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Basic Legal Research

Basic Legal Research. Primary & Secondary Sources. Primary Statutes (Codes) Administrative Regulations Cases Secondary Journal & law review articles Books & treatises Encyclopedias & ALR. State & Federal Statutes. Enacted by Congress and state legislatures

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Basic Legal Research

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  1. Basic Legal Research

  2. Primary & Secondary Sources • Primary • Statutes (Codes) • Administrative Regulations • Cases • Secondary • Journal & law review articles • Books & treatises • Encyclopedias & ALR

  3. State & Federal Statutes • Enacted by Congress and state legislatures • Arranged by subject into codes • Organized by titles or topics • Available in annotated formats

  4. Federal Statutes • Print • U.S. Code • U.S.C.A & U.S.C.S (Annotated) • Online • U.S. House Office of Law Revision • Cornell’s U.S. Code collection • THOMAS (pending) • LexisNexis Academic

  5. State Statutes • Print • Code of Laws of S.C. Annotated • Indexes & Popular Names Table • Online • Code of Laws of S.C. • www.scstatehouse.net • Current & pending--un-annotated • LexisNexis Academic • Annotated

  6. LexisNexis Academic • Legal Research • Federal Code • State Codes • Tips link for keyword searching • Edit Search • FOCUS within search • Print & E-mail

  7. Federal & State Regulations • Promulgated by federal and state agencies • To implement and enforce federal and state laws (statutes) • Agency Websites link to major legislation they enforce: • Federal Agencies Directory (LSU) • SC.GOV: Agency Listing

  8. Federal Regulations • Print • Federal Register & Code of Federal Regulations • Online • GPO Access • HeinOnline • LexisNexis Academic • Federal Regulations

  9. State Regulations • Print • S.C. Code Ann. Regulations • Online • SC: www.scstatehouse.net • All States: ABA Administrative Procedure Database

  10. CaseLaw • Opinions of state and federal courts • Enforcing & interpreting state & federal laws • Ruling on their constitutionality/enforceability • Published by jurisdiction chronologically in Reporters

  11. Federal Cases • Print • Trial Court Opinions • U.S. District Court • District of S.C. • F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d • Appellate Court Opinions • Federal Circuit Courts • 4th Circuit • F., F.2d, F.3d • U.S. Supreme Court Opinions • U.S. Reports, S.Ct. Reporter, L.Ed

  12. Federal Cases • Online • S.C. Federal District Court website • 4th Circuit Court of Appeals website • U.S. Supreme Court website • LexisNexis Academic

  13. FEDERAL UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT Last Resort UNITED STATES COURTS OF APPEAL Appellate UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTS Trial Federal Courts Finder

  14. US Supreme Court • Decisions are binding precedent for state and federal courts http://www.supremecourtus.gov/ www.oyez.org

  15. State Cases • SC Cases in Print • Published in SC, S.E. & S.E. 2d Reporters • SC Cases Online • www.sccourts.org (several years) • LexisNexis Academic

  16. SOUTH CAROLINA UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT www.sccourts.org SC SUPREME COURT SC COURT OF APPEALS SC CIRCUIT COURTS

  17. LexisNexis Academic • Get a Case • Name • Citation • Keyword • Shepard’s • Supreme Court Cases

  18. Secondary Sources • Articles • Legal Trac • Index for legal periodicals • Can choose publication • Shows availability in print (catalog) & online (HeinOnline/ LexisNexis Academic/E-Journals) at USC • LexisNexis Academic (legal news & law reviews) • HeinOnline • E-Journals

  19. Secondary Sources • Books • Catalog • USC • Law Library (non-circulating) • Nutshells • Hornbooks • Treatises • SC Materials • Legal Encyclopedias • Am Jur, CJS & SC Jurisprudence • Indexes at end of each • ALR • Separate Index

  20. Coleman Karesh Law Library www.law.sc.edu/library Cocky Law Blawg Podcast Tour Reference Desk lawref@gwm.sc.edu 777-5902

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