Internet Legal Research for Professor Mika’s Legal Writing Class Feb. 28, 2012

Limitations of Google Invisible Web - Search Engines can not type or think Example would be a docket

Limitations of Google Too many results Results not geared for lawyers

Limitations of Google Desired content NOT on the free web: Older cases Secondary Sources: Ojur, Forms, etc.

Benefits of Lexis/WL Coverage Secondary sources Better Search Mechanisms - /s, /p Editorial features – headnotes, annotations Aggregate Info Trustworthiness

Benefits of Internet v. Lexis/WL Free Can be quicker/easier

Internet v. Lexis/Westlaw Some info exclusive to Internet Municipal Ordinances Some Court Filings New case/regulation (within one day) New topics/issues

What’s on the Free Web All US Supreme Court Cases Reported Federal Appellate 1882-, Fed District 1932- Some Unreported Fed State cases: Reported 1950-, unreported varies -1990s-

What’s on the Free Web Statutes & Regulations- federal and states LOTS more!

Internet Portals Library Home Page – Legal Research on the Web Cornell Legal Information Institute (LII) ALSO Findlaw Show our legal research on the web, point out statutes, case law, dockets, reference (citation, dictionaries, etc.) Show public records and people finders.

Lexis Communities

Use LEGAL Search Engines Cornell University Legal Research Engine LexisWeb List of Search Legal Engines

Ohio Search Engine https://www.law.csuohio.edu/lawlibrary/ohiosearch

Dragnet by NY Law School http://www.nyls.edu/library/research_tools_and_sources/dragnet

Search Engines Clustering search engines: Yippy, Ask.com Metasearch engines: Dogpile, Yippy Government Search Engines: USA.gov, Fdsys, Metalib Internet Wayback Machine

Search Engines Learn search syntax Google.com – click link or wheel for advanced search Click on Advanced Search Tips to see operators

Google Operators AND (default) OR (capitalized) “”Quotes for phrase. - to remove words or phrases. ~ searches synonyms * wildcard to replace word(s) (to * or * ) No truncation sue AROUND(3) brown Fields: intitle:, site:, inurl: define: finds definitions

Case law Google Scholar – state reported 1950-, fed circuit/ district 1923- Ohio Supreme Court – Ohio reported & unreported (oldest 1992) Legal Research on the Web - Cases

Search = “birth certificate” marriage transsexual OR transgender OR “sex change”

Why don’t we get the Nash case, a 2003 unreported Ohio case?

Limit to Ohio

Demo Ohio Supreme Court case search

Jureeka Firefox/Chrome add-on Retrieve by citation toolbar Fed, Ohio Official Reports, Ohio Web Cites, ORC, OAC On web documents (html), Jureeka links legal citations

Finding Dockets, Pleadings, Motions LLRX or Resources for Online Court Dockets to find dockets Some dockets have full text documents ex. Ohio – Montgomery & Summit Counties, federal PACER – Federal Court dockets On Westlaw/Lexis – more search capability

Forms Forms and Practice Materials Resource Guide Practical Law Company – free to law students

Evaluating Web Sites Credibility: author; possible bias, accuracy. Currency / Updating, Coverage Writing Quality Ease of use – Design, navigation, searchability, help Stability Author is legal publisher? Attorney? Lexisone has good search, PLOL has boolean, Google Scholar, advanced google search,

Forms and Sample Contracts Who publishes the site? A legal publisher? bar association? Does the site sell forms? Who wrote the form? Use with caution, tailor to your facts

“Business Contracts” and Court Forms Free. Others cost $. Free business forms provided by Findlaw and links to: court forms, government forms, forms on certain topics and links to other forms collections on the web. “Business Contracts” and Court Forms Free. Others cost $.

Web Sites to Know Thomas.gov – Federal Legislative History, Pending Bills Fed’l Govt. – FDSys E-CFR - most up to date Code of Federal Regulations A-Z Index of U.S. Government Depts. & Agencies Show Martindale Hubbell, PACER

More Websites to Know Ohio Supreme Court Municipal Ordinances

Conclusion Use Free Web, but be aware limitations in coverage, currency, searching ability, reliability Go beyond Google: Use free legal databases, legal search engines and portals

eHandout https://www.law.csuohio.edu/lawlibrary/ehandout/alternatives2012