Tove KlovningLecturer in Law

© Washington University School of Law

Web Bio: http://law.wustl.edu/faculty_profiles/profiles.aspx?id=866

Legal Research on a Budget?

A CLE for The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. LouisApril 26, 2011

• Note there are several hyperlinks in this .ppt. All hyperlinks have been underlined.

• This presentation is not intended to be comprehensive.

• It is still ok to consult books in print .• A combination of classic legal research tools and the internet is the

best way to go.

Your biggest challenge: staying updated.

• Have you tried adding RSS-Feeds to your favorite web sites? This is a true timesaver. Promise!

• No idea how to use an RSS-Feed? To learn more click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0klgLsSxGsU

• Another way to stay updated in your field is to create an

Rss-feed on a legal blog. There are plenty out there.

• E.g. http://www.laboremploymentlawblog.com/

• The most current primary legal source may indeed be on the web only.

• More than 7 minutes on Google is a waste of your time.

• Classic legal research tools are still superior.

Yes, it is possible to research on a budget…..

You will need:

1.A RP/RS (research plan/strategy)

2.Be aware of the 3 C’s (content, coverage, currency)

3. Be aware of LAU (How to locate, access and update your findings)

4.To know how to validate on a dime

5.Remember to always note the 4 W’s (Blue Booking made easy) Who, what , when, where.

Let’s start our research quest by taking a closer look at Google

• Google

- are you aware of the advanced search option?

- are you aware that you can narrow your search by date?• Google Uncle Sam?

- Is this news to you? You can search for US federal, state and local information

• Google Scholar?

Access to scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles

- Did you know that you can search of cases on GS?• Google Books?

• I often start my quest by “googeling” a research guide:

• E.g. http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/guides/labor_employment.cfm

• I always ending up using a combination of classic legal research tools and internet tools.

Free government web sites? • FDsys

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/

Agency websites: http://www.dol.gov/ Note the RSS –feed. You can also subscribe to the blog and updates…..

• How many titles of the US code?• http://uscode.house.gov/codification/legislatio

n.shtml

2 links to the US Code:

• http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionUScode.action?collectionCode=USCODE

• http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/

LII Legal Information Institute. (Facilitated by Cornell University School of Law)

To be on the safe side….

• United States Code Classification Tables from the Office of the Law Revision Counsel show where recently enacted laws will appear in the United States Code and which sections of the Code have been amended by those laws.

Did you know that you can update the US Code with out Shepardizing or KeyCiting?

• Option 1.

LII / Legal Information Institute

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/

Researching federal regulations.

• It is very easy when you have a known citation.

• Via the Cornell LII Legal Institute Web side.

Let’s select title 29 Chapter 14

Note: No RSS-feed but instead direct link to E-CFR

• But remember: you cannot cite to E-CFR…..

Original text of the CFR is located at:• http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionCf

r.action?collectionCode=CFR

• You need to update via the Federal register online or LSA/LPA online……

• What do you do?

LSA is not listed on http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionCfr.action?collectionCode=CFR yet.

So…….. you go to GPO ACCESS to locate the LSA/LPA and update your CFR citation via these sources.

Federal Regulations – unknown citation but known statute

• Locate the Parallel Table of Authorities and Rules for the Code of Federal Regulations and the United States CodeText | PDF

.

State materials can also be accessed on the internet……….

• http://www.law.cornell.edu/states/listing.html • You can even do a topical search……..

State statutes by topic

• LexisNexis Georgia Code for free?

http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/gacode/

• The Georgia Code search options are indeed better than the: http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/statutes.htm option

• And this option?:

http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutesearch/:

Which do you prefer?

• The challenge: No one’s done the job for you. You do not have access to useful editorial annotations.

What does a library have to offer?

• Besides books and databases?

an online catalog…

Let’s explore worldcat.org WorldCat connects you to the collections

and services of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide

Consider narrowing by year

Consider narrowing by “Related Subjects”Discrimination in employment -- Law and legislation -- United States.

Age discrimination in employment -- Law and legislation -- United States.

Consider narrowing down by source Gov. Docs

• Did you know that you can browse any law school library catalog?

• Get familiar with your sorting options. I love the sort by year feature.

• LexisNexis by credit card option:

http://web.lexis.com/xchange/forms/uas/casepullcheck.asp?_svc=SH

• KeyCite by credit card option:

http://creditcard.westlaw.com/default.aspx

Before you embark on your research quest via the internet:

1. Download Zotero.com?

• Yes; I promise that this Firefox extension will keep your research organized…….

• This is a free, easy-to-use Firefox extension that helps you collect, manage, and cite your research sources. It lives right where you do your work — in the web browser itself.

• http://www.zotero.org/ - check out the audio tutorial. Zotero works on HeinOnline and does a good attempt in

bluebooking articles that are located on HeinOnline and online catalogs in addition to things you find online.

• There are more options out there – however, my time is out.

• Questions?• Feel free to contact me at

tklovni@wulaw.wustl.edu or call me at 314 935 6443 should you have any question regarding this presentation.

• The last couple of slides are some snap shoots of the some of the pages I introduced you to.

You can search for state cases in Google Scholar’s advanced search mode.

Remember you can narrow by date in Google’s adv. Search option….

Try exploring Google Uncle Sam as well

• I hope that I have been able to provide you with some great starting points on the internet.

• All you need is a known citation and expand your research from there. A combination of the internet and classic legal research sources is the way to go.

• Good luck with your future research tasks!