Formats
| Format | |
|---|---|
| BibTeX | |
| MARCXML | |
| TextMARC | |
| MARC | |
| DublinCore | |
| EndNote | |
| NLM | |
| RefWorks | |
| RIS |
Items
Details
Author
Title
Texas legal research / Spencer L. Simons.
Published
Durham, North Carolina : Carolina Academic Press, [2016]
Copyright
©2016
Call Number
KFT1275 .S56 2016
Edition
Second edition.
ISBN
9781611635621 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1611635624 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1611635624 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Description
xxv, 238 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.
System Control No.
(OCoLC)951742552
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Other Editions
Revision of: Simons, Spencer L. Texas legal research. Durham, N.C. : Carolina Academic Press, ©2012 9781611631951 (OCoLC)807779829
Record Appears in
Table of Contents
List of Tables and Figures
xvii
Series Note
xxi
Preface and Acknowledgments
xxiii
ch. 1
Research Process and Legal Analysis
3
I.
Texas Legal Research
3
II.
Intersection of Legal Research and Legal Analysis
3
III.
Types of Legal Authority
4
A.
Primary and Secondary Authority
4
B.
Mandatory and Persuasive Authority
4
IV.
Hierarchy of Legal Authority
5
V.
Overview of the Research Process: The Seven-Step Process
6
Step 1
Gather Facts and Develop Search Terms
6
Step 2
Search in Secondary Sources
7
Step 3
Research Constitutional, Statutory, and Administrative Law
8
Step 4
Find Judicial Opinions
8
Step 5
Read Judicial Opinions Carefully
9
Step 6
Update All Authority
9
Step 7
When to Stop Researching
9
VI.
Control of the Research Process
9
A.
Research Strategy
9
B.
Research Journal
10
C.
Updating Research
11
D.
Read, Analyze, and Outline
11
VII.
Organization of This Book
12
ch. 2
Research Techniques
15
I.
Basic Principles
15
A.
Determine the Meaning of Words
16
B.
Take Advantage of the Work of Others
16
C.
Use the Interconnectivity of American Legal Materials
17
II.
Tools, Techniques, and Tips
17
A.
Use the Library Catalog
17
B.
Use Finding Tools
19
1.
Indexes
19
2.
Tables of Contents
20
3.
Other Finding Tools
20
C.
Use a Known Document to Find Other Documents
20
D.
Ask Somebody Who Knows: A Librarian
21
E.
Ask These Questions before Using a Resource
21
1.
Is It Relevant?
22
2.
Is It Authoritative?
22
a.
Primary Authority
22
b.
Secondary Sources
23
3.
Is It Current?
24
III.
Choosing Between Online and Print Resources
24
A.
Where Is the Document Available?
24
B.
Is an Online Document Official and Authenticated?
25
C.
What Is the Database Scope?
25
D.
How Current Is the Source?
26
E.
What Is the Cost/Time Tradeoff?
26
F.
How Easy Is Searching and Navigating?
26
G.
How Easy Is Reading and Skimming?
27
H.
Do You Need to Print, Store, Email, or Cut and Paste?
27
IV.
Online Resources
27
A.
Lexis, Lexis Advance, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law
28
B.
Other Commercial Databases
28
C.
Free Online Legal Resources
29
D.
Specialized Legal Databases
29
V.
Online Searching
30
A.
Terms and Connectors Searching
30
B.
Natural Language Searching
32
C.
Getting the Most from Keyword Searching
32
1.
Using Segments and Fields
33
2.
Refining Queries
34
D.
Add Power to the Search with Finding Tools
35
1.
Indexes
35
2.
Tables of Contents
36
3.
Lexis's Topic and Headnote System and West's Key Number System
36
4.
Citators: Shepard's and KeyCite
36
E.
Cost-Effective Searching
37
F.
Pitfalls of Online Searching and Solutions
38
1.
Tunnel Vision and "Law-Bytes"
39
2.
Inadvertent Plagiarism
39
3.
Losing Track
40
ch. 3
Secondary Sources
41
I.
Not "Secondary" in the Research Process
41
II.
Legal Encyclopedias
42
A.
General Comments
42
B.
Texas Jurisprudence 3d
43
C.
National Legal Encyclopedias
44
III.
Legal Periodicals
44
A.
Law Reviews and Law Journals
44
B.
Bar Journals
46
C.
How to Find Articles
46
IV.
Treatises, Hornbooks, and Nutshells
47
A.
How to Find Treatises, Hornbooks, and Nutshells
48
B.
How to Research in Treatises, Hornbooks, and Nutshells
48
V.
Practice-Oriented Materials
49
A.
Practice and Procedure Guides
49
B.
Forms and Form Books
50
C.
Continuing Legal Education Materials
51
VI.
American Law Reports (A.L.R.)
51
VII.
Looseleaf Services: The "Mini-Libraries"
53
A.
Print Versions
53
B.
Online Versions of Looseleaf Services
54
VIII.
Restatements
55
IX.
Uniform Laws and Model Codes
56
X.
Legal Ethics
57
XI.
Jury Instructions
57
ch. 4
Constitutional Law
59
I.
Introduction
59
II.
Thumbnail History of Texas and Its Constitution
59
III.
Finding the Texas Constitution
61
A.
Contents of Vernon's Annotated Constitution of the State of Texas
62
B.
Finding Relevant Constitutional Provisions in Vernon's
62
C.
Using the Annotations in Vernon's
62
IV.
Other Resources for Texas Constitutional Research
65
V.
Updating Texas Constitutional Research
65
VI.
Researching Constitutional Law Online
66
A.
Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg Law
66
B.
Texas State Legislature Website
67
VII.
Interpreting the Texas Constitution
68
VIII.
Texas Constitution or Federal Constitution?
69
IX.
Researching the United States Constitution
69
ch. 5
Statutory Research
71
I.
Statutes and Codes in American Law
71
A.
Session Laws and Codification
71
B.
Texas Session Laws and Historical Codes
72
C.
Codification Project
72
II.
Texas Statutory Research
74
A.
Components of the Current Vernon's Set
74
B.
Research Process Using Vernon's in Print
74
1.
Develop a List of Search Terms
75
2.
Search the Index
75
3.
Find and Read Statutory Text
75
4.
Update Statutory Texts Found
76
5.
Find Cases Interpreting Texas Statutory Law
77
C.
Other Research Tools in Vernon's
79
1.
Other Features of the Annotations
79
2.
Popular Name Table
79
3.
Derivation and Disposition Tables
79
D.
Texas Statutes Online
80
1.
State Website
80
2.
Texas Statutes on Westlaw
80
3.
Texas Statutes on Lexis and Bloomberg Law
81
III.
Applying and Interpreting Texas Statutes
82
A.
General Principles of Statutory Construction
82
B.
Texas Code Construction Act and Construction of Laws Statute
83
IV.
Researching Statutes of Other States
83
V.
Researching Federal Statutes
84
VI.
Court Rules
86
A.
State and Local Rules
86
B.
Federal Court Rules
87
ch. 6
Bill Tracking and Legislative History
89
I.
Introduction
89
II.
Texas Legislative Process
89
III.
Bill Tracking
92
A.
Bill Tracking in the Texas Legislature
92
1.
Researching with a Bill Number
92
2.
Searching for and Tracking Pending Bills
93
B.
Bill Tracking in the U.S. Congress
95
IV.
Texas Legislative History Research
96
A.
Sources of Texas Legislative History
96
1.
Versions of Bills
97
2.
Committee Hearings
98
3.
Bill Analyses
98
4.
Fiscal Notes
100
5.
Committee Reports
101
6.
Daily Floor Reports
101
7.
Floor Debates
101
8.
Conference Committee Reports
101
9.
House and Senate Journals
102
10.
Other Materials
103
B.
Preparing a Texas Legislative History: Print and Online Resources
103
1.
Locate the Act in the Session Laws
104
2.
Note the Bill Number and Legislative Session
104
3.
Examine the Bill File
105
4.
Listen to Audio Tapes of Committee Hearings and Floor Debates
105
5.
Consider Other Documents
106
C.
Texas Legislative History on Westlaw and Lexis Advance
106
V.
Federal Legislative History Research
107
A.
Sources of Federal Legislative History
107
B.
Compiling a Federal Legislative History
108
ch. 7
Administrative Law
111
I.
Overview
111
II.
Texas Administrative Law Research
113
A.
Researching the Enabling Act
113
B.
Finding Texas Agency Rules
114
1.
Find Sections in the Texas Administrative Code
115
2.
Use the Texas Register
116
3.
Review the Agency Website
117
C.
Finding Texas Agency Decisions
117
D.
Appeals from Agency Decisions
118
III.
Federal Administrative Law Research
119
A.
Finding Federal Agency Regulations
120
B.
Updating Federal Agency Regulations
121
C.
Finding Federal Agency Decisions
124
D.
Finding Judicial Decisions Interpreting Federal Regulations
124
IV.
Attorney General Opinions
125
A.
Texas Attorney General Opinions
125
B.
Federal Attorney General Opinions
126
ch. 8
Court Systems and Judicial Opinions
127
I.
Opinions, Cases, and Reporters
127
II.
Reporters for Texas Cases
129
III.
Court Systems: General
130
IV.
Texas Court System
130
A.
Texas Court System: 1981 to Present
130
1.
Supreme Court of Texas and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
130
2.
Courts of Appeals of Texas
131
3.
Trial Courts
132
4.
Appointment of Judges and Justices
132
B.
Brief History of the Courts of Texas Before 1981
132
1.
Courts of the Republic and Early Statehood: 1836--1876
132
2.
Courts from 1876 to 1891
134
3.
Courts from 1891 to 1981
134
4.
Courts from 1981 to Present
135
V.
Court Systems of Other States
137
VI.
United States Federal Court System
137
VII.
Reporters for Federal Cases
138
A.
United States Supreme Court
138
B.
United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts
139
C.
Special Courts and Topics
139
VIII.
Unpublished Opinions
139
IX.
Parts of a Published Judicial Opinion
141
X.
Advance Sheets
144
XI.
Reading and Analyzing Cases
145
A.
Thimbleful of Civil Procedure
145
B.
Analyzing the Substance of Cases
146
C.
Strategies for Reading Cases
148
XII.
Precedential Value of Texas Cases: Subsequent History
149
A.
Subsequent History Notation: General
149
B.
Texas Subsequent History Notation
150
ch. 9
Searching for Cases
153
I.
Introduction
153
II.
Cases and the Research Process
153
III.
West Key Numbers and the American Digest System
155
A.
Headnotes
155
B.
Topics and Key Numbers
155
C.
West Digest System and the Digests of Other Jurisdictions
155
IV.
Research in the Texas Digest, 2d: Searching in Print and Online
157
A.
Extending the Search from "One Good Case"
157
1.
Locate the Topic and Key Number in a Digest
158
2.
Update the Topic and Key Number Search
160
B.
Starting Research in the Digest
160
1.
Searching the Table of Cases
160
2.
Using the Descriptive-Word Index in Print
161
3.
Using Online Index Searching
162
4.
Using the West Outline of the Law and Topical Outlines
164
5.
Using Words and Phrases
165
V.
Lexis: Using the Topic and Headnote System
165
A.
Extending the Search from "One Good Case"
166
B.
Beginning in the Topical Hierarchy
166
VI.
Bloomberg Law: Using the Topic Classification System
167
VII.
Using Citators to Extend Case Research
167
ch. 10
Local Government Research
169
I.
Introduction
169
II.
Overview: Municipalities, Counties, and Special Districts
169
III.
Municipal Corporations
171
A.
Little History
171
B.
Government and Law Making
172
C.
Finding Municipal Ordinances
173
IV.
Counties
174
A.
County Governance
174
B.
Finding County Law
176
C.
Public Records
176
V.
Special Districts
177
VI.
Attorney General Opinions Regarding Local Governments
179
VII.
Research Tip: Secondary Sources
179
ch. 11
Citators
181
I.
What Citators Do
181
II.
Ethical Duty to Update
182
III.
Validating: Is a Case Still "Good Law"?
183
A.
Shepard's on Lexis Advance
183
1.
Analyze Citator Symbols
183
2.
Select the Type of Cite List and Sort Results
184
3.
Options for Limiting Results
186
B.
KeyCite on Westlaw
186
1.
Analyze Citator Symbol
186
2.
Select the Type of Cite List and Sort Results
188
3.
Options for Limiting Results
189
C.
BCite on Bloomberg Law
191
D.
Texas Subsequent History in Shepard's and KeyCite
191
IV.
Using Citators to Extend Case Research
193
V.
Using Citators to Find Citing References to Statutes and Regulations
194
VI.
Reading, Analyzing, and Updating as Cases Are Found
195
VII.
Using Automated Alerts to Keep Current
196
Appendix A
Legal Citation
197
I.
Basic Principles
197
II.
State and Local Citation Rules
198
III.
Texas Citations under the Bluebook and the Greenbook
198
A.
Using the Bluebook
199
B.
Incorporating Citations into a Document
200
C.
Case Citations
201
1.
Essential Components of a Case Citation
201
2.
Full and Short Citations to Cases
202
3.
Prior and Subsequent History
203
4.
Texas Writ and Petition History
204
a.
Civil Cases
204
b.
Criminal Cases
207
c.
Exceptions to Noting Writ and Petition History in the Court Parenthetical
208
D.
Signals
208
E.
Explanatory Parentheticals
208
F.
Quotations
209
G.
Common Citation Problems
209
1.
Federal Statutes
209
2.
Abbreviations
210
3.
Spaces
210
4.
Numbers
211
5.
Use of the Procedural Phrases Inre and Exrel
211
H.
Using the Bluebook for Law Review Citation
211
IV.
ALWD Guide to Legal Citation
212
V.
Editing Citations
213
Appendix B
Selected Bibliography
215
General Research (tending to focus on federal material)
215
Texas Research
215
Advanced Legal Research
215
Specialized Research
215
Legal Analysis
216
Appendix C
Searching Online Case Databases
217
I.
Introduction
217
II.
Searching for Cases in Westlaw
218
III.
Searching for Cases in Lexis Advance
219
IV.
Searching for Cases in Bloomberg Law
221
V.
Searching for Cases using Google Scholar
222
About the Author
223
Index
225