Legal research demystified : a step-by-step approach
Title:
Legal research demystified : a step-by-step approach
Author:
Voigt, Eric P., author.
ISBN:
9781531021306
Personal Author:
Edition:
Second edition.
Physical Description:
xxvii, 338 pages : illustrations, map ; 26 cm
Contents:
The federal and state systems : three branches of government -- Binding and nonbinding legal authorities -- The publication process for cases and the anatomy of a case -- The publication process for statutes and the anatomy of a statutory code -- Step 1 : create a research plan -- Step 2 : research every unfamiliar legal issue with secondary sources -- Step 3 : research cases by topic -- Step 4 : use a reliable citator to find relevant cases and to confirm their validity -- Step 5 : perform keyword searches in the relevant caselaw databases -- Step 6 : expand your research within the controlling jurisdiction, if necessary -- Step 7 : research cases from outside the controlling jurisdiction, if necessary -- Step 8 : use a reliable citator to reconfirm the validity of each relevant case -- Step 3 : find all relevant statutes -- Step 4 : validate each relevant statute, determine each statute's effective date, and identify all amendments -- Step 5 : read all relevant statutes critically -- Step 6 : research and update administrative regulations, and find cases that have interpreted them -- Step 7 : research cases that have interpreted relevant statutes -- Step 8 : research the legislative history of relevant statutes, if necessary -- Step 9 : research comparable statutes and cases from other jurisdictions, if necessary -- Step 10 : use a reliable citator to reconfirm the validity of each relevant authority.
Abstract:
"The book guides students through eight steps to research common law issues and ten steps to research statutory issues. It breaks down the research steps and process into pieces for novice researchers, minimizing the frustration often associated with learning new skills. This text also gives students context, explaining why and when a source or finding tool should be used when researching the law. This book reminds students of the recursive nature of legal research, and it identifies specific situations when they may deviate from the research steps. Through the book's step-by-step approach, students will connect seemingly unrelated tools (e.g., citators and the key number system) and understand how to leverage them to answer legal questions. Every chapter includes charts, diagrams, and screen captures to illustrate the research steps and finding methods, and each chapter concludes with a 'summary of key points' section. Each chapter ends with true-false and multiple-choice questions that test students' understanding of chapter content. These questions are replicated on the book's companion website"-- Provided by the publisher.
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