Federal legal research / Mary Garvey Algero [and others].
2012
KF240 .F48 2012 (Map It)
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Details
Title
Federal legal research / Mary Garvey Algero [and others].
Published
Durham, N.C. : Carolina Academic Press, [2012]
Copyright
©2012
Call Number
KF240 .F48 2012
ISBN
9781611631227 (pbk. : alk. paper)
161163122X (pbk. : alk. paper)
161163122X (pbk. : alk. paper)
Description
xxiv, 263 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm.
System Control No.
(OCoLC)753468509
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Record Appears in
Added Author
Table of Contents
List of Tables and Figures
xvii
Series Note
xxi
Preface and Acknowledgments
xxiii
ch. 1
Legal Authority and the Research Process
3
I.
Introduction
3
II.
Legal Research Documents
3
III.
Sources and Classes of Legal Authority
4
A.
Primary vs. Secondary Authority
5
B.
Mandatory vs. Persuasive Authority
5
IV.
Hierarchy of Legal Authority
6
V.
Overview of the Research Process
6
A.
Getting Started
7
1.
Gathering Facts and Determining Jurisdiction
7
2.
Generating Search Terms
8
3.
Keeping a Research Log
9
B.
Using Secondary Sources
10
C.
Researching Enacted Law
10
D.
Researching Cases
11
E.
Updating Research
11
1.
Checking Currency
12
2.
Determining Subsequent Treatment
12
3.
Expanding Research
13
F.
Ending Research
13
Appendix A
Samples of Legal Documents
14
Appendix B
Sample Citations for Legal Documents
21
ch. 2
Research Techniques
23
I.
Basic Principles
23
A.
Determine the Meaning of Words
24
B.
Take Advantage of the Work of Others
26
C.
Use the Interconnectivity of American Legal Materials
26
II.
Tools, Techniques, and Tips
27
A.
Use the Library Catalog
27
B.
Use Finding Tools
29
1.
Indexes
29
2.
Tables of Contents
30
3.
Other Finding Tools
30
C.
Use a Known Document to Find Other Documents
31
D.
Ask Somebody Who Knows: A Librarian
31
E.
Ask These Questions Before Using a Resource
32
1.
Is It Relevant?
32
2.
Is It Authoritative?
33
a.
Primary Authority
33
b.
Secondary Sources
34
3.
Is It Current?
34
III.
Choosing Between Online or Print Resources
35
A.
Where Is the Document Available?
35
B.
Is an Online Document Official and Authenticated?
36
C.
What Is the Database Scope?
36
D.
How Current Is the Source?
37
E.
What Is the Cost/Time Tradeoff?
37
F.
How Easy Is Searching and Navigating?
38
G.
How Easy Is Reading and Skimming?
38
H.
Do You Need to Print, E-mail, or Cut and Paste?
39
IV.
Online Resources
39
A.
Lexis, Lexis Advance, Westlaw, and WestlawNext
39
B.
Other Commercial Databases
40
C.
Free Online Legal Resources
41
D.
Specialized Legal Databases
41
V.
Online Searching
42
A.
Terms and Connectors Searching
42
B.
Natural Language Searching
44
C.
Getting the Most from Keyword Searching
44
1.
Using Segments and Fields
46
2.
Refining Queries
47
D.
Add Power to the Search with Finding Tools
48
1.
Indexes
48
2.
Tables of Contents
49
3.
Lexis's Topic and Headnote System and West's Key Number System
49
4.
Citators: Shepard's and KeyCite
49
E.
Cost-Effective Searching
50
F.
Pitfalls of Online Searching and Solutions
52
1.
Tunnel Vision and "Law-Bytes"
52
2.
Inadvertent Plagiarism
53
3.
Losing Track
53
ch. 3
Secondary Sources
55
I.
Why Consult Secondary Sources?
55
II.
The Persuasive Value of Secondary Sources
57
III.
Types of Secondary Sources and the Process for Researching Them
58
A.
Legal Dictionaries
59
B.
Legal Encyclopedias
59
1.
Overview
59
2.
Researching in a Legal Encyclopedia
60
C.
Legal Periodicals
61
1.
Overview
61
2.
Researching Legal Periodicals
63
D.
Legal Treatises and Other Books
66
1.
Overview
66
a.
Treatises
66
b.
Monographs
67
c.
Hornbooks, Nutshells, Deskbooks, and Practice Guides
67
2.
Researching Treatises and Other Books
68
E.
American Law Reports
72
1.
Overview
72
2.
Researching in A.L.R.
73
F.
Looseleaf Services
74
G.
Restatements
75
1.
Overview
75
2.
Researching Restatements
76
H.
Continuing Legal Education Materials
76
I.
Forms and Jury Instructions
77
1.
Overview
77
2.
Researching Forms and Jury Instructions
78
ch. 4
Constitutional Law Research
81
I.
Background
81
II.
Locating the Text of the Constitution
82
III.
Researching Constitutional Issues
84
A.
Beginning Research with Secondary Sources
84
1.
Treatises and Hornbooks
85
2.
American Law Reports
87
3.
Legal Encyclopedias and Annotated Constitutions
88
4.
Blogs and Lexis Preview of Supreme Court Cases
90
5.
Brief Banks
92
6.
The Department of Justice Website
92
7.
Other Secondary Sources
93
B.
Using Comprehensive Sources of Cases and Case Summaries
93
1.
Free Online Case Databases
93
2.
Statutory Codes with Case Annotations
94
3.
Case Annotations in Digests
96
4.
West Key Number Searches
96
5.
Lexis "Area of Law by Topic"
97
C.
Updating Authority
98
IV.
State Constitutions
99
ch. 5
Statutory Research
101
I.
Statutes and Codes in American Law
101
A.
Session Laws and Codification
101
B.
Federal Session Laws and Codes
102
1.
Statutes at Large
102
2.
Revised Statutes of the United States
103
3.
United States Code
104
II.
Researching Federal Statutes in Print
106
A.
Researching in the United States Code Annotated
107
1.
Search the Index
107
2.
Find and Update the Statutory Text
108
3.
Read the Statutory Text
109
4.
Find Cases Interpreting Federal Statutory Law Using the Annotations
110
5.
Other Features of the Annotations
111
6.
Popular Name Table
113
7.
Other Tables
113
B.
Researching in the United States Code Service
116
III.
Researching Federal Statutes Online
117
A.
United States Government Websites
118
B.
Federal Statutes on Westlaw
119
C.
Federal Statutes on Lexis
121
D.
Federal Statutes in Other Online Databases
122
IV.
Applying and Interpreting Federal Statutes
122
V.
Researching the Statutory Law of States
123
ch. 6
Bill Tracking and Legislative History
125
I.
Introduction
125
II.
The Federal Legislative Process
125
III.
Bill Tracking
126
A.
Bill Tracking in the U.S. Congress
126
1.
Researching with a Bill Number
126
2.
Searching for and Tracking Pending Bills
130
B.
Bill Tracking in State Legislatures
133
IV.
Federal Legislative History Research
134
A.
Sources of Federal Legislative History
135
1.
Versions of Bills
135
2.
Committee Hearings
135
3.
Committee Prints and Bill Analyses
137
4.
Committee Reports
138
5.
Congressional Floor Debates
140
6.
Conference Committee Reports
140
7.
Presidential and Executive Agency Documents
141
8.
History of Related Bills
141
B.
Preparing a Federal Legislative History
141
1.
Compiled Legislative Histories
142
a.
Finding Aids for Compiled Legislative Histories
142
b.
Collections of Compiled Legislative History Documents
143
i.
Congressional Information Service (C.I.S.)
143
ii.
G.A.O. Legislative History Collection
146
iii.
United States Code Congressional and Administrative News
146
iv.
Westlaw and Lexis
147
2.
Compiling Your Own Legislative History
147
a.
Compiling a List of Documents
147
i.
THOMAS
148
ii.
Historical House and Senate Journals
149
iii.
U.S.C.C.A.N.
149
iv.
Congressional Index
150
v.
Congressional Record
150
vi.
House Calendar
150
vii.
House Journal and Senate Journal
151
viii.
Digest of Public General Bills and Resolutions
151
b.
Getting the Documents
152
i.
Congressional Bills
152
ii.
Committee Reports and Conference Committee Reports
153
iii.
Congressional Debates
154
iv.
Hearings
154
v.
Committee Prints
155
V.
State Legislative History Research
155
ch. 7
Administrative Law Research
157
I.
Federal Administrative Law
157
A.
Overview
159
B.
Administrative Regulations
160
1.
General Process of Creating Administrative Regulations
161
2.
Code of Federal Regulations
162
3.
Federal Register
165
4.
Researching Federal Administrative Regulations
166
a.
Starting with a C.F.R. Citation from a Secondary Source
166
b.
Starting with a C.F.R. Citation from an Enabling Statute
167
c.
Browsing C.F.R. Titles in Print or Online
167
d.
Browsing or Searching the C.F.R. Index
168
e.
Keyword Searching the C.F.R. in Full Text or by Field
168
f.
Searching Regulations on Agency Websites
168
5.
Updating Administrative Regulations
168
a.
Updating Online
169
b.
Updating in Print
169
i.
List of C.F.R. Sections Affected Monthly Pamphlet
169
ii.
Federal Register "C.F.R. Parts Affected" Table
170
C.
Administrative Decisions
170
1.
The Nature of Administrative Decisions
170
2.
Researching Administrative Decisions
171
II.
Researching United States Attorney General Opinions
172
III.
Researching Presidential Documents
173
IV.
State Administrative Law
176
ch. 8
Judicial Systems and Judicial Opinions
177
I.
Introduction
177
II.
The Federal Judicial System
178
A.
Federal Courts
178
B.
Federal Judges
181
III.
Judicial Opinions
182
A.
The Court's Opinion
182
B.
Publishers' Research Aids
184
C.
Where to Find Judicial Opinions
186
IV.
Reading and Analyzing Judicial Opinions
188
A.
Skim
189
B.
Read
190
C.
Brief
191
D.
Categorize
193
V.
State Judicial Systems and Judicial Opinions
193
ch. 9
Case Law Research
195
I.
Beginning with a Citation to a Relevant Statute
195
II.
Beginning with a Citation to a Relevant Case
196
A.
Using a Citator to Find Additional Cases
197
B.
Using Headnotes from a Case to Find Additional Cases
197
III.
Using the West Digest System to Begin or Continue Research
198
A.
Organization by Topics and Key Numbers
199
B.
Researching West Digests
200
1.
Researching a West Digest in Print
200
a.
Beginning with a Relevant West Topic
200
b.
Using the Descriptive-Word Index
202
c.
Using Words and Phrases
204
d.
Using the Table of Cases
205
2.
Researching West's Digest System Online
205
IV.
Using the Lexis Topic and Headnote System to Begin or Continue Research
206
V.
Digest Coverage
207
A.
Digests for Court Systems or Particular Courts
207
B.
Subject Matter Digests
209
C.
Geographically Based Digests
210
D.
All-Inclusive Digests
210
VI.
Researching Cases Online
211
A.
General Case Research
211
1.
Lexis and Westlaw
211
2.
Google Scholar
212
B.
Online Topic Searching
213
1.
Westlaw Search by Topical Practice Area
213
2.
Lexis Search by Area of Law
213
C.
Searching with Fields and Segments
214
ch. 10
Citators
215
I.
Introduction
215
II.
Citator Basics
216
III.
Shepard's on Lexis
217
A.
Access the Citator List
217
B.
Analyze the Citator Symbols
218
C.
Limit the Search Results
219
D.
Read and Analyze the Citing Sources
223
IV.
KeyCite on Westlaw
223
A.
Access the Citator List
223
B.
Analyze the Citator Symbols
226
C.
Limit the Search Results
226
D.
Read and Analyze the Citing Sources
226
V.
Updating Details
228
A.
Colored Symbols
228
B.
Headnotes
229
C.
Prioritizing Citing Sources
229
D.
Table of Authorities
229
VI.
When to Use Citators
230
VII.
Citators and Legal Ethics
231
ch. 11
Court Rules and Rules of Professional Responsibility
233
I.
Introduction
233
II.
Court Rules
233
A.
Rules of Procedure and Evidence
234
1.
Background
234
2.
Researching Federal Rules of Procedure and Evidence
235
B.
Court-Specific Rules, Including Local Rules
237
III.
Rules of Professional Responsibility
239
A.
Background
239
B.
Researching Rules of Professional Responsibility
240
About the Authors
245
Index
247