Legal Research (Posted by Jenny)

I had a great conversation with one of you about the joys of legal research. I wanted to share some of my thoughts on the subject with you in hopes it will make your journey through the legal research course smoother:

1. Finding a law library

I started with my local courthouse (they happened to have a small law library) and I also researched what law schools / universities were in my area that might have a library large enough to have the nation-wide resources that I needed. Since I live an hour from Dallas, TX (which has a huge law school called SMU) this was fairly easy. Hopefully, none of you will have to travel too far to get to a law library.

2. Budget lots of law library time

Budget even more time in the law library than you think you will need. Your first trip you will want plenty of time to wander and familiarize yourself with the library setup. Subsequent trips for assignments will require varied amounts of time – and it is always better to have more time set aside than you actually need. Particularly for your memorandum assignment at the end of the course, you will want lots of time to find cases, read them, shepardize them, etc.

I am going to be honest and admit that I logged many of my 4th quarter hours in the law library. Whether that is the case for you or not, be prepared for your legal research to be time consuming. If it isn’t for you, great, but if it is, you’ll be ready!:) And besides, if your assignment is done, there are lots of fun things to read in a law library, if legal reading is something you like doing!:)

3. Bring a magnifying glass for footnotes

Many of the footnotes in legal dictionaries / encyclopedias / commentaries are microscopic. To avert eyestrain trying to see what the little numbers are in the citation of the case you want, be prepared to whip out your magnifying glass! Again, you may not need it, but if you do, you’ll be glad you had it!:)

4. The law librarian is your friend

While Professor Gundlach expects you to do your own research, the law librarian is still a wonderful source for general guidance. I wish I had asked more questions of the law librarians (like where is this or that reporter?) instead of wasting time trying to find everything on my own. I know this may seem like it goes without saying, but just on the chance you are like me…..

5. Keep your perspective and don’t get overwhelmed

There are many legal research resources available and especially when the time comes to write your memorandum, it might be easy to get overwhelmed. If this happens, take a moment to stop and rest. Staring out the library window or taking a quick walk always helped clear the cobwebs out of my head. The more you have planned out a “road map” of what you need to do, the less likely this is to happen. But if you find yourself staring blankly at a stack of reporters, take a break – you need it!

6. Have fun!

Legal research is like a treasure hunt / investigation. You are searching for the “gems or clues” you need to turn in an excellent assignment. There is nothing more exciting than turning that page and seeing the piece of information you have been searching for. I remember once being so happy (after 2 days of looking) to find the answer an attorney wanted at the DA’s office, that I ran up 4 flights of stairs to hand him the papers.:) I was definitely more excited than he was, but a job well done is always something to be excited about!

Those are my 2 cents! Blessings on your legal research course!