Secondary Sources
Secondary law resources are books, news and law review articles that discuss cases and issues in the law. News articles will inform you of developments in an area of law. Law review articles will provide a history and have citations to key cases and codes that are relevant for a topic. Books will provide context and a broad overview; they will also cite key cases and codes.
Background Information
- CQ ResearcherThis database contains reports and analysis with opposing viewpoints on current issues.
Contents: Reports including background information and chronology, assessments, pro/con statements, and bibliographies. - Opposing Viewpoints (Gale in Context)Contains a range of perspectives on many important social issues and current events, with pro/con viewpoints in an interdisciplinary resource. Areas of focus include science, environmental studies, politics, business, and social sciences.
Contents: Reference articles, viewpoints, infographics, news, periodical content, multimedia, and more.
Legal Reference
Dictionaries
- Ballentine's Law Dictionary, 3rd EditionLegal definitions via Nexis Uni.
Black's Law Dictionary, Standard Ninth Edition by Call Number: Reference Stacks KF156 .B53 2009ISBN: 0314199497Publication Date: 2009With a reputation for quality and authority that is without peer, Black's Law Dictionary is a must-have reference for attorneys, paralegals, judges, and law students. This ninth edition offers more than 45,000 expertly crafted legal definitions containing an additional 2,000 new terms, nearly 3,000 quotations from legal authorities, and selected terms with their date of origin in American and/or British opinions.
Encyclopedias
- Gale Encyclopedia of American LawDescription: Covers today's leading cases, major statutes, legal terms and concepts, notable persons involved with the law, and important documents.
- American Jurisprudence 2nd (AMJUR)A standard encyclopedia of American Law used by practitioners. Entries cite relevant case law.
Legal Research in a Nutshell by Call Number: General Stacks KF240 .C54 2016ISBN: 9781634604628Publication Date: 2016Finding and using legal resources effectively is an essential skill for lawyers. This comprehensive but succinct guide covers research procedures using major online services, free Internet resources, and library materials. Several hundred websites are discussed and placed in context for effective and productive use in research. Discussion includes coverage of legislative history, administrative law, specialized and interdisciplinary resources, and research in international and comparative law. Appendices list state research guides and treatises and services by subject, and a companion website has a regularly updated list of URLs and illustrations of online and print resources. For more information and additional teaching materials, visit the companion site.
