Nicole Doyle – Reference LibrarianHelen Labine – Reference Librarian

Trish Johns-Wilson – Reference LibrarianPeggy Lunn – Reference TechnicianShannon Polk – Reference LibrarianSusan Pratt – Reference Librarian

Quicklaw• A commercial database• Used by lawyers, law firms, legal researchers• Published by LexisNexis• Content

• Court Cases, Tribunal Cases• Statutes, Regulations• Legal Commentary

• Tools• Point-in-time legislation• Citation tool (to note up cases)• Extensive linking

Quicklaw is a database

Remember that we list Free and “Fee Based” databases here…good

starting point

If you’re using QL in your Field Placement,

you must use the EMPLOYER’S

ACCOUNT

Login using your NETWORK password.NOT your MyCampus password.

NOT your WebCT password.

Search templates

Quick Search

General Search options

Search by collection

Search Wars:

Free versus Fee…

Finding Cases: Examples

• R. v. Collins,1987, Supreme Court of Canada

• Use QuickCite to Note Up Case

Quicklaw versusCanLII,LexUM

Finding Cases: Examples

• [1996] S.C.J. 76

Quicklaw versusCanLII,LexUM

Finding Cases: Examples

• Family law cases in Ontario dealing with joint custody in 2004– Case search– Summary search

Quicklaw versusCanLII

Review

• AND connector• OR connector• ( ) parentheses• /n connector• * wildcard• ! Truncator

More Tools for Narrowing Searches

• Search the SUMMARIES– Proximity operators not necessary

• Search by AREA OF LAW– Focuses results in desired area of law

More Questions to Try• Find and SCC case that states the year capital

punishment was abolished.• Find a section of the Criminal Code that states

which types of knife blades are illegal in Canada.

• Look for cases where a “senior employee” is now either an ex-employee or else has been terminated, or has been fired.

• A situation where someone assaults (attacks) an atm machine.

Finding Cases: Not-So-Easy Example

• Your client has been charged with impaired driving, but states that, while he had been drinking, he was merely sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked car (with the ignition running), so he was not guilty of “driving”.

• Find some cases to assist a lawyer in defending this client.