NCJ Number
53509
Date Published
1978
Length
225 pages
Annotation
A GUIDE TO LEGAL RESEARCH TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES IS PRESENTED AS A WORKING TOOL FOR LAW STUDENTS, LAWYERS, AND OTHERS INTERESTED IN APPLYING LEGAL RESEARCH METHODS TO THE SOLUTION OF LEGAL PROBLEMS.
Abstract
THE BOOK PROVIDES SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO ENABLE RESEARCHERS TO USE LEGAL MATERIALS EFFECTIVELY. HOWEVER, EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON LEARNING BY DOING--USING LEGAL RESEARCH MATERIALS RATHER THAN READING ABOUT THEM. PART I PRESENTS IN ALPHABETICAL SEQUENCE THE TOOLS OF LEGAL RESEARCH AND BRIEFLY EXPLAINS THEIR USE. THE EXPLANATIONS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY REFERENCES TO ADDITIONAL MATERIALS AND INCLUDE DISCUSSIONS OF THE MECHANICS OF RESEARCHING CASE LAW, STATUTE LAW, AND SECONDARY SOURCES. PART I CAN BE READ IN AN AFTERNOON AND WILL ENABLE THE READER TO COMMENCE RESEARCHING. PART II IS A SUBJECT-CATEGORIZED LISTING OF LEADING TEXTS, JOURNALS, TREATISES, AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES. THE SUBJECT CATEGORIES REPRESENT THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF LAW. EACH SUBJECT CATEGORY INCLUDES A LAW SCHOOL COURSE DESCRIPTION, WHICH SUCCINCTLY CIRCUMSCRIBES THE SUBJECT AND ENABLES THE RESEARCHER TO BE CERTAIN HE OR SHE IS HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. EACH CATEGORY ALSO INCLUDES CITATIONS THAT MAY BE USED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH A GIVEN PROBLEM ALREADY HAS BEEN RESEARCHED. EXTENSIVE REFERENCES TO NEW YORK LAW AND SOURCES SERVE AS EXAMPLES FOR OTHER STATES. AMONG APPENDED MATERIALS ARE A LEGAL RESEARCH CHECKLIST AND AN EXPLANATION OF HOW TO FIND U.S. STATUTE AND CODE CITATIONS. AN INDEX/SOURCE FINDER LISTS NAMES, TOPICS, BOOK TITLES, AND SUBJECTS. (LKM)