Legal Research: How to Find & Understand the Law

Stephen Elias, Editors of Nolo

Nolo, Aug 12, 2015 - Law - 376 pages

If you're searching for information in a real or virtual law library as a paralegal, law student, legal assistant, journalist, or lay person, finding and accessing the laws that you need to read can be a challenge. Turn to Legal Research, which outlines a systematic method to find answers and get results.

In plain, readable English, Attorney Stephen Elias explains, with plenty of examples and instructions, how to:

read and understand statutes, regulations and cases

evaluate cases for their value as precedent

use all the basic tools of legal research

practice what you've learned with "hands-on, feet-in" library exercises, as well as hypothetical research problems and solutions

This easy-to-use and understand book has been adopted as a text in many law schools and paralegal programs. This edition has been condensed to be more readable and includes an expanded discussion on the use of legal research tools on the web.

Contents

• Identifying Your Legal Issue: 45
• Finding and Using Secondary Sources: 71
• Finding and Using Constitutions Statutes Regulations and Ordinances: 93
• Finding Cases: 135
• Using Case Law: 155
• Validating Your Research: 183
• Organizing and Putting Your Legal Research to Use: 209
• Glossary: 233
• TopicSpecific Research Sites: 341
• Index: 347
• Book Registration and Updates: 366

About the author

Until his death in late 2011, Stephen R. Elias was a practicing attorney, active Nolo author, and president of the National Bankruptcy Law Project. He was an important part of Nolo for more than 30 years, and was the author or coauthor of many Nolo books, including Bankruptcy for Small Business Owners. Other titles include Special Needs Trusts: Protect Your Child's Financial Future, How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, and Legal Research: How to Find and Understand the Law. Steve held a law degree from Hastings College of Law and practiced law in California, New York, and Vermont before joining Nolo in 1980. He was featured in such major media as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Good Morning America, 20/20, Money Magazine, and more. The blog he began on bankruptcy and foreclosure law continues at Nolo's Bankruptcy & Foreclosure Blog.

All Nolo legal editors specialize in certain areas of the law, and many are recognized as national experts in their field. They write books, edit books by outside authors, and in their spare time write online articles and blogs, develop legal forms, and create the legal content of Nolo software.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Legal Research: How to Find & Understand the Law
• Authors: Stephen Elias, Editors of Nolo
• Edition: 17
• Publisher: Nolo, 2015
• ISBN: 1413321836, 9781413321838
• Length: 376 pages
• Subjects: Law / General; Law / Reference; Law / Research