Legal Research and Writing
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Electronic Reference Desk
The Electronic Reference Desk is designed to help people conduct legal research using the Internet. The following is a list of some of the best and most relevant sites for legal research, along with a brief description of why each was selected and what each site includes.
1. STARTING POINTS - COMPREHENSIVE INDEXES TO LEGAL MATERIALS
Findlaw (http://www.findlaw.com). Frequently cited as the best comprehensive site and best starting point. Well organized, easy-to-use access to legal information: cases, statutes, subject areas, government information, legal associations, law schools, electronic journals, CLE, law firms, news/reference. Can search Supreme Court reports from 1893- most recent term by citation, case name, full text or browse by year. It offers a current awareness service from a substantial collection of law-related online journals.
Hieros Gamos (http://www.hg.org/hg.html) - Not as finely tuned as Findlaw but also comprehensive - they claim to include every law-related organization worldwide (go to HGI for organizations) as well as over 200 practice areas and self-listing databases.
WashLaw Web (http://washlaw.edu ). Washburn University Law Library site is another good starting point, an exhaustive compilation of legal resources and links to legal information.
Legal Information Institute (http://www.law.cornell.edu). An excellent, comprehensive legal research portal from Cornell Law School which includes court opinions, this resource is well-known for its Supreme Court collection, discussions and links in topical areas, constitutions and codes, links for foreign legal materials, and current awareness.
2. GOVERNMENT INFORMATION - U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, FOREIGN, INTERNATIONAL
GPO Access (http://www.access.gpo.gov). Government Printing Office site where you can search full text documents such as U.S. Budget, Congressional bills, Congressional Record, Federal Register, GAO reports, Economic Indicators, U.S. Code. Can download documents from federal agencies and get help finding government information. GPO Gateway , an interface to GPO Access, can also be used to search this database.
State and Local Government on the Net (http://www.statelocalgov.net/index.cfm). One of the best gateways to state, regional, county and city government.
Thomas (http://thomas.loc.gov). Full text access to bills and laws with history, summaries and status from 1993/94 to the present. House and Senate Committee Reports, Congressional Record 1994-present.
University of Michigan Documents Center (http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs). Excellent, comprehensive gateway to U.S. (state and federal), foreign and international government information. Fine collection of links to international bodies, treaties.
3. PENNSYLVANIA/PHILADELPHIA
Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System Home Page (http://www.courts.state.pa.us). Well organized site for PA Supreme Court and Commonwealth Court slip opinions, Administrative Office of the PA Supreme Court materials, court calendars, county court information, caseload statistics.
Pennsylvania Legal Research Web Sites (http://www.pennsylvanialegalresearch.com). Admirable site devoted to PA legal research, it includes primary case law and statutory law, PA topical links, forms (tax and general), extensive county materials with links to county rules, vital statistics.
The Philadelphia Courts, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania(http://courts.phila.gov). General information on administrative offices, information on the various courts, hearing lists, publications, court fees, court forms, local rules.
4. SPECIALIZED SITES
United Nations (http://www.un.org). Conference reports, selected documents of the Secretary-General, Security Council resolutions (1974-present), General Assembly resolutions (1981-present), selected Economic and Social Council documents.
Jurist (http://jurist.law.pitt.edu) Home pages of law professors, online course materials, associations, articles.
Martindale-Hubbell Lawyers.com (http://www.lawyers.com). Easy, fast way to find a lawyer by type or locality, get legal assistance, research legal topics.
Internet Library for Librarians (http://www.itcompany.com/inforetriever). Ready reference section includes almanacs, dictionaries, people-finder, maps, zip codes, weather, etc. Librarianship section contains more than you will ever want to know about librarianship.
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