ROSS lets you highlight statements in your pleadings and briefs to instantly search for cases discussing similar points of law. If you located an applicable statute in your review of secondary sources, … Explore and customize Westlaw plans that meet your firm's unique needs. When using a citator, focus on the negative material (by checking a case in a citator, you can look for flags that indicate any negative history). Call 1-888-858-2546 or email [email protected]. Always gather the key facts so you know the "who, what, why, when, where, and how" of your case. You may find a case in California state court that is exactly on point, but it won't be very helpful if your legal project involves New York law. Although somewhat intimidating to the novice, once you learn the basics, writing legal research papers is no more difficult than writing a term paper. Some examples of these flags and icons include: Another bonus of using a citator like KeyCite is that is also provides a list of other cases that merely cite your source—it can lead to additional sources you previously didn't know about. Before actual research begins, think about and analyze the problem. It may provide the answer you are looking for. You will never know what to actually research if you don't know what your legal issue is. Step 1: What is legal research, and where do I start? If you’d like even more tips on conducting smarter legal research, you’ll find. But what type of law do you need? While more recent cases are preferred (after all, they’re more likely to reflect the current legal changes that could impact the case law—and are thus less likely to have been rendered obsolete), recency isn’t mandatory. For instance, if a case, statute, or regulation has any negative history—and therefore may no longer be good law—KeyCite, which is the citator on Westlaw, will warn you. But if you want to make sure your legal research is comprehensive, you will want to use an online research service designed specifically for the law, such as Westlaw. Or is it merely a persuasive precedent that has not yet been adopted in your jurisdiction? If you find relevant case law where the outcome didn’t match your client’s desired outcome, you shouldn’t necessarily disregard it. Today, cloud-based legal research software lets you conduct research remotely when used with a legal practice management software like Clio Manage. This type of research has more connection to legal research. When you visit a law library (or conduct computerized legal research), use this practical approach to working through a legal researcher assignment. with Clio, for example, you can remotely access primary sources like cases and statutes, as well as secondary sources like law review articles. Citators let you verify a case’s authority by giving you a cataloged list of cases, statutes, and legal sources—along with a history and precedential value for those sources—so you can then check that it hasn’t been overruled, questioned, or made irrelevant. You'll also receive useful weekly updates by email. How about a criminal case involving the exclusion of evidence found during an alleged illegal stop? 3. If a secondary source is reputable, the writer reviewed all of the available primary resources to determine what was most applicable. Legal research is a significant part of your job as a paralegal. 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