Basic Legal Research

Primary & Secondary Sources Primary Primary Statutes (Codes) Statutes (Codes) Administrative Regulations Administrative Regulations Cases Cases Secondary Secondary Journal & law review articles Journal & law review articles Books & treatises Books & treatises Encyclopedias & ALR Encyclopedias & ALR

State & Federal Statutes Enacted by Congress and state legislatures Enacted by Congress and state legislatures Arranged by subject into codes Arranged by subject into codes Organized by titles or topics Organized by titles or topics Available in annotated formats Available in annotated formats

Federal Statutes Print Print U.S. Code U.S. Code U.S.C.A & U.S.C.S (Annotated) U.S.C.A & U.S.C.S (Annotated) Online Online U.S. House Office of Law Revision U.S. House Office of Law RevisionOffice of Law RevisionOffice of Law Revision Cornell’s U.S. Code collection Cornell’s U.S. Code collectionU.S. Code collectionU.S. Code collection THOMAS (pending) THOMAS (pending)pending LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic

State Statutes Print Print Code of Laws of S.C. Annotated Code of Laws of S.C. Annotated Indexes & Popular Names Table Indexes & Popular Names Table Online Online Code of Laws of S.C. Code of Laws of S.C Current & pending--un-annotated Current & pending--un-annotated LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic Annotated Annotated

LexisNexis Academic Legal Research Legal Research Legal Research Legal Research Federal Code Federal Code State Codes State Codes Tips link for keyword searching Tips link for keyword searching Edit Search Edit Search FOCUS within search FOCUS within search Print & Print &

Federal & State Regulations Promulgated by federal and state agencies Promulgated by federal and state agencies To implement and enforce federal and state laws (statutes) To implement and enforce federal and state laws (statutes) Agency Websites link to major legislation they enforce: Agency Websites link to major legislation they enforce: Federal Agencies Directory (LSU) Federal Agencies Directory (LSU) Federal Agencies Directory (LSU) Federal Agencies Directory (LSU) SC.GOV: Agency Listing SC.GOV: Agency ListingAgency ListingAgency Listing

Federal Regulations Print Print Federal Register & Code of Federal Regulations Federal Register & Code of Federal Regulations Online Online GPO Access GPO Access GPO Access GPO Access HeinOnline HeinOnline HeinOnline LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic Federal Regulations Federal Regulations Federal Regulations Federal Regulations

State Regulations Print Print S.C. Code Ann. Regulations S.C. Code Ann. Regulations Online Online SC: SC: All States: ABA Administrative Procedure Database All States: ABA Administrative Procedure DatabaseABA Administrative Procedure DatabaseABA Administrative Procedure Database

CaseLaw Opinions of state and federal courts Opinions of state and federal courts Enforcing & interpreting state & federal laws Enforcing & interpreting state & federal laws Ruling on their constitutionality/enforceability Ruling on their constitutionality/enforceability Published by jurisdiction chronologically in Reporters Published by jurisdiction chronologically in Reporters

Federal Cases Print Print Trial Court Opinions Trial Court Opinions U.S. District Court U.S. District Court District of S.C. District of S.C. F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d Appellate Court Opinions Appellate Court Opinions Federal Circuit Courts Federal Circuit Courts 4 th Circuit 4 th Circuit F., F.2d, F.3d F., F.2d, F.3d U.S. Supreme Court Opinions U.S. Supreme Court Opinions U.S. Reports, S.Ct. Reporter, L.Ed U.S. Reports, S.Ct. Reporter, L.Ed

Federal Cases Online Online S.C. Federal District Court website S.C. Federal District Court websitewebsite 4 th Circuit Court of Appeals website 4 th Circuit Court of Appeals websitewebsite U.S. Supreme Court website U.S. Supreme Court websitewebsite LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic

UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT UNITED STATES COURTS OF APPEAL UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTS FEDERAL Trial Appellate Last Resort Federal Courts Finder

US Supreme Court Decisions are binding precedent for state and federal courts Decisions are binding precedent for state and federal courts

State Cases SC Cases in Print SC Cases in Print Published in SC, S.E. & S.E. 2d Reporters Published in SC, S.E. & S.E. 2d Reporters SC Cases Online SC Cases Online (several years) (several years) LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic

SOUTH CAROLINA SC SUPREME COURT SC COURT OF APPEALS SC CIRCUIT COURTS UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT

LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic Get a Case Get a Case Name Name Citation Citation Keyword Keyword Shepard’s Shepard’s Supreme Court Cases Supreme Court Cases

Secondary Sources Articles Articles Legal Trac Legal Trac Legal Trac Legal Trac Index for legal periodicals Index for legal periodicals Can choose publication Can choose publication Shows availability in print (catalog) & online (HeinOnline/ LexisNexis Academic/E-Journals) at USC Shows availability in print (catalog) & online (HeinOnline/ LexisNexis Academic/E-Journals) at USC LexisNexis Academic (legal news & law reviews) LexisNexis Academic (legal news & law reviews) LexisNexis Academic LexisNexis Academic HeinOnline HeinOnline HeinOnline E-Journals E-Journals E-Journals

Secondary Sources Books Books Catalog Catalog Catalog USC USC Law Library (non-circulating) Law Library (non-circulating) Nutshells Nutshells Hornbooks Hornbooks Treatises Treatises SC Materials SC Materials Legal Encyclopedias Legal Encyclopedias Am Jur, CJS & SC Jurisprudence Am Jur, CJS & SC Jurisprudence Indexes at end of each Indexes at end of each ALR ALR Separate Index Separate Index

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