Rightslink: Research Tips: Domestic and International Law Dana Neacsu, Fall 2007

Today We Will Cover: I.Legal Research as a Two-fold Process II.How to Use Finding Aid Tools. 1.Catalogs and Indexes to Legal Periodicals 2.Top 10 source gathering sources 3.Identifying unknown abbreviations III.Research Tips 1.Domestic law 2.International law IV. Library Hours

II. Finding Sources: Library Catalogs 1.Use the following catalogs for the following specific tasks: the Diamond Law Librarys catalog, PEGASUS- for legal scholarship PEGASUS- the University Libraries catalog, CLIO, for both legal and non-legal scholarshipCLIO and WorldCat to find such sources beyond the Columbia system.WorldCat

Finding Sources: Indexes to Legal Periodicals Use Specialized Periodical Indexes Wilsons Index to Legal Periodicals (ILP) and the Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals (IFLP). Available from PEGASUS- PAIS, ABI/Inform, ProQuest, EconLit, etc; FRANCIS (International Humanities and Social Science), PsycINFO, Social Science Full-text, ERIC, etc. FRANCIS

2. Top 10 source gathering sources (I) 10.The Library of Congress. Thomas. Legislative Information on the InternetThomas 9.American Memory ProjectProject 8. HeinOnline from PegasusPegasus Law Reviews (complimenting L/WL) Official treaty sources (and more) 7.UN Official Document System (ODS)ODS

Top 10 Source Gathering Sources (II) 6. Foreign Law Guide (aka Reynolds and Flores) (Pegasus);Pegasus 5.Non-law (CLIO) databases:CLIO JSTOR & Project Muse; 3. Google Uncle Sam (gov. related docs)gov. related docs 2. Government documents (GPO) – primary sources;GPO

Top 10 Source Gathering Sources (III) 1. Library Research Sources CLS Research Guides: NYU: GlobalexGlobalex

3. Identifying Unknown Abbreviations Biebers Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations Print – Reference Office drawer Lexis Find a source = Biebers The Bluebook Print – The Reserve Area

III. Research Tips. Overview 1.Learn how to identify and use Research (Finding Aid) Tools and Legal Scholarship to find Domestic, International or Foreign Primary Sources 2.Apply the well-known research strategy: Come up with a research plan, and Keep a research log

Domestic Law Research. Finding Aid Tools The Main Finding Aid Tools are: Library Catalogs – for treatises, practitioners sources (Am.Jur), Restatements, Encyclopedias, etc. Index to Legal Periodicals (ILP) for law review articles

Minimal Knowledge in an Area of Law– Go to a Treatise. How to Find a Treatise: Library Catalogs-Pegasus Lexis Westlaw

Use Pegasus: Find Indexes to Legal Periodicals Find Law Review Articles (HeinonLine)HeinonLine Lexis Westlaw Both have the current version of the ILP Both have most (current) law review articles Minimal Knowledge in a More Concrete Area: Use ILP to Locate Law Review Articles

Primary Sources in Domestic Law Statutes: Codes, Session Laws, Legislative history, Research tips: Use USCA IndexIndex Administrative Law: CFR, FR. Research tips: Use RegulationsPlus IndexIndex Case law Case Law Research Full-text searching (Lexis & Westlaw)LexisWestlaw Other approaches (Segments & West-Digest)

III. Research Tips. International Law Research Strategy 1.Identify useful research tools (IFLP) and la doctrine 2.Identify the Relevant Primary Sources Treaty Research. Case Law Research Doctrine Research (same search strategy for secondary sources

Primary Sources in International Law What Is International Law? Restatement of the Law 3d: Foreign Relations Law of the United States: Article 102-Sources of International Law Article 103-Evidence of International Law How Do You Find It? Official Web Sites/Lexis/Westlaw/

Treaties and Treaty Research UN Treaties and Other Documents 1.Is the US party to CEDAW? What is CEDAW (Biebers) (Lexis)Lexis Where can you find its text? Use UN Treaty Series, HeinOnline (Pegasus), Lexis or Westlaw to find CEDAWPegasus 2.What 2001 document from the Sixth Committee details the establishment of the International Criminal Court. What is the document number? Use Unbisnet (un.org) or Access UN: A/56/591un.org Is the full text available?

International Case Law Research 1.What is the ICJ case about the U.S. paramilitary activities in South America? Where can you find the decision? On the official websiteofficial website Where can you find the pleadings? On line and in print in our library (use Pegasus)On line Pegasus

IV. Library Hours for Fall 2007 Ref office hours: M-Th: 10-8 F: 10-5 Sat.: 1-6 Sun: 1-9