|
LexisNexis:
1. Click on Databases A-Z (under Journal and Magazine Articles (Panther Prowler)) on the library's home page (http://www.library.uni.edu/). 2. Click on LexisNexis Academic from the alphabetical list of titles. If you are accessing from off campus, a box will pop up asking for your username and password. Enter your last name and U-Card number. 3. If you encounter problems please contact the library's reference desk (273-2838). |
Westlaw Campus Research:
1. Click on Databases A-Z (under Journal and Magazine Articles (Panther Prowler)) on the library's home page (http://www.library.uni.edu/). 2. Click on Westlaw Campus Research from the alphabetical list of titles. If you are accessing from off campus, a box will pop up asking for your username and password. Enter your last name and U-Card number. 3. If you encounter problems please contact the library's reference desk (273-2838). |
Primary legal materials are texts that have the force of law and include statutes, judicial opinions, and agency rules and regulations. Secondary materials are texts that summarize and/or analyze the law in an effort to make it more understandable. When researching a legal topic it is a good idea to begin by examining relevant secondary materials; they provide an overview of the area of law and help you construct a search strategy by familiarizing you with the legal terminology representing your topic. Secondary materials also provide citations to relevant primary materials, thereby help you get started in your primary research.
Secondary materials that may be of use include:
West's Legal Nutshell Series (use UNISTAR, the library's online catalog, to run a keyword search for nutshell series to retrieve a list of the titles in this series that the library owns)
Oceana's Legal Almanac Series (use UNISTAR, the library's online catalog, to run a keyword search for legal almanac series to retrieve a list of the titles in this series that the library owns)
American Jurisprudence, 2d (searchable through Westlaw Campus Research)
American Law Reports (searchable through Westlaw Campus Research)
Law Review Articles (searchable through LexisNexis or Westlaw Campus Research)
To retrieve a case by citation (e.g. 136 N.W.2d 405) or by the names of the parties to the case (e.g. Moser v. State Board of Education) complete the following steps.
| LexisNexis:
1. Follow the connection instructions detailed in the section on accessing LexisNexis. 2. Scroll down to the "Get a Case" box and enter the names of the parties beneath the heading "Party Name" OR select the circle preceding the word "Citation" and enter the citation for the case you need.
|
Westlaw Campus Research:
1. Follow the connection instructions detailed in the section on accessing Westlaw Campus Research. 2. Use the "Find" search boxes on the left side of the screen. Enter the names of the parties in the boxes beneath the heading "Find a Document by title" OR enter the citation for the case in the box under the heading "Find a Document by citation." |
Before beginning your search, jot down all of the words that may be used to represent the various components of your topic. Keep in mind that the words or phrases used to represent a legal issue may vary by jurisdiction. For example, some jurisdictions use the term divorce while others use the phrase dissolution of marriage. If the terms you enter do not retrieve any results try using other words that may represent the same concept. If your research question involves more than one concept or topic you may want to use connectors to link together your search terms (more information on connectors is available through the page LexisNexis and Westlaw Campus Research: Searching Tips.) To locate cases on a topic:
| LexisNexis:
1. Follow the connection instructions detailed in the section on accessing LexisNexis. 2. Upon entering LexisNexis, click on the Legal Research link on the left side of the screen and then locate the heading "Case Law." Click on either Federal Case Law OR State Case Law. If searching for state cases you will then need to click on the name of the state you are interested in. Enter your search terms in the box following "Keyword." 3. The drop-down menu following "Court" can be used to select a specific court level, and the drop-down menu following "Date" can be used to narrow or expand the dates of coverage searched.
|
Westlaw Campus Research:
1. Follow the connection instructions detailed in the section on accessing Westlaw Campus Research. 2. Upon entering Westlaw Campus Research, scroll down the page to the "Cases" section and click on the circle preceding the jurisdiction (federal or state) that you wish to search. To search a specific state jurisdiction, you will also need to select the name of the state from the state jurisdictions drop-down menu. Enter your search terms in the "Search for" box at the top of the screen. 3. By default, Westlaw will run a natural language search; to search using connectors click on Terms and Connectors above the search query box. |
A code is a subject arrangement of the statutes enacted by a particular jurisdiction. Before searching a federal or state code, begin by thinking of the terms or phrases that may be used to represent your topic. Keep in mind that the words or phrases used to represent a legal issue may vary by jurisdiction. For example, some jurisdictions use the term divorce while others use the phrase dissolution of marriage. If the terms you enter do not retrieve any results try using other words that may represent the same concept. If your research question involves more than one concept or topic you may want to use connectors to link together your search terms (more information on connectors is available through the page LexisNexis and Westlaw Campus Research: Searching Tips.) To locate statutes:
| LexisNexis:
1. Follow the connection instructions detailed in the section on accessing LexisNexis. 2. Upon entering LexisNexis, click on the Legal Research link on the left side of the screen and locate the heading "Codes & Regulations." Then click on either Federal Code OR State Codes. If searching in a state code you will then need to click on the name of the state you are interested in. Enter your search terms in the box following "Keyword."
|
Westlaw Campus Research:
1. Follow the connection instructions detailed in the section on accessing Westlaw Campus Research. 2. Upon entering Westlaw Campus Research, scroll down the page to the "Statutes and Legislative Materials" section and click on the circle preceding the jurisdiction you wish to search (United States Code Annotated for the federal code or State Statutes for a state code). To search a state code you will also need to select the name of the state from the drop-down menu. Enter your search in the "Search for" box at the top of the screen. |
Administrative law consists of the rules and regulations promulgated by federal and state governmental agencies. Rules and regulations have the same force of law that statutes do. LexisNexis provides access only to federal rules and regulations so you will need to use Westlaw Campus Research to search a state administrative code. To search:
| LexisNexis:
1. Follow the connection instructions detailed in the section on accessing LexisNexis. 2. Upon entering LexisNexis, click on the Legal Research link on the left side of the screen and then locate the heading "Codes & Regulations." Click on Federal Regulations. Use the drop-down menu following the heading "Source" to select either the Code of Federal Regulations or Federal Register. You may also want to change the dates that will be searched by using the drop-down menu following the heading "Date." Enter your search terms in the box following "Keyword." |
Westlaw Campus Research:
1. Follow the connection instructions detailed in the section on accessing Westlaw Campus Research. 2. Upon entering Westlaw Campus Research, scroll down the page to the "Statutes and Legislative Materials" section and click on the circle preceding the resource you wish to search (Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register, or State Administrative Codes). To search a state code you will also need to select the name of the state from the drop-down menu. Enter your search in the "Search for" box at the top of the screen. |
Note: The Code of Federal Regulations contains all administrative rules and regulations that are final and have been enacted. The Federal Register contains both proposed and final rules and regulations.
Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations: A Reference
Guide for Attorneys, Legal
Secretaries, Paralegals, and Law Students UNI Reference KF246 .B46 2001
Black's Law Dictionary UNI Ref Desk CBT KF156 .B53 2004
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation UNI Ref Desk CBT KF245 .U5 17th ed
Iowa Legislative Materials (Acts of the General Assembly and Iowa Code from the Iowa General Assembly web page)
West's Encyclopedia of American Law UNI Reference KF154 .W47 1998
 Library | MyUNIverse | Calendar | Email | eLearning | My Library | Contact Us | Site Index | UNI Copyright © 1997-2005 Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa, 1227 W. 27th St., Cedar Falls, IA 50613-3675 Tel. (319) 273-2838 | FAX (319) 273-2913 http://www.library.uni.edu/instruction/legal_searching.shtml Last updated: August 15, 2005 |
Last revised: 15 August 2005 BL
The University is an equal opportunity employer with a comprehensive plan for affirmative action.