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

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

9. Limitations of Google
Too many results
Results not geared for lawyers

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

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

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

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

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

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

16. 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.

35. Lexis Communities

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

40. Ohio Search Engine

41. Dragnet by NY Law School

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

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

45. 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

47. 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

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

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

54. Limit to Ohio

58. Demo Ohio Supreme Court case search

64. 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

67. 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

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

80. 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,

81. 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

85. “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 $.

87. 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

88. More Websites to Know
Ohio Supreme Court
Municipal Ordinances

89. 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

90. eHandout