About this Guide
Course Description:
This course encompasses the study of the underlying theories and philosophical principles that are used to formulate laws and policies related to freedom of speech and press in the United States. An examination of the framework of the American legal and policy making systems will enable students to understand how laws, particularly the First Amendment, address a range of issues involving freedom of speech and press, including: defamation, libel, prior restraint, and copyright
Library Support
This guide will hep you research and case law by case name or topic. Learn that you can use secondary sources, such as law review articles and encyclopedia entries, as a path to find primary sources.
If you need assistance searching, click Schedule Appointment under my photo; pick a date and time and I'll send you a Zoom link.
Suggested Process
When doing Legal Research follow this path:
- Background Information: Read an overview, find definitions and key cases, and focus your topic
- Secondary Sources: Read book chapters and law review articles that cite case law and statutes/codes/regulations
- Primary Sources: Having identified case law and statutes/codes/regulations from your reading, use a law database (Nexis Uni) or government information (ex. GovInfo) to access them. I often prefer government websites as they are easier to browse.
