LEGAL RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET
Leah Sandwell-Weiss, Reference Librarian
Suggested Search Strategy
- Analyze your topic to decide features you need
- Distinctive phrase or words, overview, specific or everything
- Pick a tool which provides these features
- If it’s not working, vary approach
- Don’t limit yourself to one tool
- Best Search Tools Chart: www.infopeople.org/search/chart.html
- Human created guides can point you in the right direction: http://lro.library.arizona.edu/subject-guides
Caveat Web Searcher
Always check the source
- Who created the website?
- When was the information last updated?
- Is it real or a bogus spoof site?
Checklist:
Starting Points for Research
- Cracchiolo Law Library Research Guides & Portals: w.law.arizona.edu/Library/Research/guides.cfm
- Cracchiolo Law Library Legal Links: www.law.arizona.edu/Library/Research/LegalLinks/legallinks.cfm
- Cracchiolo Law Library Find a Database: www.law.arizona.edu/library/Research/index.cfm
General Legal Reference
Legal Research Sites
- LII: Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School: www.law.cornell.edu/
- Findlaw for Legal Professionals: http://lp.findlaw.com/
- Justia: www.justia.com/
- Guide to Law Online - Law Library of Congress: www.loc.gov/law/help/guide.php
- The Law Student Guide to Free Legal Research on the Internet: http://freelaw.classcaster.net/research-resources/
- LLRX Court Rules, Forms and Dockets: www.llrx.com/courtrules
Federal - General
- Government Printing Office Federal Digital System (GPO FDsys): www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
- USA.gov: www.usa.gov
- Federal forms: www.usa.gov/topics/reference-shelf/forms.shtml
Federal - Judicial
- US Supreme Court: www.supremecourtus.gov
- Guide to Law Online - U.S. Judiciary: www.loc.gov/law/help/guide/federal/usjudic.php
- LII (Cornell) Supreme Court Collection: www.law.cornell.edu/supct/index.html
- Justia - US Supreme Court Center: http://supreme.justia.com/
- FindLaw: Cases and Codes: Supreme Court Opinions: www.findlaw.com/casecode/supreme.html
Federal - Legislative
- US Senate: www.senate.gov
- US House: www.house.gov
- House Office of the Law Revisions Council, U.S. Code: http://uscode.house.gov/
- Thomas: thomas.loc.gov
- US Code: www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/
- LLSDC's Legislative Source Book: www.llsdc.org/sourcebook
Federal - Executive
- White House: www.whitehouse.gov
- Regulations.gov: www.regulations.gov
Arizona - General
- Arizona Home Page: http://az.gov/
- Arizona Bar: www.azbar.org/
- Pima County Bar: www.pimacountybar.org/
- Pima County Law Library: www.sc.pima.gov/?tabid=60
Arizona - Judicial
- US District Court: www.azd.uscourts.gov
- Arizona Judicial Branch: www.azcourts.gov/
- Arizona Supreme Court: www.azcourts.gov/azsupremecourt.aspx
- Arizona Supreme Court Opinions: www.azcourts.gov/opinions
- Court of Appeals
- Div. 1: http://azcourts.gov/coa1/Home.aspx
- Div. 2: www.appeals2.az.gov/
Arizona - Legislative
- Arizona Legislative Information Service (ALIS): www.azleg.gov
- Arizona Revised Statutes: www.azleg.gov/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp
Arizona - Executive
- Arizona Governor: www.governor.state.az.us/
- Attorney General: www.azag.gov
- Secretary of State: www.azsos.gov
Arizona – County & City
- Pima County: www.pima.gov/
- Tucson: http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/
- Tucson City Code: www.amlegal.com/library/az/tucson.shtml
- Pima County Code & Other Arizona City Codes: www.municode.com/library/ClientListing.aspx?stateID=3
State
Judicial
- National Center for State Courts: www.ncsc.org/
General
- State and Local Government on the Net: www.statelocalgov.net
- National Council of State Legislatures: www.ncsl.org/
- Stateline.org: www.stateline.org
International & Foreign
- International Trade Law & Development - Research Portal & Sources: www.law.arizona.edu/library/trade
- EISEL (Electronic Information for International Law): www.eisil.org/
- UN Home Page: www.un.org
Bar Associations & Ethics Materials
- American Bar Association: www.abanet.org/
- Jurist’s Guide to the Legal Profession: www.jurist.law.pitt.edu/sg_prof.htm
Legal Subject Links
Other Electronic Resources Available through the Law School
New "Free" Sources
- Fastcase - free to members of the Arizona State Bar
- Google Scholar
Page Updated: 2 May 2012