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Legal Research and Writing Subject Outline with CALI Lessons

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1.
Cases
Where Does Law Come From?
1.1.
Anatomy of a case
Anatomy of a Case
1.2.
Citation Format
1.2.1.
ALWD
ALWD Citation Form
1.2.2.
Citation Form For Briefs and Legal Memoranda
Citation Form for Briefs and Legal Memoranda
1.2.3.
Vendor Neutral Citation Formats
1.3.
Finding Cases
1.3.1.
How to Find Case Law Using Digests
How to Find Case Law Using the Digests
1.3.1.1.
Overview of Reporters
1.3.1.2.
Anatomy of Case – parts of a case
1.3.1.3.
Function of the Digest
1.3.1.4.
West Key Number System
1.3.1.5.
How to Find Case Law Using the Digests
1.3.1.6.
Finding the Most Recent Case Law
1.3.1.7.
Evolution of Digest System
1.3.2.
Using Citators to find cases
1.4.
Updating and Validating
Updating/Validating Case Law Using Citators
1.4.1.
Shepard's and KeyCite

2.
Statutes
Where Does Law Come From?
2.1.
Introduction to State and Federal Statues
Introduction to State and Federal Statutes
2.1.1.
Anatomy of a statute – parts of a statute
2.1.2.
Slip law
2.1.3.
Session law
2.1.4.
Code/Annotated Code
2.1.5.
Codification
2.2.
Forms of publications
Forms of Federal Statutory Publication
2.2.1.
Federal only
2.2.2.
Slip laws
2.2.3.
Session laws
2.2.4.
Advance Session Laws
2.2.5.
Code/Annotated Codes
2.2.6.
Official v. Unofficial
2.3.
Codification
Codification
2.3.1.
Organization of codes
2.3.2.
Positive law
2.3.3.
Federal
2.3.4.
State
2.3.5.
Official and unofficial
2.3.6.
Session Laws and code numbering
2.3.7.
Conversion tables
2.4.
Finding Statutes
Finding Statutes
2.4.1.
Index options
2.4.2.
Computer search strategies
2.4.3.
Conversion tables
2.4.4.
Popular name
2.5.
Updating Statutes
Updating Federal and State Statutes
2.5.1.
Federal paper supplements & advance legislative services
2.5.2.
Legislative websites and Lexis and Westlaw
2.5.3.
Updating state statutes in print and online
2.5.4.
Shepard’s & Keycite
2.6.
Constitutions - Federal and State
2.6.1.
Text sources
2.6.2.
Annotations and Interpretations
2.6.3.
Drafting and ratification research
2.6.4.
Researching Amendments
2.7.
Uniform Laws
Researching Uniform and Model Laws
2.7.1.
Overview Drafting organizations
2.7.2.
Documents to research
2.7.3.
Citing Uniform and Model Laws

3.
Legislative History
Federal Legislative History Research - Compiled Legislative History
3.1.
Anatomy of a legislative history – documents
Researching Federal Legislative History
3.1.1.
Define legislative history
3.1.2.
Legislative process
3.1.3.
Committee documents: Bills, Hearings, Committee Reports, Debates, Pres signings, Laws
3.1.4.
Legislative websites

4.
Administrative Law
4.1.
Introduction to Admin Law
Introduction and Sources of Authority for Administrative Law
4.1.1.
Overview Federal Agencies’ Power
4.1.2.
Directories – official and commercial
4.1.3.
Procedure and Policy
4.2.
Quasi-legislative - regulations
Researching Federal Administrative Regulations
Rulemaking: Federal Register and CFR
4.2.1.
Sources of Rulemaking Authority
4.2.2.
Federal Register
4.2.3.
Regulations
4.2.4.
C.F.R.
4.2.5.
LSA
4.2.5.1.
Updating LSA
4.2.6.
Updating with Shepard’s and e-CFR
4.3.
Quasi judicial
4.3.1.
Decisions and Orders
Agency Decisions and Orders
4.4.
Executive Orders
Researching Federal Executive Orders
4.4.1.
Overview
4.4.2.
Sources
4.4.3.
Updating
4.5.
Internal agency materials
Internal Agency Materials
4.5.1.
Include agency websites
4.6.
Attorney General materials
Attorney General Materials

5.
Secondary Sources
5.1.
Introduction: the role of secondary sources in legal research
Introduction to Secondary Resources
5.1.1.
Primary v. Secondary
5.1.2.
Types of secondary resources
5.1.3.
Choosing the best secondary resource
5.2.
A.L.R.
American Law Reports
5.2.1.
Structure of A.L.R. Format
5.2.2.
Updating
5.2.3.
Use of A.L.R.
5.3.
Subject Specific Treatises
5.3.1.
Hornbooks
5.3.2.
Nutshells
5.4.
Encyclopedias
Legal Encyclopedias
5.5.
Trial Practice Materials
5.5.1.
Civil Procedure
5.5.2.
Trial Practices
5.5.3.
Discovery
5.5.4.
Jury Instructions
5.6.
Periodicals
Periodicals Indexes and Library Catalogs
5.6.1.
Locating secondary sources
5.6.2.
Per Indexes - Print and online
5.6.3.
Legal Trac, Wilson Web, Lexis and Westlaw
5.6.4.
OPACS
5.6.5.
Specific instructions for use
5.7.
Researching and Working with Forms
5.7.1.
Procedural
5.7.2.
Transactional
5.8.
Restatements
Using the Restatements of the Law
5.9.
Looseleaf Services
Mastering Looseleaf Services
5.9.1.
Format
5.9.2.
Contents: Primary materials and secondary
5.9.3.
Interfiled and Newsletter
5.9.4.
Citator and Finding Aids
5.9.5.
Electronic
5.10.
Using Citators Beyond Case Verification
5.10.1.
Using Citators to find secondary sources

6.
Legal Research Strategies
6.1.
Research Methodology
Legal Research Methodology
6.1.1.
Understanding the assignment (time issues, work product required).
6.1.2.
Framing the Issue (Issue Statements, search terms)
6.1.3.
Preparing Research Plan (identifying research sources)
6.1.4.
Search Strategy
6.1.5.
Evaluation of Search Strategy
6.1.6.
When to Stop Researching
6.2.
Choosing Appropriate Tools Research Tools in General
Legal Research 101: The Tools of the Trade
6.2.1.
Primary and Secondary Source Materials
6.2.2.
Updating
6.2.3.
Evaluation of Search Strategy
6.2.4.
When to Stop Researching
6.3.
Choosing Appropriate Tools: What Jurisdiction?
Decision Point: State or Federal?
6.3.1.
Overview of state and federal jurisdiction
6.3.2.
Steps for determining applicable jurisdiction
6.3.3.
Research resources to help determine jurisdiction
6.4.
When to Stop Researching
Hold 'em, Fold 'em, Walk Away or Run: When to Stop the Search
6.4.1.
Research resources including cost constraints
The Legal Research Game: Fee or Free Edition
6.4.2.
Forming research plan
6.4.3.
Points for concluding research
6.5.
Costs of Legal Research
Cost of Legal Research
6.5.1.
Why cost efficient research is important
6.5.2.
How to be a cost effective researcher
6.5.3.
Alternative electronic resources to Westlaw and Lexis
6.5.4.
Costs of Legal Research: print v. electronic resources
6.5.4.1.
Why cost efficient research is important
6.5.4.2.
How to be a cost effective researcher
6.5.4.3.
Alternative electronic resources to Westlaw and Lexis
6.6.
Current Awareness and Alerting Services
6.6.1.
Blogs
6.6.2.
SSRN and other current awareness networks
6.6.3.
Listservs
6.6.4.
Newsletters, including email newsletters

7.
Legal Research on the Internet
7.1.
Evaluation of Internet Resources
Evaluating Web Sites
7.1.1.
Evaluation criteria
7.1.2.
Criteria and web addresses
7.2.
Free Resources
Internet Legal Resources - Free Resources
7.3.
Efficient Online Search Techniques
7.3.1.
Search techniques – Boolean, etc.

8.
Non-Legal Materials
8.1.
Directories/Finding People
8.1.1.
People and Association Directories
8.1.2.
Print and online
8.2.
“Edgar/SEC” like materials
8.3.
Government Documents
8.3.1.
SuDoc Classification
8.3.2.
Federal Depository Print and electronic
8.3.3.
Government statistics
8.4.
Company Information
Company Research
8.4.1.
Information Sought
8.4.2.
Uses of company research
8.4.3.
Types of companies
8.4.4.
Company research sources
8.4.5.
Industry research
8.5.
Medical Information
Medical Research For Attorneys
8.5.1.
Medicine for Lawyers
8.5.2.
Medical Dictionaries
8.5.3.
Diagnostic tools
8.5.4.
Drug type
8.6.
News
Non Legal Resource: Online News Sources

9.
State Legal Research
9.1.
Alabama
9.1.1.
Primary resources
9.1.2.
Secondary resources
9.2.
Alaska
9.2.1.
Primary resources
9.2.2.
Secondary resources
9.3.
Arizona
9.3.1.
Primary resources
Arizona Legal Research - Primary Sources
9.3.2.
Secondary resources
Arizona Legal Research - Secondary Resources
9.4.
Arkansas
9.4.1.
Primary resources
9.4.2.
Secondary resources
9.5.
California
9.5.1.
Primary resources
9.5.2.
Secondary resources
9.6.
Colorado
9.6.1.
Primary resources
9.6.2.
Secondary resources
9.7.
Connecticut
9.7.1.
Primary resources
9.7.2.
Secondary resources
9.8.
Delaware
9.8.1.
Primary resources
9.8.2.
Secondary resources
9.9.
Florida
9.9.1.
Primary resources
9.9.2.
Secondary resources
9.10.
Georgia
9.10.1.
Primary resources
Georgia Legal Research -- Primary Source Material
9.10.2.
Secondary resources
9.11.
Hawaii
9.11.1.
Primary resources
9.11.2.
Secondary resources
9.12.
Idaho
9.12.1.
Primary resources
9.12.2.
Secondary resources
9.13.
Illinois
9.13.1.
Primary resources
9.13.2.
Secondary resources
9.14.
Indiana
9.14.1.
Primary resources
9.14.2.
Secondary resources
9.15.
Iowa
9.15.1.
Primary resources
9.15.2.
Secondary resources
9.16.
Kansas
9.16.1.
Primary resources
9.16.2.
Secondary resources
9.17.
Kentucky
9.17.1.
Primary resources
9.17.2.
Secondary resources
9.18.
Louisiana
9.18.1.
Primary resources
9.18.2.
Secondary resources
9.19.
Maine
9.19.1.
Primary resources
9.19.2.
Secondary resources
9.20.
Maryland
9.20.1.
Primary resources
Maryland Legal Research: Primary Authority
9.20.2.
Secondary resources
9.21.
Massachusetts
9.21.1.
Primary resources
9.21.2.
Secondary resources
9.22.
Michigan
9.22.1.
Primary resources
9.22.2.
Secondary resources
9.23.
Minnesota
9.23.1.
Primary resources
9.23.2.
Secondary resources
9.24.
Mississippi
9.24.1.
Primary resources
9.24.2.
Secondary resources
9.25.
Missouri
9.25.1.
Primary resources
9.25.2.
Secondary resources
9.26.
Montana
9.26.1.
Primary resources
9.26.2.
Secondary resources
9.27.
Nebraska
9.27.1.
Primary resources
Nebraska Primary Resources: Legislative & Judicial
9.27.2.
Secondary resources
9.28.
Nevada
Nevada Legal Research
9.28.1.
Primary resources
9.28.2.
Secondary resources
9.29.
New Hampshire
9.29.1.
Primary resources
9.29.2.
Secondary resources
9.30.
New Jersey
9.30.1.
Primary resources
9.30.2.
Secondary resources
9.31.
New Mexico
9.31.1.
Primary resources
9.31.2.
Secondary resources
9.32.
New York
9.32.1.
Primary resources
New York Primary Legal Research
9.32.2.
Secondary resources
9.33.
North Carolina
9.33.1.
Primary resources
9.33.2.
Secondary resources
9.34.
North Dakota
9.34.1.
Primary resources
9.34.2.
Secondary resources
9.35.
Ohio
9.35.1.
Primary resources
9.35.2.
Secondary resources
9.36.
Oklahoma
9.36.1.
Primary resources
9.36.2.
Secondary resources
9.37.
Oregon
9.37.1.
Primary resources
9.37.2.
Secondary resources
9.38.
Pennsylvania
9.38.1.
Primary resources
Pennsylvania Primary Legal Research
9.38.2.
Secondary resources
Pennsylvania Secondary Legal Resources
9.39.
Rhode Island
9.39.1.
Primary resources
9.39.2.
Secondary resources
9.40.
South Carolina
9.40.1.
Primary resources
9.40.2.
Secondary resources
9.41.
South Dakota
9.41.1.
Primary resources
9.41.2.
Secondary resources
9.42.
Tennessee
9.42.1.
Primary resources
9.42.2.
Secondary resources
9.43.
Texas
9.43.1.
Primary resources
9.43.2.
Secondary resources
9.44.
Utah
9.44.1.
Primary resources
9.44.2.
Secondary resources
9.45.
Vermont
9.45.1.
Primary resources
9.45.2.
Secondary resources
9.46.
Virginia
9.46.1.
Primary resources
9.46.2.
Secondary resources
9.47.
Washington
9.47.1.
Primary resources
Washington (State) Legal Research -- Primary Sources
9.47.2.
Secondary resources
9.48.
West Virginia
9.48.1.
Primary resources
9.48.2.
Secondary resources
9.49.
Wisconsin
9.49.1.
Primary resources
9.49.2.
Secondary resources
9.50.
Wyoming
Wyoming Legal Research
9.50.1.
Primary resources
9.50.2.
Secondary resources
9.51.
Washington, D.C.
9.51.1.
Primary resources
District of Columbia Legal Research: Primary Sources
9.51.2.
Secondary resources

10.
Substantive Specific Areas of Legal Research
10.1.
Administrative Law
Introduction and Sources of Authority for Administrative Law
10.2.
Copyright and Trademark
Copyright and Trademark Legal Research
10.3.
Health Law
10.4.
Legal Ethics
Researching Legal Ethics
10.5.
Tax Law
10.6.
Labor and Employment Law
10.7.
Immigration Law
Researching U.S. Immigration Law
10.8.
Environmental Law
10.9.
Telecommunications
10.10.
Energy
10.11.
Patent
10.12.
Admiralty, maritime

11.
Canadian Law
11.1.
Statutes
Researching Canadian Law: Federal Statute Approach
11.2.
Administrative Law
11.3.
Cases
Researching Canadian Law: Case Approach
11.4.
Secondary Materials

12.
International and Foreign Legal Research
12.1.
Introduction
Introduction to Foreign Legal Research
12.1.1.
Basic Concepts
12.1.1.1.
Defining public and private international law, foreign law, comparative law
12.1.1.2.
Sources of law
12.1.2.
Basic reference sources
12.1.2.1.
Dictionaries
12.1.2.2.
Encyclopedias
12.1.2.3.
Periodical indexes
12.1.2.4.
Research guides
12.1.2.5.
Key sources (e.g., ILM, Modern Legal Systems Cyclopedia, Reynolds & Flores)
12.2.
Public International Law
12.2.1.
Researching treaties and other international agreements
12.2.1.1.
Finding treaties, reservations, and declarations
12.2.1.2.
Treaty status
12.2.1.3.
Travaux preparatoires (treaty history)
12.2.1.4.
Researching treaties: US is a party
U.S. Treaty Research
12.2.1.5.
Researching treaties: US not a party
12.2.2.
Researching other PIL sources
12.2.2.1.
Customary international law
Customary International Law
12.2.2.2.
General principles of int’l law
12.2.2.3.
Judicial decisions
12.2.2.4.
International tribunals
12.2.2.5.
Teachings of publicists
12.2.3.
US and international law
12.2.3.1.
Treaties
12.2.3.2.
US Practice
12.2.4.
International Tribunals
12.2.4.1.
International Court of Justice
Finding International Court of Justice Opinions
12.2.4.2.
International Criminal Court & related tribunals
12.2.4.3.
Other international tribunals
12.3.
Intergovernmental, Supranational, and Non-Governmental Organizations
12.3.1.
United Nations
United Nations Research
12.3.2.
Regional organizations
12.3.3.
Other IGO's
12.3.4.
European Union
12.3.5.
Non-governmental organizations
12.4.
Private International Law
12.4.1.
Transnational business transactions
12.4.2.
Transnational dispute resolution (arbitration and litigation)
12.5.
Foreign and Comparative Law
12.5.1.
Foreign Legal Systems
12.5.1.1.
Common law systems
12.5.1.2.
Civil law systems
12.5.1.3.
Islamic law systems
12.5.1.4.
Mixed systems
12.5.1.5.
Customary law
12.5.2.
Completed Introductions to Foreign Legal Research
12.5.3.
Comparative Law
12.5.3.1.
Finding law in translation
12.5.3.2.
Comparative law generally
12.6.
Topical International and Foreign Legal Research
12.6.1.
International Trade
12.6.2.
Human Rights
12.6.3.
Intellectual Property
12.6.4.
Environmental Law
Researching International Environmental Law
12.6.5.
Tax Law
12.6.6.
Law of the sea, maritime law

13.
Legal Writing & Analysis
13.1.
Grammar
13.1.1.
Punctuation and Grammar basics
Punctuation and Grammar Basics for Law Students
13.1.2.
Punctuation and Grammar advanced
Punctuation and Grammar: Advanced
13.2.
Writing
13.2.1.
IRAC
Learning Legal Analysis Through Its Components: Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion—IRAC
Using IRAC to Develop an Objective Memorandum of Law
13.2.2.
Conclusion, Rule, Analysis, Application, Conclusion
13.2.3.
Writing Memoranda
13.2.3.1.
Issue Statements
Issue Statements for Memos and Briefs
13.2.3.2.
Fact Statements
Stating Facts: Objective and Persuasive Approaches
13.2.3.3.
Application of Facts to Rules
13.2.4.
Writing a Brief
How to Brief a Case
13.2.5.
Persuasive Writing
13.2.6.
Writing Exams
Writing Better Law School Exams: The Importance of Structure
13.2.7.
Drafting Contracts
Drafting a Contract: The Sale of Goods
Drafting Contracts Using 'Shall', 'May' and 'Must'
Drafting with 'And' and 'Or'