)
IV. Ethics	169	(2)
Chapter 9 Secondary Sources	171	(28)
I. Legal Encyclopedias	172	(6)
A. Washington Practice (Print and Online)	172	(4)
B. Washington Lawyers Practice Manual (Print Only)	176	(1)
C. National Encyclopedias	177	(1)
II. Practice Guides and Continuing Legal Education Publications	178	(2)
III. Washington Legal Researcher's Deskbook 3d	180	(1)
IV. Legal Periodicals	181	(2)
A. Law Reviews and Journals	181	(1)
B. Bar Journals	182	(1)
C. Locating Articles	183	(1)
V. Treatises and Other Books	183	(3)
VI. General Online Search Engines	186	(1)
VII. American Law Reports	187	(1)
VIII. Forms	188	(1)
IX. Loose-leaf Services	189	(2)
A. Print Resources	189	(2)
B. Electronic Resources	191	(1)
X. Restatements	191	(1)
XI. Uniform Laws and Model Codes	192	(2)
XII. Ethical Rules	194	(1)
XIII. Jury Instructions	194	(1)
XIV. Using Secondary Sources and Practice Aids in Research	195	(4)
Chapter 10 Choosing Print or Online Sources	199	(8)
I. What is the document?	199	(1)
II. Who wrote the document?	200	(1)
III. When was the material published?	201	(1)
IV. How much context is provided?	202	(1)
V. How much does it cost, and who is paying?	203	(1)
VI. How fast and how efficient will research be?	204	(3)
Chapter 11 Research Strategies and Organization	207	(14)
I. Moving from Story to Strategy	207	(1)
II. Planning Your Research Strategy	208	(1)
III. Taking Notes	209	(1)
IV. Organizing Your Research	209	(10)
A. Research Plan	210	(2)
B. Secondary Authorities	212	(1)
C. Notes on Primary Authorities	212	(6)
1. Notes on Statutes and Rules	214	(1)
2. Notes on Cases	214	(4)
D. Updating	218	(1)
V. Outlining Your Analysis	219	(1)
VI. Ending Your Research	219	(2)
Appendix A Legal Citation	221	(24)
I. The Bluebook	223	(15)
A. Format of The Bluebook	223	(1)
B. Citations for Memos and Court Documents (the "Bluepages")	224	(13)
1. Incorporating Citations into a Document	225	(1)
2. Case Citations	225	(6)
a. Essential Components of Case Citations	226	(3)
b. Full and Short Citations to Cases	229	(2)
3. Statutes	231	(2)
a. State Statutes	231	(1)
b. Federal Statutes	232	(1)
4. Signals	233	(1)
5. Parenthetical Information	234	(1)
6. Quotations	235	(1)
7. Noteworthy Details	236	(1)
C. Citations for Law Review Articles	237	(1)
II. Washington Citation Rules	238	(3)
A. The Washington Style Sheet	238	(1)
B. Parallel Citations	239	(1)
C. Differences Between The Bluebook and the Style Sheet	240	(1)
III. Other States' Citation Rules	241	(1)
IV. The ALWD Manual	241	(1)
V. Editing Citations	242	(3)
Appendix B Selected Bibliography	245	(2)
Appendix C Commonly Used Washington Legal Research Abbreviations	247	(2)
Index	249