Finding Practice Tools by Sue Altmeyer for the National Business Institute Program, “Finding it Free and Fast on the Net: Strategies for Legal Research on the Web” November 3, 2008

Using Attorney Work Product - Caveats Do your own research Tailor to your facts You may have other arguments May be out of date or wrong

Using Attorney Work Product – Copyright Issues? Stueber Article: Document used original? Copying text or ideas? How much is borrowed? Isaacs Article: Attorneys HAVE sued Fair Use if ADAPT document Thomas G. Field, Jr., FROM CUSTOM TO LAW IN COPYRIGHT 49 IDEA 125 (2008)

Briefs, Motions & Pleadings On Lexis & Westlaw Ohio briefs 1990-, motions & pleadings 1999/2000- Full text searching–type of case & document, attorney At public or county law library

Briefs/Motions in Dockets Search by type of case: PACER Montgomery County Docket (search by attorney on Montgomery Docket) Search by type of document: Summit County Docket

Finding Court Dockets LLRX Court Rules Forms and Dockets Cleveland Marshall’s Court Webpages, Dockets & Briefs.Court Webpages, Dockets & Briefs.

Example Find an Anders Brief filed in Ohio

U.S. Supreme Court Briefs Findlaw Supreme Court Briefs ( )-Findlaw Supreme Court Briefs ABA’s Briefs for the Term Where to Find Briefs of the Supreme Court of the U.S. –pay & free databases, document retrievalWhere to Find Briefs of the Supreme Court of the U.S. Yale University – Curiae Project – selected cases.Yale University – Curiae Project

Federal & State Court Briefs Ohio Supreme Court Briefs (2006 -)Ohio Supreme Court Briefs Articles: Free and Fee Based Appellate Court Briefs Online - Links for state & federal courts.Free and Fee Based Appellate Court Briefs Online A Brief Summary: Free Briefs on the WebA Brief Summary: Free Briefs on the Web

Shared Legal Document Sites JDSupra - Documents are tied to attorney profilesJDSupra Scribd DocStoc LawLink Legal On-Ramp

General Internet Searching for Briefs Clusty, Google, Dogpile, etc.ClustyDogpile LexisWeb or Westlaw Webplus (if you subscribe to Westlaw)LexisWeb Cornell University Legal Research Engine Try blog search directories - Justia Blog Search; U.S. Law Blog DirectoryJustia Blog SearchU.S. Law Blog Directory

Tools for Brief Writing Cite Genie Firefox extension Copies from Lexis or Westlaw: Puts citation into proper format for the jurisdiction or Bluebook Briefs form Adds correct pinpoint citation. Blog post re.

Jureeka Firefox add-on Type a citation into the toolbar –free web version of case returned Fed coverage good Ohio – Supreme Ct from 1992 On web documents (pdf, html), Jureeka links legal citations to free web copy of the case, statute, etc. Blog post

Zotero Firefox Extension Organizes caselaw, webpages, articles Attach notes & full text docs Search sources, tags Sticky notes & highlights for webpages, word docs (not pdfs) Create footnotes & bibliographies in Bluebook Law Review format

Forms and Sample Contracts Cleveland Marshall Law Library’s Research Guide: Forms and Practice MaterialsForms and Practice Materials

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

Sites for Transactional & Litigation Forms LexisONE Automated Forms Registration required free & fee some free HotDocs forms. Download Hotdocs PlayerHotdocs Player interview-style questions, custom document generated based on answers. purchase Hotdocs software to convert your document into a Hotdoc

Sites for Transactional and Litigation Forms Legal Forms Menu Findlaw Forms All About Forms.com Freelegalforms.net ‘Lectic Law Library Forms Room WashLaw Legal Forms Gale LegalForms – via Public LibraryGale LegalForms

Transactional Documents via SEC IDEA/EDGAR IDEA/EDGAR sample SEC filings documents attached: management contracts, executive compensation plans, articles of incorporation, by-laws, material contracts, voting trust agreements See Item 601, Regulation S-K. Item 601, Regulation S-K.

Forthcoming SEC Database IDEA - Interactive Data Electronic Applications tagged fields of information search for precise information generate reports. Edgar available during transition SEC's Press Release.Press Release

More sophisticated SEC Filing databases Lexis and Westlaw, GSI, Mergent SECInfo.com

Transactional Forms CORI: Contracting and Organizations Research Institute –from Edgar/IDEACORI: Contracting and Organizations Research Institute Home Business Online Legal Forms Legal & Business Forms WorldLawDirect -22 forms in MS WordWorldLawDirect

Transactional Forms – Other Ideas Clusty, Google, Dogpile, etc.ClustyDogpile LexisWeb or Westlaw Webplus (if subscribe to Westlaw)LexisWeb Cornell University Legal Research Engine Use court dockets Cleveland Law Library FAQs – ex. Living Wills Durable Power of AttorneyLiving Wills Durable Power of Attorney

Legal Drafting Advice Cleveland Marshall Law Library’s Research Guide: Forms and Practice MaterialsForms and Practice Materials AdamsDrafting Blog

Agency Forms Forms.gov – federal. Some fillable.Forms.gov USA Fed Forms.com - federal. Some fillable.USA Fed Forms.com State of Ohio - Agency Forms

Court Forms – Cuyahoga County Eighth District Court of Appeals also see Sixth District Court of AppealsEighth District Court of Appeals Sixth District Court of Appeals Common Pleas Court Domestic Relations Probate Court Fiduciary Forms Juvenile Court Custody Juvenile Court Expungement

More Ohio Court Forms Cleveland Marshall Law Library’s Research Guide: Forms and Practice MaterialsForms and Practice Materials Cleveland Law Library FAQ – Self HelpSelf Help Franklin County Law Library – some written by library for pro sesFranklin County Law Library

Nationwide Court Forms LLRX Court Rules, Forms and Dockets American Law Sources Online Findlaw FormsFindlaw

Jury Verdicts Preferred Sources: Westlaw or Lexis search (Casemaker database for Ohio OK) PLUS JVR Case Evaluation Manual (LRP)

Jury Verdict Internet Sources MoreLaw Recent Jury Verdicts and Settlements – full reports freeMoreLaw Recent Jury Verdicts and Settlements Verdict Search (By American Lawyer Media) – free lists w/ name & jurisdictionVerdict Search

Jury Verdict Internet Sources, Cont’d National Law Journal (also published by ALM) – one year of newspaper searchable for free. List of a few recent verdicts and settlementsNational Law Journal recent verdicts and settlements Verdicts.com – free list, no party names. Advanced field searchingVerdicts.com

Jury Verdict Internet Sources, Cont’d. Jury Verdict Review and Analysis – free list w/jurisdiction but no names, free sJury Verdict Review and Analysis Lawyer’s Weekly USA - free list w/jurisdiction but no namesLawyer’s Weekly USA Jury Verdict Research.com – for fee staff searchJury Verdict Research.com Jury Verdict Publications – a few free issues onlineJury Verdict Publications

General Internet Searches for Jury Verdicts Try a search for "jury verdict", jurisdiction, keywords