This textbook for paralegals and assistants presents a basic legal research method that involves formulating the research question, categorizing the research questions, locating and reading appropriate background resources, searching for statutes, and finding relevant cases. The twelfth edition updates sources and citations. Elias is an attorney and Levinkind is a law librarian. Annotation #169;2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Stephen Elias is an attorney and the author and co-author of many Nolo titles, including Trademark, Getting Paid and How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

1 How to Use This Book
2 An Overview of Legal Research
A Patience and Perspective	2
B How to Find (and Feel at Home in) a Law Library	2
C Legal Research on the Internet	3
D A Basic Approach to Legal Research	4
E Six Time-Saving Research Tips	6
F Understand the Legal Uncertainty Principle	8
G Know When You're Done	9
3 An Overview of the Law
A What Is the Law?	2
B Foundations of American Law	2
C The Increasing Importance of Statutes and Regulations	3
D The Development of American Common Law	3
E Where Modern American Law Comes From	4
F About Going to Court	4
4 Putting Your Questions Into Legal Categories
A The Land of the Law	2
B Find the Broad Legal Category for Your Problem	3
C Identify Specific Terms for Your Problem	10
5 Getting Some Background Information
A How Background Resources Can Help	2
B Self-Help Law Resources	3
C Law Textbooks	3
D Legal Encyclopedias	4
E Form Books	22
F Practice Manuals	25
G Law Reviews and Other Legal Periodicals	28
H Specialized Loose-Leaf Materials	33
I Treatises and Monographs	34
J Restatements of the Law	36
K Background Resources on the Internet	36
6 Constitutions, Statutes, Regulations and Ordinances
A Constitutional Research	4
B Introduction to Federal Statutes	6
C How to Find Statutes in the United States Code	6
D How to Find a Recent or Pending Federal Statute	17
E Finding Pending and Recent Federal Legislation on the Internet	20
F Finding Out-of-Date Federal Statutes in the Law Library	23
G Finding State Statutes in the Law Library and on the Internet	24
H Finding Recently Enacted or Pending State Statutes	28
I How to Read Statutes	30
J The Importance of Cases That Interpret Statutes	34
K Using Words and Phrases to Interpret Statutes	35
L Using Attorney General Opinions to Interpret Statutes	36
M Using Legislative History to Interpret Statutes	37
N Using Uniform Law Histories to Interpret Statutes	41
O Regulations	42
P Procedural Statutes and Rules	49
Q Local Law-Ordinances	50
7 Understanding Case Law
A What Is a Case?	2
B How Cases Affect Later Disputes	13
8 How Cases Are Published
A Federal Cases	2
B State Court Cases	4
C Keeping Case Reporters Up-to-Date	4
D The Newest Cases	6
E Publishing Cases on the Internet	7
9 Finding Cases
A Interpreting Case Citations	2
B How to Find Cases in the Law Library	4
C Finding State Case Law on the Internet	17
D Finding Federal Case Law on the Internet	20
E Using VersusLaw to Research Federal and State Case Law	20
F The Next Step	23
10 Shepard's, Digests and the Internet: Expand and Update Your Research
A Shepard's Citations for Cases	2
B The West Digest System	16
C Expanding and Updating on the Internet	24
11 How to Write a Legal Memorandum
A Why Prepare a Legal Memorandum?	2
B How to Prepare a Legal Memorandum	2
C Sample Legal Memorandum	3
12 The Legal Research Method: Examples
A The Facts	2
B Classify the Problem	2
C Select a Background Resource	3
D Use the Legal Index	3
E Get an Overview of Your Research Topic	9
F Use Shepard's Citations for Cases	13
G Check the Pocket Parts	17
H Use Shepard's and Digests to Find On-Point Cases	19
I Summary	21
J Constitutional Research	23
13 Legal Research Online

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