Law - A Guide to Research

Databases

Try these first

• Westlaw Campus
  • User Guides
• LexisNexis Academic
• CQ Supreme Court Collection
• Supreme Court Yearbook (CQ)

   Search for journal articles

• Index to Legal Periodicals Full Text
• LegalTrac
• Index to Foreign legal periodicals
• HeinOnline

   Constitutions

• Constitutions of the Countries of the World

   Cases and Commentary

In addition to Westlaw Campus and LexisNexis these databases provide access to cases and additional commentary

• Advertising Law Guide
  

• Bureau of National Affairs

• (BNA) Law Resources (full list)
• BNA Criminal Law Reporter
• BNA Environment Reporter
• BNA Family Law Reporter
• BNA Health Law Reporter
• BNA Labor and Employment Library
• BNA Media Law Reporter
  
• CCH (Commerce Clearing House)
  • CCH Business and Finance Network  
  • CCH Health and Human Resources Network 
  • CCH Tax Resources Network
    
• Pike and Fischer Communications Regulations

Secondary Sources

• The CAT -- locate books, etc.
  • New Books
• Legal Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, and Commentary
• Law Reviews, Legal News, and Periodicals
  • Law E-Journals
• Citators --- Is it still good law?

   Additional Resources

•  CQ (Congressional Quarterly) Electronic Library 
  • CQ Congress Collection 
  • CQ Supreme Court Collection 
  • CQ Almanac
    
• Inter AM Database (National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade)
• International Law in Domestic Courts
• United States Supreme Court Records and Briefs, 1832-1978
• Making of Modern Law
  

Understanding the Law What is Law?

There are several types of law.  Understand what you need to find before you begin your research.

Secondary Sources: An Effective Research Strategy

Begin with secondary sources, They are often the most useful for those just beginning legal research since they l put the statutes, regulations, and court cases in the context of a body of law, that includes analysis.

• The CAT -- locate books, etc.
  • New Books
• Legal Encyclopedias,  Dictionaries, and Commentary
• Law Reveiws, Legal News, and Periodicals
  • Law E-Journals
• Citators --- Is it still good law?

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Primary Sources

Now find the specific type of law you need by jurisdiction.

Statutes

• Federal Laws
• State Laws 
  • Pennsylvania Laws

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Regulations

• Federal Regulations
• State Regulations 
  • Pennsylvania Regulations

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Cases

• Supreme Court Resources 
  • Find Supreme Court Criminal Law Cases
• Federal Court Opinions
• Pennsylvania Court Opinions
  • Other State Court Opinions

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Legal Citation

• Introduction to Basic Legal Citation (Cornell LII)
  
• Citing Legal Resources - some basic resources
  
• A Citation Guide for Government and Legal Information -- beyond the blue book

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Other Resources

Best of the Web

A few good starting places with links to many more.

• Dickinson Law School Library: Legal Links
• Cornell University: Legal Information Institute
• Law Library of Congress
• FindLaw for Legal Professionals

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