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Legal Research and Writing Subject Outline with CALI Lessons
(click lesson title for description)
- 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'
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