Transcript Introduction to the American Legal System By Enika Schulze and Susan Patterson Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458.

Introduction to the American Legal
System
By Enika Schulze
and
Susan Patterson
Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved.
Chapter 5
Legal Research
Sources of Law
• Common law
• Precedent
• Statutes
Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved.
Chapter 5
Legal Research
Judicial decisions
• Official reporters issued by the government
• Unofficial reporters published by a private legal
publishing company
U.S District Court decisions in Federal
Supplements
U.S. Court of Appeals’ in Federal Reporter
U.S. Supreme Court ‘s in United States
Reports
Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved.
Chapter 5
Legal Research
Specialized Reporters
• Federal Securities Law Reports
• Trade Regulation Reporter
• Fair Employment Practices Cases
• Others
Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved.
Chapter 5
Legal Research
Secondary Sources
•
Law reviews
•
Treatises
•
Form books
Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved.
Chapter 5
Legal Research
Research Aids
• Digests
• Headnotes
• Shephard’s Citations
• Computer-assisted legal research
Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved.