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Internet Legal Research for Professor Mika’s Legal Writing
Class
Mar. 1, 2011
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Outline
Internet v. Lexis, WestlawLegal Portals and Search EnginesFree Case Law/Primary Sources FormsEvaluating Web Sites
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Internet v. Lexis/Westlaw
Internet is Free. No charges to clientsSome info exclusive to Internet
Municipal Ordinances Some Court FilingsNew case/regulation (within one day)New topics/issues
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Internet v. Lexis/WL
Benefits of Lexis, WL:Coverage. Internet, Ohio cases back to
1950Better Search MechanismsEditorial features – headnotes, annotationsSecondary sources – treatisesAggregate Info Trustworthiness
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What’s on the Free Web
All US Supreme Court CasesReported Federal Appellate 1882-, Fed
District 1932-Some Unreported FedState cases: Reported 1950-, unreported
varies -1990s-Statutes & Regulations- federal and
states LOTS more!
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Internet Portals
Library Home Page – Legal Research on the Web
Cornell Legal Information Institute (LII) FindLaw
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Use LEGAL Search Engines
• Cornell University Legal Research Engine
• LexisWeb
• List of Search Legal Engines
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Search Engines
Clustering search engines: Yippy, Ask.com
Metasearch engines: Dogpile, Yippy
Internet Wayback Machine Learn search syntax
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Case law
Google Scholar – state reported 1950-, fed circuit/ district 1923-
Ohio Supreme Court – Ohio reported & unreported (oldest 1992)
LexisOne – Last 10 yrs, Lexis searchingLegal Research on the Web - Cases
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• Search = “birth certificate” marriage transsexual OR transgender OR “sex change”
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• Why don’t we get the Nash case, a 2003 unreported Ohio case?
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Limit to Ohio
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Google Advanced Operators
• AROUND –ex. constitution AROUND(5) "home rule“
• ~ searches for synonyms and related words ex. ~constitutionality - searches for constitutional, unconstitutional, etc.
• * placeholder for a word. Ex. sexual * abuse picks up “sexual misconduct abuse”, “sexual child abuse”, etc.
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• Demo Ohio Supreme Court case search
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Finding Dockets, Pleadings, Motions
LLRX or Resources for Online Court Dockets to find dockets
Some dockets have full text documents ex. Ohio – Montgomery & Summit Counties, federal
PACER – Federal Court dockets On Westlaw/Lexis – more search
capability
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Forms
Forms and Practice Materials Resource Guide
Practical Law Company – free to law students
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Evaluating Web Sites
Credibility: author; possible bias, accuracy.
Currency / Updating, CoverageWriting Quality Ease of use – Design, navigation,
searchability, help Stability
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Forms and Sample Contracts
Who publishes the site? A legal publisher? bar association?
Does the site sell forms?Who wrote the form?Use with caution, tailor to your facts
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The Invisible Web
Search Engines not index entire webSearch engines cannot type or think. “Invisible Web” includes information stored
in databases and password restricted information
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Accessing Invisible Web
Find databases via directories or search engines (search for a subject term and the word “database”), or ask a librarian.
Bookmark databases you find See Web Searching guide
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Invisible Web Example
Traffic tickets. Try a search on Google and pipl.com to find traffic tickets for John Ferris of Vandalia, Ohio.
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Web Sites to Know
Thomas.gov – Federal Legislative History
Fed’l Govt. – FDSysE-CFR - most up to date Code of
Federal Regulations A-Z Index of U.S. Government Depts. &
Agencies
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More Websites to Know
Martindale Hubbell Law Digest Ohio Supreme CourtMunicipal Ordinances
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Conclusion
Use Free Web, but be aware limitations in coverage, currency, searching ability, reliability
Go beyond Google: Use free legal databases, legal search engines and portals
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eHandout
https://www.law.csuohio.edu/lawlibrary/ehandout/alternatives2011