Finding Forms and Drafting Finding Forms and Drafting ResourcesResources

Sue AltmeyerSue AltmeyerFor Prof. Mary Jane McGinty’s For Prof. Mary Jane McGinty’s

Legal Drafting ClassLegal Drafting ClassJan 27, 2009Jan 27, 2009

What We Will CoverWhat We Will Cover Transactional and Procedural Form Transactional and Procedural Form

SetsSets Lexis and WestlawLexis and Westlaw Ohio Form SetsOhio Form Sets Residential Leases, Pleadings and Residential Leases, Pleadings and

Ohio WillsOhio Wills Free Forms on the WebFree Forms on the Web Attorney Work ProductAttorney Work Product Drafting AidsDrafting Aids

Law Library Resource GuideLaw Library Resource Guide

From the From the law library websitelaw library website >research guides> >research guides> Forms and Practice MaterialsForms and Practice Materials

Where to StartWhere to Start

Know jurisdiction, start in state or Know jurisdiction, start in state or federal form books firstfederal form books first

Print or Online? Print has index. Print or Online? Print has index. Online has full text searching. Both Online has full text searching. Both have table of contents. Cost factors have table of contents. Cost factors of online.of online.

Where are the form books?Where are the form books?

Reference Area of LibraryReference Area of Library Ohio RoomOhio Room Atrium LevelAtrium Level

FOCUS:FOCUS:

How to find PleadingsHow to find Pleadings

Ohio Procedural FormsOhio Procedural FormsOhio Forms Pleading and Practice –Lexis Ohio Forms Pleading and Practice –Lexis biggest – Big Blue Setbiggest – Big Blue Set Lots of complaints Lots of complaints Civil, criminal, juvenile, probate, Civil, criminal, juvenile, probate,

appellate appellate Civil index is in Vol. 10Civil index is in Vol. 10 Practice notesPractice notes Arranged by Rule NumberArranged by Rule Number

Ohio Forms Pleading & Ohio Forms Pleading & PracticePractice

OhioOhio  >> Search Analysis & CLE MaterialsSearch Analysis & CLE Materials  >> Litigation Practice & Procedure Litigation Practice & Procedure

Example – Complaint for fraud – re Example – Complaint for fraud – re sale of home - section(complaint) sale of home - section(complaint) and fraud or misrepresent! and home and fraud or misrepresent! and home or house or real estateor house or real estate

Hit 6Hit 6

Online Searching HintsOnline Searching Hints

Use Table of Contents to NarrowUse Table of Contents to Narrow Section Segment (Title field in Section Segment (Title field in

Westlaw) to NarrowWestlaw) to Narrow At least command to narrowAt least command to narrow

Ohio Procedural FormsOhio Procedural Forms

Anderson’s Ohio Civil Practice –Anderson’s Ohio Civil Practice –Lexis Lexis Forms – civil, dr, some Forms – civil, dr, some

probate,appellate probate,appellate Chapters on Causes of Action – ex. Chapters on Causes of Action – ex.

Defamation, fraud, etc., listing Defamation, fraud, etc., listing elements, defenseselements, defenses

Elements of Elements of Action/DefensesAction/Defenses

Ohio Elements of an Action - Westlaw - Ohio Elements of an Action - Westlaw - OHPRAC-OEAOHPRAC-OEA –also statute of limitations, –also statute of limitations, damages, forms, jury instructionsdamages, forms, jury instructions

Ohio Jury Instructions, OJur, Katz Gianelli Ohio Jury Instructions, OJur, Katz Gianelli (criminal law)(criminal law)

electronic case search such as electronic case search such as "elements /s ________”( fill in the cause "elements /s ________”( fill in the cause of action) of action)

Chart – Chart – Litigation Resource GuideLitigation Resource Guide

Other Ohio Procedural Other Ohio Procedural FormsForms

Baldwin’s Civil Practice – Darling, Baldwin’s Civil Practice – Darling, Klein & Terez – on WestlawKlein & Terez – on Westlaw

Westlaw, Westlaw, Ohio Jurisprudence Pleading and PracOhio Jurisprudence Pleading and Practice Formstice Forms (OH-PP) (OH-PP)

Fancy Ways to Find FormsFancy Ways to Find Forms

Why bother learning the resources? Why bother learning the resources? Westlaw & Lexis find automatically!Westlaw & Lexis find automatically!

WestlawWestlaw Formfinder Formfinder More Expensive than Forms-All, Ohio More Expensive than Forms-All, Ohio

formfinder or individual databasesformfinder or individual databases

Fancy Ways to Find FormsFancy Ways to Find Forms

Lexis Total Litigator and Lexis Total Litigator and Transactional AdvisorTransactional Advisor

Costs the same as searching a Costs the same as searching a database individuallydatabase individually

General Form Sets -General Form Sets -proceduralprocedural research guides> research guides>

Forms and Practice MaterialsForms and Practice Materials American Jurisprudence Pleading and American Jurisprudence Pleading and

Practice Forms - Practice Forms - Westlaw > AMJUR-PPWestlaw > AMJUR-PP –checklists & howtos–checklists & howtos

Causes of Action – Elements, Causes of Action – Elements, Defenses, proof, remedies and Defenses, proof, remedies and damages, checklists, complaints.damages, checklists, complaints.

Chart – Chart – Litigation Resource GuideLitigation Resource Guide re re elements, etc.elements, etc.

General Procedural FormsGeneral Procedural Forms

AmJur Trials –AmJur Trials –Westlaw > AMJUR-TRIALS Westlaw > AMJUR-TRIALS elements, defenses, pleadings, sample elements, defenses, pleadings, sample discovery, sample opening/closing & discovery, sample opening/closing & testimonytestimony

Example: ti(fraud! misrepresent! & home Example: ti(fraud! misrepresent! & home house "real estate")house "real estate")

AmJur Proof of Facts similar in content. Trials AmJur Proof of Facts similar in content. Trials has emphasis on trials, opening/closing etc.has emphasis on trials, opening/closing etc.

Publications are CROSS-REFERENCED to each Publications are CROSS-REFERENCED to each otherother

Path on Lexis for FormsPath on Lexis for Forms

LexisLexis LegalLegal  >> Secondary LegalSecondary Legal  >> Forms & Forms &

AgreementsAgreements - Can search all - Can search all transactional or procedural, or by transactional or procedural, or by jurisdiction or subjectjurisdiction or subject

Path on Westlaw for FormsPath on Westlaw for Forms

WestlawWestlaw

Directory>Forms, Treatises, CLEs and Directory>Forms, Treatises, CLEs and other practice materialsother practice materials

Directory>Litigation>FormsDirectory>Litigation>Forms

Directory>Topical Materials by Area of Directory>Topical Materials by Area of Practice>Real Property>FormsPractice>Real Property>Forms

Directory>Ohio>FormsDirectory>Ohio>Forms

Federal Procedural FormsFederal Procedural Forms

research guides> research guides> Forms and Practice MaterialsForms and Practice Materials

Concentrate on Federal causes of Concentrate on Federal causes of action, federal statutes, etc.action, federal statutes, etc.

Discovery FormsDiscovery Forms

See research guides> See research guides> Forms and Practice MaterialsForms and Practice Materials

Sample interrogatories, deposition Sample interrogatories, deposition questions, motion for production of questions, motion for production of documentsdocuments

Very fact specificVery fact specific

Transactional Forms -OhioTransactional Forms -Ohio

Most comprehensive Most comprehensive --Ohio Transaction Guide: Legal Ohio Transaction Guide: Legal

FormsForms – Lexis (blue) – Lexis (blue) Ohio Forms Legal and Business - Ohio Forms Legal and Business -

Westlaw(orange)Westlaw(orange)

Ohio Transaction guide known for its Ohio Transaction guide known for its checklists and practical stepschecklists and practical steps

Other General Ohio Form Other General Ohio Form SetsSets

Couse's Ohio Form Book 6th ed – Couse's Ohio Form Book 6th ed – LexisLexis

Swisher, Thomas R., Ohio Forms and Swisher, Thomas R., Ohio Forms and Transactions: OFT – WestlawTransactions: OFT – Westlaw

Ohio Form Sets re WILLSOhio Form Sets re WILLS

Merrick-Rippner Probate LawMerrick-Rippner Probate Law – – text and forms text and forms Westlaw > OHPRAC-PROBWestlaw > OHPRAC-PROB

Anderson's Ohio Probate Anderson's Ohio Probate Practice and ProcedurePractice and Procedure – Lexis – – Lexis – NOT DRAFTING FORMSNOT DRAFTING FORMS

Anderson’s The Simple Will in Anderson’s The Simple Will in OhioOhio - Lexis - Lexis

Demo – Merrick RipnerDemo – Merrick Ripner

Show table of contents for ch 30Show table of contents for ch 30 Forms at end of chapterForms at end of chapter Simple wills plus many different Simple wills plus many different

clausesclauses Search for a particular clause – Search for a particular clause –

beneficiary forfeits gift if brings a will beneficiary forfeits gift if brings a will contestcontest

Forfeit! And “will contest”Forfeit! And “will contest”

Probate Law ResourceProbate Law Resource

Ohio Probate by Durkin – Lexis – Ohio Probate by Durkin – Lexis – KFO144 .A93KFO144 .A93

No forms, but Chapter 4 has useful No forms, but Chapter 4 has useful info re willsinfo re wills

Ohio Forms re Residential Ohio Forms re Residential LeasesLeases

White, Frederic, White, Frederic, Ohio Landlord-Ohio Landlord-Tenant LawTenant Law - - Westlaw > OHLDTLWestlaw > OHLDTL – – Chapter 18, general lease & specific Chapter 18, general lease & specific clauses, (Ch2 too), clauses, (Ch2 too),

Ohio Real Estate Law and Ohio Real Estate Law and PracticePractice – – WestlawWestlaw & & Ohio Real Ohio Real Property Law and PracticeProperty Law and Practice –Lexis –Lexis –commercial forms–commercial forms

Form Sets re Residential Form Sets re Residential LeasesLeases

Real Estate Transactions Real Estate Transactions LexisNexis FormsLexisNexis Forms

West's McKinney's Forms - Real West's McKinney's Forms - Real Property Practice (MCF-RPP) – Ch 6Property Practice (MCF-RPP) – Ch 6

State specific books – ex Ohio State specific books – ex Ohio Transaction Guide, Ch 22 Transaction Guide, Ch 22 (background & drafting guide)(background & drafting guide)

Use general setsUse general sets

General Transactional Form General Transactional Form SetsSets

See See Forms and Practice MaterialsForms and Practice Materials American Jurisprudence Legal Forms American Jurisprudence Legal Forms

2d - 2d - Westlaw > AMJUR-LFWestlaw > AMJUR-LF - CH 161 - CH 161 Leases – form drafting guide, Leases – form drafting guide, checklist, addtl clauseschecklist, addtl clauses

West’s Legal Forms –Westlaw > West’s Legal Forms –Westlaw > WEST-LF– drafting hints, checklists, WEST-LF– drafting hints, checklists, for house, apt and condofor house, apt and condo

Other Sources for FormsOther Sources for Forms

StatutesStatutes Continuing Legal Education materialsContinuing Legal Education materials Law Review ArticlesLaw Review Articles

Free Forms on the WebFree Forms on the Web

Finding Practice Tools Power PointFinding Practice Tools Power Point FINDING PRACTICE TOOLS word docFINDING PRACTICE TOOLS word doc

See See Forms & Practice Materials Resource Forms & Practice Materials Resource Guide Guide

Attorney Work ProductAttorney Work Product Lexis – ex. Ohio State Briefs & Motions, Lexis – ex. Ohio State Briefs & Motions,

Ohio PleadingsOhio Pleadings Westlaw databases –ex. On Ohio tab, Trial Westlaw databases –ex. On Ohio tab, Trial

Court DocumentsCourt Documents Look up case opinion, find court file via Look up case opinion, find court file via

online court docket (Pacer, Montgomery & online court docket (Pacer, Montgomery & Summit County) Summit County – search Summit County) Summit County – search by doc typeby doc type

SEC IDEA databaseSEC IDEA database (fka Edgar) for (fka Edgar) for transactionaltransactional

Reminder: Do your own workReminder: Do your own work

Attorney Work ProductAttorney Work Product

Shared Legal document sitesShared Legal document sites JDSupra JDSupra ScribdScribd DocStocDocStoc NPADO.org. NPADO.org.

Drafting AdviceDrafting Advice

See Forms & Practice Materials See Forms & Practice Materials Resource GuideResource Guide

Books & info on the webBooks & info on the web