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Thinking About Legal Research Problems

By Paul D. Callister, JD, MSLIS

Library Director & Associate Professor of Law



Find out everything you can about the research problem.Determine whether primary, secondary or combined sources are most appropriate.For primary materials, determine the kind of law, jurisdiction and appropriate arrangement.Putting all of the factors together to find a relevant document.How to be thorough after you have found a relevant document.

Define the Kind of Information Problem*

Search Type
Used For
Example
Known Item Search Known Item If you already know the citation, case name, name of an act, or have a very specific fact pattern to research. Where do I find Roe v. Wade?  I need the California murder case in which the court found that a fetus cannot be a human being and the defendant was acquitted of murder after beating up his girlfriend resulting in the loss of the fetus.
Subject Search Subject You are not looking for a specific item but for information on a particular subject. I am looking for something on Wisconsin water pollution law.
Agency Search Institution You know what you are looking for will be found at a particular institution, agency, or organization or you want to find out what agency administers a particular program or enforces a particular law. I need Department of Justice Rulings and Opinion Letters on when the merger of two large medical groups falls within the safe harbor provisions for antitrust issues.
Statistical Search Statistical You need statistical information from a government source. What's the percentage of children living below the poverty level in Los Angeles?
Special Techniques Search Special Techniques Your are searching for materials which require special interpretive or inter-disciplinary skills. Budget, Census, Historical, International Law, Internet Law, Patents, Politics & Elections, Tax Forms, Technical Reports, Public Records. 
News Search News You are searching for news stories.  I need accounts of the law suit in France by Jewish groups against Yahoo. 
Reference You need basic background or definitional information. I need to know the etymology of "Escrow."  What is "Brehon law"?

*The table is based upon a similar taxonomy developed in Jean L. Sears & Marilyn K. Moody, Using Government Information Sources:  Print and Electronic 6-9 (2nd ed., 1994).

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© 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Paul D. Callister