Legal research in the United States
Legal research in the United States is like playing detective, but instead of solving mysteries, we are trying to find information about laws and court decisions.
There are three important things to know when doing legal research:
1. Where to find the information
2. How to search for it
3. How to understand it once we find it.
First, we need to know where to look for legal information. There are many different sources, but some of the most common ones include:
- Primary sources: These are the actual laws and court decisions that we are researching. Examples could include the United States Constitution, a federal statute (law passed by Congress), or a recent state court decision.
- Secondary sources: These are books or articles written by legal experts that help explain the law. Examples could include a legal encyclopedia, a law review article, or a treatise (a book that explains a specific area of law).
We can find primary and secondary legal sources in a variety of places. Some common sources include:
- Legal research databases: Many law schools, law firms, and libraries subscribe to online legal research databases like Westlaw or LexisNexis. These resources allow users to search for legal information using keywords or citations (information about where the information is located).
- Government websites: Many laws and court decisions can be found for free on government websites like the U.S. Supreme Court website or the website for a particular state's court system.
- Books and journals: Secondary legal sources can often be found in law libraries, as well as online or in print.
Once we know where to find legal information, we need to know how to search for it. This involves using techniques like keyword searches and Boolean operators (like "AND," "OR," and "NOT") to make sure we are finding all the relevant information.
Finally, we need to be able to understand the legal information we find. This can be the most challenging part of legal research, especially for those who are not trained lawyers. It may involve reading through complex statutory language, deciphering legal jargon, and understanding the context and history behind a particular law or court decision.
Overall, legal research is like a big puzzle, where we have to gather all the pieces and fit them together to get a complete picture of the law. It can be challenging, but it's an important skill for anyone who wants to understand how the legal system works or make informed decisions about legal issues.
There are three important things to know when doing legal research:
1. Where to find the information
2. How to search for it
3. How to understand it once we find it.
First, we need to know where to look for legal information. There are many different sources, but some of the most common ones include:
- Primary sources: These are the actual laws and court decisions that we are researching. Examples could include the United States Constitution, a federal statute (law passed by Congress), or a recent state court decision.
- Secondary sources: These are books or articles written by legal experts that help explain the law. Examples could include a legal encyclopedia, a law review article, or a treatise (a book that explains a specific area of law).
We can find primary and secondary legal sources in a variety of places. Some common sources include:
- Legal research databases: Many law schools, law firms, and libraries subscribe to online legal research databases like Westlaw or LexisNexis. These resources allow users to search for legal information using keywords or citations (information about where the information is located).
- Government websites: Many laws and court decisions can be found for free on government websites like the U.S. Supreme Court website or the website for a particular state's court system.
- Books and journals: Secondary legal sources can often be found in law libraries, as well as online or in print.
Once we know where to find legal information, we need to know how to search for it. This involves using techniques like keyword searches and Boolean operators (like "AND," "OR," and "NOT") to make sure we are finding all the relevant information.
Finally, we need to be able to understand the legal information we find. This can be the most challenging part of legal research, especially for those who are not trained lawyers. It may involve reading through complex statutory language, deciphering legal jargon, and understanding the context and history behind a particular law or court decision.
Overall, legal research is like a big puzzle, where we have to gather all the pieces and fit them together to get a complete picture of the law. It can be challenging, but it's an important skill for anyone who wants to understand how the legal system works or make informed decisions about legal issues.