| Analyze the facts and formulate a preliminary
statement of issues.
Develop a system for organizing research notes
and putting cites in Bluebook form.
Familiarize yourself with the court structure
of the jurisdiction.
Do background research to get an overview
of the subject area, identify issues and terms, and get
clues to primary sources.
- Hornbooks [Reading Room across from library desk]
- Law review articles [print – compact shelving
on Level 1; Lexis; Westlaw]
- ALR Federal [print - Level 2; Westlaw]
- Seek expert advice
Search for legal authority (relevant
statutes and cases) using appropriate methods of updating.
- Annotated codes [print U.S.C.A. or U.S.C.S. –
Level 3; U.S.C.A. is available on Westlaw; U.S.C.S.
is available on Lexis]
- West’s Federal Practice Digest [print
on Level 3]
- full text case databases [Lexis, Westlaw; Internet
sites]
- ALR Federal [print - Level 2; Westlaw]
- Shepard’s [Lexis]
- KeyCite [Westlaw]
Read and evaluate primary authorities.
- United States Reports (U.S.), United
States Supreme Court Reports, Lawyer’s Edition
(L.Ed., L.Ed. 2d), Supreme Court Reporter
(S. Ct.), Federal Reporter (F., F.2d, F.3d),
Federal Supplement (F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d)
[print – Level 3; Lexis; Westlaw]
Make sure cases are still good law.
- Shepard’s [Lexis]
- KeyCite [Westlaw]
Refine analysis and formulate conclusion.
- Treatises [Level 2; check the library’s online
catalog]
- Law review articles
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