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We offer two ways of searching our catalog: a law library only catalog and OCLC WorldCat. Other catalogs are also available. More
Expand your legal research options with online sources provided by the Gallagher Law Library. More
How do I search for laws on a particular subject? How can I compile a legislative history for a Washington (or federal) law? How can I locate court opinions about a topic? To answer these and other frequently asked questions, the reference librarians have prepared a series of legal research guides. Use these guides to get started on your research project when a reference librarian is not available to assist you or as a reminder as you conduct your research. More
Here, you will find a list of websites that provide legal information and materials (including laws, bills, court opinions, and related documents) and/or links to legal material. Most of these sites are freely available to all users with Internet access. Some sites are UW Restricted, that is, available to University of Washington faculty, students, and staff and visitors to UW Libraries.More
Updated March 30, 2011.
Prepared by Peggy Roebuck Jarrett & Jonathan Franklin for 2002 Bridge the Legal Research Gap.
Updated & revised by Cheryl Nyberg for 2006 Bridge the Legal Research Gap.
Links to LexisNexis and Westlaw require user passwords or IDs. Links to HeinOnline are UW Restricted.
| Update! | Every primary source; every time Many secondary sources: look for pocket parts, supplements, later editions, etc. |
| Take advantage of the work of others | Seattle U Law Library & UW Gallagher Law Library websites |
| Use help services | Including librarians & vendor toll-free numbers |
| Abbreviations & acronyms | Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations. LexisNexis: LEXREF;BIEBLA [Gallagher catalog link] Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Citations. [Gallagher catalog link] The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. Blue pages [Gallagher catalog link] Gallagher legal research guides
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| What does that word mean? | Black’s Law Dictionary. Westlaw: BLACKS. [Gallagher catalog link] General dictionaries (American Heritage, Webster's) Words and Phrases: cites cases that define words & phrases. [Gallagher catalog link] On Westlaw, search case and statute databases with WP field. Gallagher legal research guide: Legal Dictionaries |
| Starting a research project? | Consult a research guide
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| Need an exhaustive treatment? | Try a a major, multi-volume treatise
Nimmer on Copyright. LexisNexis: COPYRT;NIMMER. [Gallagher catalog link] Corbin on Contracts. LexisNexis: K-LAW;CORBIN. [Gallagher catalog link] Chisum on Patents. LexisNexis: PATENT;CHISUM. [Gallagher catalog link] LaFave on Search and Seizure. [Gallagher catalog link] Pierce's Administrative Law Treatise. [Gallagher catalog link] Collier on Bankruptcy. LexisNexis: BKRTCY;COLBKR. [Gallagher catalog link] Nowak & Rotunda's Constitutional Law. Westlaw: CONLAW. [Gallagher catalog link] Wright & Miller's Federal Practice and Procedure. Westlaw: FPP. [Gallagher catalog link] Moore's Federal Practice. LexisNexis: GENFED;MOORES. [Gallagher catalog link] |
| Starting a Washington-specific research project? | Washington Practice. Westlaw: WAPRAC. [Gallagher catalog link] Washington Lawyers Practice Manual. [Gallagher catalog link] Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) deskbooks (also on Loislaw) Chapter 4, Washington Practice Materials, in the Washington Legal Researcher's Deskbook 3d Gallagher legal research guide: Washington Practice Materials |
| Got a specific fact pattern? | American Law Reports (ALR) annotations can be gold mines of information. Especially useful for a review of caselaw across jurisdictions relative to a specific fact situation. LexisNexis: 2NDARY;LEDALR Causes of Action 2d is a great source for tort-based actions, with sample pleadings, leading cases & practice tips. Westlaw COA Recent law review articles summarize areas of the law & footnotes lead to sources for additional research |
| Looking for a law review article? | Use a periodical index such as LegalTrac instead of or in addition to searching full-text law review articles on LexisNexis & Westlaw LegalTrac indexes by subject, so you will find articles that lack the keywords you used in a full-text search LegalTrac coverage begins with 1980 (longer time span than most law reviews available in full text on LexisNexis & Westlaw) LegalTrac searches will yield fewer but more relevant lists of articles LegalTrac database available on LexisNexis: LEXREF;LGLIND & Westlaw: LRI as the Legal Resource Index (LRI) |
| Looking for older law review articles? | Use the Index to Legal Periodicals (indexes articles published before 1980). Check HeinOnline for PDF versions of older law reviews, including the Columbia Law Review (1901- ), Harvard Law Review (1887- ), Michigan Law Review (1902- ) & Washington Law Review (1925- ) |
| Sample forms save time | General
Washington State
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| Need factual information? | Contact the public library!
Seattle Public Library, Reference Seattle Public Library Quick Information: 206-386-4636 Internet Public Library's Reference Gallagher legal research guide: Nonlegal Research |
| Constitutions annotated |
Federal: first volumes of USCA & USCS Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation. GPO Access Washington: first volumes of RCWA & ARCW Both: LexisNexis & Westlaw |
| Start your research with statutes |
Can yield a quicker answer Cases are often based on statutory interpretation Annotated codes are a great way to find relevant cases & law review articles quickly Gallagher legal research guide: Statutory Research Checklist |
| Statutes are often easier to use in print than online |
They have a hierarchical structure It is easy to browse adjacent sections The page layout provides context, emphasizing important sections |
| Update! |
Check cover or title page to determine how current the volume is Consult the pocket part or other supplement Look for the legislative service or the session laws (U.S. Statutes at Large or Laws of Washington) Go to legislative websites for latest action.
Do not assume online sources (LexisNexis or Westlaw) are more current than print! Look for date of currency |
| Popular names of legislation |
Washington: Tables in RCW & RCWA Federal: Tables in USC, USCS & USCA. Plus Shepard's Acts and Cases by Popular Name Popular Names of Acts in the US Code, from Cornell Law School Run a search in an electronic database of law reviews (this can be expensive!) |
| Effective dates of legislation |
Washington: 90 days after adjournment of the legislative session, unless the bill has a specified effective date or emergency clause. Refer to Laws of Washington, RCWA tables volume & RCWA pocket parts for dates of adjournment and 90 days after Federal: the date the bill is signed into law by the President, unless the bill has a specified effective date |
| Need to convert a session law or public law reference to a current statutory citation? | Use the tables volumes.
Codification tables
Disposition tables of former code sections Commercial sets (USCA, RCWA) provide more extensive tables |
| Federal statutes |
USC = United States Code (official, but not timely). Used primarily for citation purposes, not for research. GPO Access USCA = United States Code Annotated (unofficial; includes references to cases). Westlaw: USCA USCS = United States Code Service (unofficial; includes references to cases). LexisNexis: GENFED;USCS Update USCA & USCS using pocket parts & supplements, or online |
| Washington statutes |
RCW = Revised Code of Washington (official). LegalWA RCWA = Revised Code of Washington Annotated (unofficial; includes references to cases). Westlaw: WA-ST-ANN ARCW = Annotated Revised Code of Washington (unofficial; includes references to cases). LexisNexis: WASH;CODE |
| Federal regulations |
CFR = Code of Federal Regulations FR or Fed. Reg. = Federal Register. Published daily; updates the CFR LSA = List of CFR Sections Affected. Use the LSA to find FR updates to specific CFR sections Proposed & final regs in the Federal Register often include have preambles with useful background information Gallagher legal research guide: U.S. Administrative Law Research |
| Washington regulations |
WAC = Washington Administrative Code WSR = Washington State Register. Biweekly; updates the WAC Gallagher legal research guide: Washington Administrative Law Research |
| Comparing 50 states' laws? | See if someone has done the work already!
Subject Compilations of State Laws. HeinOnline UW Restricted Westlaw: SURVEYS, includes the National Survey of State Laws. [Gallagher catalog link] Martindale-Hubbell Law Digest. LexisNexis: MARHUB;MHDIG. [Gallagher catalog link] Uniform Laws Annotated. Westlaw: ULA. [Gallagher catalog link] |
| Internet sites for statutes & regulations | Gallagher's Internet Legal Resources |
| Federal legislative histories | Look for shortcuts!
United States Code Congressional & Administrative News (USCCAN), 1948-date. Westlaw: USCCAN. [Gallagher catalog link] ProQuest Congressional Legislative Histories, 1970-date. Federal Legislative Histories: An Annotated Bibliography and Index to Officially Published Sources. [Gallagher catalog link] Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories: A Bibliography of Government Documents, Periodical Articles, and Books, 1st Congress-94th Congress. Hein Online UW Restricted. [Gallagher catalog link] Gallagher legal research guide: Federal Legislative History |
| Congressional Record | Two editions
Daily edition (softbound, newsprint)
Permanent edition (hardbound).
Tips
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| Understand the abbreviations |
H.R. = House of Representatives bill. For example, H.R. 1157. H.R. Rep. = House of Representatives committee report. For example, H.R. Rep. No. 107-95. |
| Washington legislative histories |
Read Chapter 6, Legislative History, Initiatives & Bill Tracking, in the Washington Legal Researcher’s Deskbook 3d Gallagher legal research guide: Washington State Legislative History |
| Starting with a single case |
Use West key numbers Use KeyCite or Shepard's to expand your research to other cases (in the same or other jurisdictions) & to find secondary sources Check ALR's table of cases |
| Stuck on case research? |
Look at the major cases cited in your best case KeyCite or Shepardize those earlier cases to find cases that might be related Go back to a secondary source |
| Resist the temptation to copy every case you find | Save time & money by pulling those cases off the shelf, reading them & copying (or printing) only the most relevant |
| Abbreviations |
BR = Bankruptcy Reporter FRD = Federal Rules Decisions When in doubt, check Bieber’s or the Bluebook Gallagher research guide: Reporters & Digests |
| Case updating best done online |
To get more up-to-date results in less time, use KeyCite or Shepard’s online Just before you hand in the project, update again to make sure nothing has changed |
| Administrative agency decisions |
LexisNexis & Westlaw databases Internet sources
Consult major looseleaf services & corresponding online databases: banking, environment, labor, securities, tax, etc. |
| Court rules, Washington State |
RPC = Rules of Professional Conduct ER = Rules of Evidence RAP = Rules of Appellate Procedure CR = Superior Court Civil Rules CrR = Superior Court Criminal Rules CRLJ = Civil Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction CrRLJ = Criminal Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction Find the text in Washington Court Rules – State
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| Court rules, Washington local |
Rules of the District and Municipal Courts in Washington. [Gallagher catalog link] Washington Court Rules – Local Rules. [Gallagher catalog link] LexisNexis: WASH;WALRSC |
| Court rules, Washington annotated |
Washington Court Rules Annotated. [Gallagher catalog link] Washington Rules of Court Annotated. [Gallagher catalog link] Appendix to Title 10 RCWA contains annotated criminal rules Various volumes of Washington Practice |
| Child support schedule & worksheets, Washington |
Appendix to RCWA 26.19. Not printed in the RCW! Domestic Relations Forms. [Gallagher catalog link] Not in the Washington Family Law Deskbook! Make sure you use the current version |
| Ethics opinions | Gallagher legal research guide: Washington State Ethics Opinions covers attorneys, judges, legislators & public employees |
| Jury instructions |
Federal Jury Practice and Instructions. Westlaw: FED-JI. [Gallagher catalog link] Manual of Model Civil Jury Instructions for the Ninth Circuit Manual of Model Criminal Jury Instructions for the Ninth Circuit Washington Pattern Jury Instructions: Civil (in Washington Practice vols. 6 & 6A). Westlaw: WA-WPI Washington Pattern Jury Instructions: Criminal (in Washington Practice vols. 11 & 11A). Westlaw: WA-WPIC |
| Jury verdicts | Gallagher legal research guide: Jury Verdicts, Settlements, Judgments, and Liens |
| Judicial biographies |
Washington Judges Book covers state appellate courts & some lower courts Supreme Court & Court of Appeals judges Washington State voters' pamphlets. [Gallagher catalog link] Almanac of the Federal Judiciary. Westlaw: AFJ. [Gallagher catalog link] |
| Interest rate, Washington maximum allowable | Printed inside the cover of each Washington State Register issue |
| First time using a new source? |
Review "how to use" section Browse table of contents & index Check publication date & supplementation to determine how much updating you will need to do |
| Looseleaf services |
Page numbers & paragraph numbers are different Indexes & finding lists refer to paragraph numbers, not page numbers |
| Citations |
Check section T (the blue pages) of The Bluebook for lists of reporters, statutory codes & administrative codes for all the states (with abbreviations) & many foreign jurisdictions Reporter of Decisions Style Sheet covers additions & exceptions to The Bluebook required by the Washington Courts. Search full-text law review articles to find proper citation formats when The Bluebook fails you. Beware: This can be an expensive option! |
| Keep a paper trail |
Keep print copies of searches run If you find something on the Internet, always print or download a copy Log sources you have already checked to avoid going back to them for the same thing |
| CALR tips |
Smaller databases are cheaper Smaller sets of search results save you time & minimize the number of irrelevant hits Use Get or Find feature to efficiently retrieve known items |
| Use the system as a citator | When you need to verify the status of an administrative decision or some other legal authority not included in Shepard's or Keycite. |
| When is it OK to stop? | When the same cases & statutes repeatedly appear. |
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