How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-

ThisThis guide guide is intendedis intended to tohelp help a persona person with with a alegal legal problem problem find find legal legal rulesrules thatthat cancan resolveresolve oror prevent prevent conflict. conflict. It Itis is mostmost useful useful to to workwork through through thethe stepssteps and sourcessources inin thethe orderorder given.

For a web version of this guide, see www.aallnet.org/sis/lisp How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-Lawyers

GETTING STARTEDSTARTED State thethe question question clearly clearly that that you you need need to answer.to answer. Determine the , meaning the particular subject and locality. You must first determine which courtDetermine or government the jurisdiction agency, meaning can resolve the particularthe conflict subject before and beginning locality. Youlegal must research. first determine which or government agency can resolve the conflict before beginning . Understand citations and abbreviations. Most books are cited in the order of volume number, book, andUnderstand page. For citations example, and 410 abbreviations. U.S. 113 would Most signify law booksvolume are 410 cited of Unitedin the orderStates of Reports,volume number,page 113. book, and arepage. cited For byexample, 410 title U.S. and 113 section would number, signify volumesuch as 410 42 U.S.C.of United § 1983 States for titleReports 42 United, page 113. States Statutes Code, are citedsection by 1983.statute Many title ofand the section abbreviations number, yousuch will as 42encounter U.S.C. § are 1983 explained for title 42in theUnited text States of this Code pamphlet., section 1983. Most of the abbreviations you will encounter are explained in the text of this pamphlet. WHERE TO GO

WHEREPublic libraries TOwill have GO at least some of the codes, texts, and self-help materials mentioned here, as well as facilities for internet access. Public libraries will have at least some of the codes, texts, and self-help materials mentioned here, as well as facilitiesMost county, for internet court, access. or law school libraries are open to the public and contain all the resources talked about here. Internet access for the public will vary across libraries of this type. Most county, court, or law school libraries are open to the public and contain all the resources talked about here.Depository Internet libraries access for of thefederal public materials will vary are across located libraries at most of this law type. libraries, larger public libraries and universities, and are required to be available to the public. Increasingly, the federal government has made many of its depository and other publications available on the Web through the GPO’s Federal Digital Depository libraries of federal materials are located at most law libraries, larger public libraries, and System (FDsys) at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/. These and other law libraries will have various guides to help locateuniversities government and are information required to beon available the Web. to the public. Increasingly, the federal government has made many of its depository and other publications available on the web at www.gpo.gov/fdsys. These and other Thelaw libraries Internet will is nothave a comprehensivevarious guides to source help locate for legal government material. information Some good on starting the web. points for legal information on the Web: The Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu; FindLaw, www.findlaw. com;The internet WashLaw: is not Legal a comprehensive Research on thesource Web, for www.washlaw.edu; legal material. Some The good American starting Barpoints Association’s for legal information Public onResources the web page,include: www.abanet.org/public.html; Public Library of Law, www.plol.org; Google Scholar, scholar. google.com; • The Legal the Information Institute, of Congress’s www.law.cornell.edu Guide to Law Online, www.loc.gov/law/help/guide.php; and HG.org,• FindLaw, www.hg.org. www.findlaw.com Lexis Web at lexisweb.com offers free Google-style searching of legal material. • WashLaw: Legal Research on the Web, www.washlaw.edu • The American Association’s Public Resources page, www.abanet.org/public.html • HierosGamos, www.hg.org • Public Library of Law, www.plol.org • LexisOne, www.lexisone.com

1 How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-Lawyers

WHAT TO TO LOOK LOOK AT AT Self-help books or kits containing instructions and forms are available in many bookstores and public librariesSelf-help and books even or fromkits containingsome court instructions clerks and andlegal forms aid offices are available to help in manynon-lawyers bookstores with androutine public matters. Thelibraries books and or even kits mayfrom coversome courtdivorce, clerks bankruptcy, and legal traffic aid offices tickets, to help wills, non-lawyers andwith leases, routine landlord-tenantmatters. agreements,The books or kitssmall may business cover divorce, matters, bankruptcy, and many traffic other tickets, legal subjects. wills, contracts Usually and written leases, by landlord-tenant lawyers, such agreements,books may save small the business patron matters,hours of andresearch. many Someother legal self-help subjects. information Usually iswritten available by lawyers, on Web such sites books such as maywww.LawHelp.org save you hours and of research. www.nolo.com. Some self-help information is available on websites such as Nolo Press at www.nolo.com. Practice aids and form books are intended for lawyers, but can be useful for anyone. Some examples of Practicepractice aids aids areand Causes form books of Action, are intended American for lawyers, but can , be useful and American for anyone. Jurisprudence Some examples of of Facts, which give guidance in what a court must be given and how to proceed. Form books aid practice aids are Causes of Action, American Jurisprudence Trials, and American Jurisprudence Proof of Facts, in drafting legal documents or documents that need to be filed in court. State form books are available for which give guidance in what evidence a court must be given and how to proceed. Form books aid in drafting most states. General form books include American Jurisprudence Legal Forms, American Jurisprudence Pleadinglegal documents and Practice or documents Forms, ’s that need Legal to beForms, filed andin court. West’s State Federal form Forms.books areWhile available some forforms most are states. availableGeneral form free books on the include Web, suchAmerican as those Jurisprudence at forms.findlaw.com, Legal Forms, Americanmany sites Jurisprudence will ultimately Pleading charge and a fee. We recommendPractice Forms, that West’s you try Legal your Forms nearest, and law West’s library Federal first. Forms Also,. Whileforms some for particular forms are court available procedures free on may be availablethe web, such from as the those court’s at www.lexisone.com clerk’s office. See, (see e.g., Forms links link), for manyyour state sites orwill jurisdiction ultimately atcharge www.washlaw.edu. a fee. It is recommended that you try your local court and nearest law library first. See, e.g. links for your state or jurisdictionLegal encyclopedias at www.washlaw.edu. are a good starting point to get an overview of a topic. There are two general legal encyclopedias: Corpus Juris Secundum (C.J.S.) and American Jurisprudence 2d (Am. Jur. 2d). Many states Legalalso have encyclopedias encyclopedias are a of good state starting law. Begin point with to get the an index overview and lookof a topic.for different There are synonyms two general of yourlegal term. The encyclopedias:text will contain Corpus many Jurisfootnotes Secundum leading (C.J.S.) to further and American sources. Jurisprudence 2d (Am. Jur. 2d). Many states also have encyclopedias of state law. Begin with the index and look for different synonyms of your term. The text will Texts and treatises can also yield useful general information. They contain the law on a specific subject, contain many footnotes leading to further sources. sometimes a specific jurisdiction, and may include forms. The briefest are those in West Publishing Co.’s Nutshell Series. West’s Hornbooks or comparable publications provide more depth. Multi-volume encyclopedicTexts and treatises treatises can presentalso yield comprehensive useful general informationinformation. for They many contain subjects. the law on a specific subject, sometimes a specific jurisdiction, and may include forms. The briefest are those in West Publishing Co.’s ArticlesNutshell Series.printed West’s in journals Hornbooks or law or reviews comparable published publications commercially provide ormore by depth.law schools Multi-volume or bar associations encyclopedic treatisesmay also present be useful. comprehensive Look for your information subject in for printed many or subjects. computer indexes such as Index to Legal Periodicals or Legal Resource Index (Legal Trac). Many articles may be found online for free at sites such as Google ArticlesScholar, printedJurist’s inLaw journals Reviews or lawpage reviews at jurist.law.pitt.edu/lawreviews/ published commercially or by andlaw the schools University or bar associations Law Review mayProject alsoat www.lawreview.org. be useful. Look for yourThe subjectdates of in full-text printed coverageor computer and indexes level of such searchability as Index to Legalwill vary. Periodicals Author searchesor Legal Resourceusing search Index engines (Legal Trac).like google.com Some articles can may sometimes be found lead online to forfree free copies at sites of a such legal as expert’s Jurist’s articles.Law Reviews page at http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/lawreviews and the University Law Review Project at www.lawreview.org. The Codes contain legal rules known as statutes, or ordinances which are mandatory, meaning that dates of full-text coverage and level of searchability will vary. Author searches using search engines like Google must follow them. Codes are accessed through an index that refers you to a numbered section. They arecan updatedsometimes by lead supplements to free copies or pocket of a legal parts expert’s or are articles. in looseleaf form.

MostCodes public contain libraries legal rules and knownall law as libraries statutes, will regulations, contain a copy or ordinances, of the local which state are code, mandatory, which holds meaning the lawsthat madecourts bymust a state’s follow .them. Codes Theyare accessed may also through have city an index or county that refers ordinance you to acodes numbered and codes section. of stateThey are updatedadministrative by supplements agency regulations. or pocket parts Most or state are in and looseleaf some form.local law can be found on the Web by going to a state’s official site and looking for links to law and local government (or cities and counties). Sites such as Mostat www.washlaw.edu public libraries and will all also law leadlibraries to states’ will contain government a copy of sites. the local state code, which holds the made by a state’s legislature. They may also have city or county ordinance codes and codes of state administrative agency regulations. Most state and some local law can be found on the web by going to a state’s official site and looking

2 How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-Lawyers

Onefor links of the to lawfollowing and local federal government code versions (or cities will and be counties). used if the Try jurisdictionusing the URL is federal:www.state.xx.us, The United where States “xx” Codeis the (U.S.C.),state’s postal United abbreviation. States Code Sites Annotated such as (U.S.C.A.) www.washlaw.edu or United will States also Codelead to Service states’ (U.S.C.S.). government The sites. U.S.C. is available at uscode.house.gov, FDsys, and www.law.cornell.edu/uscode. For pending and new federal laws, you’ll probably need to check Congress.gov, the government website for legislative information. Regulations ofOne federal of the agencies following arefederal contained code versions in the Code will be of usedFederal if the Regulations jurisdiction (C.F.R.), is federal: available United at States Code (U.S.C.), www.ecfr.gov.United States Code Annotated (U.S.C.A.), or Code Service (U.S.C.S.). The U.S.C. is available on the web at http://uscode.house.gov, although other sites containing the U.S.C., e.g. www.law.cornell.edu/uscode, Courtmay provide rules stateeasier the ways procedure to locate by a particularwhich a dispute statute. must For pending make its and way new to courtfederal and laws, how you’ll the resolutionprobably need of the disputeto check is Thomas, to be conducted. the government Court websiterules address for legislative such topics information, as time atlimitations http://thomas.loc.gov and formal requirements. Regulations of for pleadingsfederal agencies and other are containedcourt documents in the Code or processes. of Federal AlthoughRegulations procedural (C.F.R.) at law www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html can also be found in statutory. and administrative codes, court rules are generally more detailed and can vary from court to court. You may wishCourt to rules ask astate law thelibrarian procedure for help by which locating a dispute court rules must if make your itscourt way does to court not andpost how them the on resolution its Web site.of the dispute is to be conducted. Court rules address such topics as time limitations and formal requirements for Reportspleadings or and reporters other court contain documents opinions or (sometimesprocesses. Although called decisions procedural or law cases) can alsowritten be foundby courts in statutory to explain and how and why certain legal rules were used to resolve the dispute in a particular . These rules administrative codes, court rules are generally more detailed and can vary from court to court. You may wish to constitute the “” and are followed by courts deciding later cases with similar facts and issues so thatask aconsistency law librarian may for behelp maintained. locating court Decisions rules if ofyour a highercourt does court not will post be themmandatory on its website.- that is, those decisions must be followed if coming from a higher court in the same jurisdiction or from the U. S. . If a decisionReports oris notreporters mandatory, contain a courtopinions may (sometimes still find it called persuasive decisions and orfollow cases) it. written by courts to explain how and why certain legal rules were used to resolve the dispute in a particular lawsuit. These rules Withconstitute few exceptions, the “common reported law” and decisions are followed are from by courts courts deciding of later rather cases than with similar courts. facts (The and most commonissues so exception that consistency is decisions may be from maintained. federal district Decisions courts of a reported higher court in the will Federal be mandatory—that Supplement, abbreviated is, F.those Supp.) decisions Opinions must are be not followed written if forcoming every from case. a higherFurther, court not inevery the samedecision jurisdiction is selected or fromby the the court for publication.U.S. Supreme These Court. “unpublished” If a decision is decisions, not mandatory, such aas court those may found still in find the it Federal persuasive Appendix and follow (F. Appx.), it. can help one to understand the law. However, it is important to consult a court’s rules on citation of unpublished opinionsWith few beforeexceptions, using these them cases to support are from an courts argument of appeals in a legal rather proceeding. than trial courts. (The most common exception is decisions from federal district courts reported in the , abbreviated F. Supp.) Cases decided in the U.S. Supreme Court are reported in the United States Reports (U.S.) and reprinted in the SupremeOpinions areCourt not Reporter written for(S.Ct.) every and case. United Further, States not Supremeevery decision Court is Reports, selected Lawyers’ by the court Edition, for publication. first and second seriesThese “unpublished”(L.Ed., L.Ed.2d). decisions, Newer U.S. such Supreme as those Court found cases in the are Federal available Appendix on the (F. Web Appx.), at can help one to www.supremecourt.govunderstand the law. However, (see “Opinions”it is important link). to Manyconsult cases a court’s can rulesalso beon foundcitation at of The unpublished Oyez Project: opinions http://www. oyez.org/cases.before using them This to support site is a an complete argument and in authoritativea legal proceeding. source for all audio recorded in the Court since the installation of a recording system in October 1955. Cases from the intermediate U.S. Courts of Appeals, also calledCases U.S.decided Circuit in the Courts, U.S. Supremeare printed Court in arethe reportedFederal Reporter,in the United first, States second, Reports or third (U.S.) series and reprinted (F., F.2d inand the F.3d). TheSupreme Federal Court Supplement, Reporter (S.Ct.) first and and United second States series Supreme (F.Supp., Court F. Supp.2d) Reports, Lawyers’contain casesEdition from, first the and U.S. second District Courts.series (L.Ed. Newer and circuit L.Ed.2d) court. Newer and districtU.S. Supreme court casesCourt casescan be are found available at www.uscourts.gov/courtlinks/ on the web at www.supremecourtus.gov or www.law. cornell.edu/federal/opinions,(see “Opinions” link). Cases from though the availabilityintermediate ofU.S. cases Courts will of vary Appeals, from courtalso calledto court. U.S. Circuit Courts, are printed in the , first, second, or third series(F., F.2d, and F.3d). The Federal Supplement, first State opinions are printed in state reports in many states. They are also reprinted in and second series (F.Supp. and F. Supp.2d), contain cases from the U.S. District Courts. Newer circuit court and West’s regional reporters, which each contain several states, including the Atlantic (A., A.2d, and A.3d), Northdistrict Eastern court cases (N.E. canand be N.E.2d), found Northat www.uscourts.gov/courtlinks Western (N.W. and N.W.2d), or www.law.cornell.edu/federal/opinions.html Pacific (P., P.2d and P.3d), South Eastern, (S.E.,though and availability S.E.2d), South of cases Western will vary (S.W., from S.W.2d court toand court. S.W.3d), and Southern (So., So.2d, and So.3d) Reporters. Because California and New York generate a large amount of , these states have their own West reporters:State appellate the California court opinions Reporter are (Cal.printed Rptr., in stateCal. Rptr.2d reports and in many Cal. Rptr.3d)states. They and arethe alsoNew reprinted York Supplement in West’s (N.Y.S.regional and reporters, N.Y.S.2d). which Many each states contain no longerseveral print states, their including own reports, the Atlantic so their (A. newer and A.2d) decisions, North areEastern found only(N.E. in and West’s N.E.2d), reporters. North Western If a decision (N.W. isand printed N.W.2d), in morePacific than (P., one P.2d, publication, and P.3d), youSouth may Eastern find (S.E.more andthan S.E.2d), one citationSouth Western to it. These (S.W., areS.W.2d, called and parallel S.W.3d), citations. and Southern For availability (So. and So.2d) of state Reporters court opinions. Because on California the Web, andgo toNew the individualYork generate state a largegovernment’s amount of Web case site law, or these one of states the general have their sites own listed West at reporters: the beginning the California of this guide, Reporter such as(Cal. www.washlaw.edu. Rptr., Cal. Rptr.2d, and Cal. Rptr.3d) and the New York Supplement (N.Y.S. and N.Y.S.2d). Many states 3 How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-Lawyers

Findingno longer opinions print their in reportsown reports, may so be their done newer in various decisions ways. are Reports found only are innot West’s arranged reporters. by subject, If a decision and the sets areis printed not indexed. in more Often than oneyou publication,can find a referenceyou may findfrom moretext thanor footnotes one citation of texts, to it. encyclopedias,These are called or parallelother cases. Annotatedcitations. Forcodes availability will list casesof state which court haveopinions cited on a thestatute web, following go to the theindividual text of statethe statute. government’s website or one of the general sites listed at the beginning of this guide, such as www.washlaw.edu. Lawyers and those in law schools can find cases using subscription computer databases, but these subscription databases are expensive and may not be available to the public. However, as libraries replace printFinding reporter opinions and maydigest be setsdone (seein various below) ways. with Reportssome form are notof electronic arranged accessby subject, to cases, and the such sets access are not is often extendedindexed. Oftento all youlibrary can users. find a reference from text or footnotes of texts, encyclopedias, or other cases. Annotated codes will list cases that have cited a statute following the text of the statute. Free court opinions are available on Google Scholar. Additionally, free trials and/or low cost subscriptions are availableLawyers and from those VersusLaw in law schools at www.versuslaw.com can find cases using and fromsubscription Loislaw computerat www.loislaw.com. databases, butLoislaw these also allows userssubscription to subscribe databases for just are a expensive few days, and at estore.loislaw.com. may not be available to the public. However, as libraries replace print reporter and digest sets (see below) with some form of electronic access to cases, such access is often Someextended of the to allWeb library sites users. mentioned in "The Internet," above, will lead you to free sites that allow limited keyword searching, but this will vary from court to court. Using a credit card, you may search at http://creditcard.westlaw.com or LexisNexis at Digests are the traditional means of finding cases. West Publishing Co. publishes digests for federal ,http://web.lexis.com/xchange/ccsubs/cc_prods.asp most states and several of the regions for that about correspond $10 per document. to the regional Free trialsreporters. and low For costexample, theresubscriptions is a Federal are Practiceavailable Digest from VersusLaw (Fed. Prac. at Dig.), www.versuslaw.com a California Digest and (Cal. from Dig.) Loislaw and at a Pacificwww.loislaw.com Digest (Pac.. Dig.). The Decennial Digest (Dec. Dig.) covers all jurisdictions in 10-year increments. The most commonly usedSome digest of the systemwebsites is mentioned West’s American in “The internet”Digest System, on page which 1, will divides lead you the to law free into sites about that 400allow topics. limited Each topickeyword is subdivided searching. into principles or points of law which are each assigned a "key" number. Pigeonholed under each key number are brief paragraphs abstracted from cases, which summarize the points of each case,Digests and are citations the traditional to where means each ofcase finding can be cases. found. West It is Publishing possible toCo. go publishes directly todigests the topic for federalin the digest and scanjurisdictions, through themost key states, numbers, and several but it is of usually the regions less thatconfusing correspond to start to thein the regional Descriptive reporters. Word For Index example, to the digest.there is This a Federal index Practiceuses common Digest words(Fed. Prac. to lead Dig.), to thea California right topic Digest and key(Cal. number. Dig.) and The a Pacificdigest alsoDigest contains (Pac. a case table, which can be used to look up a citation if only the name of a case is known. Dig.). The Decennial Digest (Dec. Dig.) covers all jurisdictions in 10-year increments. The most commonly used digest system is West’s , which divides the law into more than 400 topics. Each American Law Reports (A.L.R.)American functions Digest both System as a digest of leading cases on a particular topic and as an indextopic tois subdivided"annotations," into which principles review or pointsa legal of topic law, inwhich depth are and each analyze assigned court a “key”cases number. from all Pigeonholed jurisdictions on theunder subject. each key number are brief paragraphs abstracted from cases, which summarize the points of each case, and citations to where each case can be found. It is possible to go directly to the topic in the digest and scan Reportsthrough theand key digests numbers, for certainbut it is courtsusually or less topics confusing are also to startbeneficial. in the DescriptiveThese cover Word legal Index areas to thesuch digest. as bankruptcy,This index uses common , words education, to lead to labor, the right and tax.topic Administrative and key number. agencies, The digest which also often contains act aas case table, inwhich their canareas be ofused jurisdiction, to look up also a citation publish if onlyreports the nameof their of opinions, a case is oftenknown. with digests, on their own websites.

LooseleafAmerican Lawservices Reports are (A.L.R.)useful toolsfunctions that bothpull togetheras a digest text, of statutes,leading cases regulations, on a particular and opinions topic and of courts as an andindex administrative to “annotations,” agencies which on review specific a legal important topic in topicsdepth andthat analyzeneed constant court cases updating. from all Examples jurisdictions include on Standardthe subject. Federal Tax Reporter, Federal Tax Coordinator, Employment Coordinator, Bankruptcy Law Reporter, Consumer Credit Guide, Reporter, Reporter, and many others. Some law libraries will have these in electronic format. Reports and digests for certain courts or topics are also beneficial. These cover legal areas such as bankruptcy, , education, labor, and tax. Administrative agencies, which often act as tribunals in their areas of jurisdiction, also publish reports of their opinions, often with digests.

Looseleaf services are useful tools that pull together text, statutes, regulations, and opinions of courts and administrative agencies on specific important topics that need constant updating. Examples includeStandard Federal Tax Reporter, Federal Tax Coordinator, Employment Coordinator, Bankruptcy Law Reporter, Consumer Credit Guide, Family Law Reporter, Criminal Law Reporter, and many others. 4 How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-Lawyers

BEFOREBEFORE YOU YOU STOP STOP Check supplements. These sometimes appear as “pocket parts” inserted into the back covers of volumes to provideCheck supplements.updates and newThese material. sometimes appear as “pocket parts” inserted into the back covers of volumes to provide updates and new material. Check Citators. Shepard’s is the most common. These must be used to ascertain whether the validity of a caseCheck or citators.statute has Shepard’s been affected is the most in somecommon. way, These such mustas being be used reversed, to ascertain overruled whether or ruled the validityunconstitutional of a (forcase statutes). or statute They has arebeen also affected used into somedetermine way, such if one as case being has reversed, been cited overruled, by another. or ruled Instructions unconstitutional for use, illustrations,(for statutes). and They abbreviation are also used tables to determine are contained if one incase the has preface been tocited each by volume.another. ForInstructions the most forcurrent use, citatorillustrations, information, and abbreviation you must use tables an onlineare contained citator, suchin the as preface Shepard’s to each on volume.LexisNexis™ For the or most Westlaw’s current KeyCite. Accesscitator toinformation, these citators you mustwill depend use an onlineon whether citator, your such library as Shepard’s makes Lexison LexisNexis or Wesltaw at www.lexis.com available to the (see public.menu selection Similarly, for a creditshort-term card use)subscription or Westlaw’s to Loislaw KeyCite atat estore.loislaw.comhttp://creditcard.westlaw.com will include. Eachaccess costs to its about citator, GlobalCite. $6 per cite. Some form of citator is usually included as a feature within computerized case law databases. WHENWHEN TO STOPSTOP You’ll keep reading the same legal rule. You may notice that once you have thoroughly covered all the sourcesYou keep listed reading above, the the same same legal legal rule. rule, You whether may notice set thatout inonce statute, you have , thoroughly or court covered opinion, all the will sources appear inlisted several above, places. the sameYou can legal usually rule—whether take this setas confirmationout in statute, thatregulation, your research or court hasopinion—will been complete appear enough in to give a reliable answer to your legal question. several places. You can usually take this as confirmation that your research has been complete enough to give a reliable answer to your legal question. MORE INFORMATION AnMORE attorney mayINFORMATION still be required to help find and understand legal information. Word of mouth, the Yellow Pages, or state and local bar associations can help you find one. Attorney directories are available online at www.martindale.com and lawyers.findlaw.com. An attorney may still be required to help find and understand legal information. Word of mouth, theYellow Pages, or state and local bar associations can help you find one. Attorney directories are available online at A law librarian can help but cannot give legal advice. Check with local courts, bar associations or law schools.www.lawhelp.org, Call your www.martindale.comlocal public library for and a listinghttp://lawyers.findlaw.com of area law libraries..

ManualsA law librarian that give can morehelp but detail cannot on givehow legalto research. advice. CallSeveral your arelocal available, public library including: for a listing of area law libraries. • Finding the Law (2005) Manuals• thatFundamentals give more detail of Legalon how Research to research. (2009) Several are available, including: • — FindingLegal Research: the Law (2005) How to Find & Understand the Law (2012) • — FundamentalsLegal Research of inLegal a Nutshell Research (2013) (2009) — Legal Research: How to Find & Understand the Law (2009) — Legal Research in a Nutshell (2007)

5 How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-Lawyers

ThisThis guideguide was prepared by by Lee Lee Warthen Warthen and and Angus Angus Nesbit Nesbit for Legalfor Legal Information Information Services Services to the to Public the Public (LISP), a (LISP),special a interestSpecial sectionInterest of Section the American of the AmericanAssociation Association of Law Libraries of Law (AALL). Libraries (AALL). Revisions by Leslie Greenwood and Brian Huffman for LISP. LISP provides support for programs and workshops on legal research for the non-law librarian; consults LISP provides support for programs and workshops on legal research for the non-law librarian; consults withwith public public librarieslibraries onon collection development and and maintenance maintenance of of their their legal legal collections; collections; and and surveys surveys and and publishespublishes informationinformation about collectionscollections of of legal legal materials materials available available in in public public libraries libraries that that might might assist assist the thepublic public in locating in locating the theinformation information it seeks. it seeks. In addition, In addition, LISP LISP encourages encourages and supportsand supports AALL chaptersAALL chapters in in providingproviding propro bonobono assistance inin aa varietyvariety of ofcontexts. contexts.

ForFor more more informationinformation on LISP andand itsits activities,activities, visitsee www.aallnet.org/sections/lisp.www.aallnet.org/sis/lisp.

105 W. Adams St. / Suite 3300 / Chicago, IL 60603 312.939.4764 / Fax: 312.431.1097 / E-mail: [email protected] / www.aallnet.org

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