How To Legal Research9 min read
When you need to research a legal question, where do you start? This guide provides an overview of how to do legal research, including where to find information and how to use it.
1. Start with primary sources.
Primary sources are the original documents that establish or interpret the law. These might include statutes, regulations, court decisions, or other official government documents. To find primary sources, start with the website of the government agency that created the law. For example, if you need information about federal employment law, start with the website of the United States Department of Labor.
2. Find secondary sources.
Secondary sources are legal scholarship and commentary that explain and interpret the law. Secondary sources can be helpful in understanding case law and statutes. To find secondary sources, start with the website of a law library or a legal publishing company.
3. Use online databases.
Online databases are a great resource for finding primary and secondary sources. Many law libraries and legal publishing companies have websites that allow you to search their databases for free.
4. Check government websites.
Government websites can be a great resource for finding primary sources. In addition to the websites of government agencies, many states have websites that allow you to search their public records databases.
5. Ask a lawyer.
If you’re not sure where to start or you need more help understanding the law, ask a lawyer. Lawyers are experts in the law and can help you find the information you need.
Table of Contents
How should you begin legal research?
When starting a legal research project, it is important to have a plan. The first step is to determine the specific issue that you need to research. Once you have identified the issue, you can begin to gather sources of information. Legal research can be conducted in a variety of ways, including using online resources, consulting with an attorney, or reviewing case law and statutes.
One of the best ways to get started with legal research is to use online resources. There are a number of websites that provide access to legal information, including the United States Constitution, state statutes, and court decisions. In addition, many law libraries now have websites that provide access to their resources, including case law and statutes.
Another great resource for legal research is an attorney. An attorney can help you identify the specific issue that you need to research, and can provide you with guidance on how to conduct your research.
Finally, one of the most important sources of information for legal research is case law and statutes. Case law is the body of law that is decided by courts, and statutes are the laws that are passed by legislatures. It is important to review both case law and statutes when conducting legal research, as they can provide a wealth of information on a particular issue.
When starting a legal research project, it is important to have a plan. The first step is to determine the specific issue that you need to research. Once you have identified the issue, you can begin to gather sources of information. Legal research can be conducted in a variety of ways, including using online resources, consulting with an attorney, or reviewing case law and statutes.
One of the best ways to get started with legal research is to use online resources. There are a number of websites that provide access to legal information, including the United States Constitution, state statutes, and court decisions. In addition, many law libraries now have websites that provide access to their resources, including case law and statutes.
Another great resource for legal research is an attorney. An attorney can help you identify the specific issue that you need to research, and can provide you with guidance on how to conduct your research.
Finally, one of the most important sources of information for legal research is case law and statutes. Case law is the body of law that is decided by courts, and statutes are the laws that are passed by legislatures. It is important to review both case law and statutes when conducting legal research, as they can provide a wealth of information on a particular issue.
What are the methods of legal research?
There are various methods that can be used when conducting legal research. One common method is to use a legal database. These databases are typically subscription-based, and contain case law, statutes, and other legal resources.
Another common method is to use the internet. There are a variety of websites that offer free or paid legal research services. The quality of these resources can vary, so it is important to be careful when using them.
Another common method is to use print resources. This can include books, law journals, and other legal materials. These resources can be found at law libraries or other legal research facilities.
Finally, another common method is to use oral resources. This can include talking to lawyers, judges, or other legal professionals. This can be a valuable way to get information that is not available in other formats.
What are the basics of legal research?
Legal research is the process of locating and analyzing legal materials to form an opinion about a legal question. It is an essential skill for lawyers and other legal professionals.
The first step in legal research is to identify the legal question. This can be done by reading case law, statutes, regulations, and other legal materials. Once the question is identified, the researcher can begin to look for relevant legal materials.
Legal materials can be found in a variety of places, including law libraries, online databases, and government websites. Once the researcher has located the relevant materials, they must analyze them to form an opinion about the question.
Legal research can be a complex process, but it is a crucial skill for anyone working in the legal field. By understanding the basics of legal research, lawyers and other legal professionals can effectively research and answer legal questions.
What are the five steps to legal research?
The process of legal research is not always simple, but following these five steps can make it a little easier.
1. Know what you need to find. before you can begin researching, you need to have a good understanding of the question you are trying to answer. This means knowing the law’s keywords and being able to articulate the issue you are dealing with.
2. Gather resources. Once you have a good understanding of the question, you need to start gathering resources. This includes both primary and secondary sources.
3. Analyze resources. Once you have gathered your resources, you need to start analyzing them. This includes determining whether the resources are primary or secondary, and whether they are helpful or not.
4. Synthesize resources. After you have analyzed your resources, you need to start synthesizing them. This means putting them together in a way that will help you answer the question you are researching.
5. Present your findings. Finally, once you have synthesized your resources, you need to present your findings. This can be done in a variety of ways, depending on the situation.
Why is legal research so hard?
Legal research is hard for many reasons. One reason is that the law is constantly changing. This means that researchers need to be up to date on the latest cases and legislation. Another reason is that the law is complex. There are many different areas of law, and each one is unique. Researchers need to be familiar with all the different aspects of law in order to do accurate research.
Another reason legal research is hard is that the law is often ambiguous. This means that there is more than one interpretation of a law, and it can be difficult to determine which interpretation is correct. Researchers need to be able to analyse and interpret case law to determine the relevant law in a particular case.
Finally, legal research is hard because it can be time-consuming. Researchers need to read a lot of cases and legislation to get a clear understanding of the law. This can be a daunting task, and it can be difficult to know where to start.
Despite these challenges, legal research is an important skill that every lawyer needs to master. With patience and perseverance, anyone can become a skilled legal researcher.
What skills are needed for legal research?
Legal research is a process of finding and using legal resources to support a legal argument or to inform legal decision-making. The ability to conduct legal research is a critical skill for any lawyer. In order to be successful in legal research, you need to be able to identify and locate the relevant legal resources, understand how to use those resources, and synthesize the information found in those resources.
In order to identify the relevant legal resources, you need to be familiar with the law and with the legal research tools that are available. You need to know where to find the law, how to access it, and how to use it to support your argument. You also need to be familiar with the various types of legal resources, including case law, statutes, regulations, and secondary sources.
In order to use the resources effectively, you need to understand the principles of legal research. You need to know how to find and analyze the law, how to use secondary sources to support your argument, and how to cite your sources correctly.
Finally, in order to synthesize the information found in the resources, you need to be able to read and understand the law. You need to be able to identify and extract the relevant information from the resources and to apply it to your argument.
These are the skills that are needed for legal research. If you want to be a successful lawyer, you need to be able to do legal research.
What are the tools of legal research?
Legal research is a process that lawyers use to find the law. It is an essential part of the practice of law. Lawyers use legal research to find cases, statutes, and other legal authorities that support their arguments.
There are a number of different tools that lawyers can use to conduct legal research. One of the most important is a legal research database. A legal research database is a collection of cases, statutes, and other legal authorities. It allows lawyers to search for cases and statutes by keyword or citation.
Another important tool for legal research is the internet. The internet allows lawyers to access a wide variety of legal resources, including case law, statutes, and legal articles. Lawyers can also use the internet to find legal professionals and resources.
Finally, lawyers can also use print resources to conduct legal research. Print resources include law books and legal journals. These resources can be found in law libraries and other legal research libraries.
