Presentation slides covering legal research; creating a research strategy, building a search using online research databases, and an overview of various secondary sources of law useful to paralegals.

1. Legal Reseach
Tips & Tricks for the Paralegal
Joshua B. LaPorte
November 13, 2013
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

2. University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

3. Don't panic!

Clarify your question

Evaluate the tools you have

Conduct preliminary research

There is no one “right” way

University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

4. You want to find everything, and do so
efficiently: In a word, you need to be
thorough.
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

5. Begin with a written plan
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

6. 5-W Method:
WHO is involved in the situation?
WHAT objects, acts, instruments, etc. does the
situation involve?
WHEN did the important acts or incidents take
place?
WHERE did the facts of your case take place?
WHY did the individuals or groups in your case act
the way they did? Why did certain things happen?
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

7. TAPP method:
THINGS: Ask yourself what the relevant objects are
(e.g. "gun" in a murder case, "car" in an automobile
accident case).
ACTIONS: What did people do or NOT do in your
particular situation?
PEOPLE: Who were the individuals or groups
involved in the situation before you?
PLACES: Where did the relevant acts take place?
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

8. TARP Method:
THINGS: Ask yourself what the relevant objects are
(e.g. "gun" in a murder case, "car" in an automobile
accident case).
ACTIONS:What did people do or NOT do in your
particular situation?
RELIEF SOUGHT: What kind of
relief/compensation/"justice" are the parties entitled to?
PARTIES: Who is the defendant? Who is the plaintiff?
Whose interests are aligned? Whose interests are
opposed?
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

9. Rombauer Method

Perform preliminary analysis

Search for statutes, regulations

Find cases – Manadatory precedent

Find persuasive precedent

Refine, double-check, and update
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

10. Preliminary Analysis:
Key terms?
Jurisdiction?
Type of law likely to govern?
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

11. Search Statutes and Regulations
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

12. 
Tools
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

13. Search methods:
Full-Text Searching

Field Searching

Index Searching

Terms & Connectors Searching

University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

14. Full-Text:
For preliminary use to identify terms for
more focused searches.

As a final check to insure that you caught
everything using other search methods.

For areas of the law or for legal sources
which are poorly indexed.

University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

15. Field Searching
(e.g. search for
party name,
terms in the
case syllabus,
for justice who
delivered an
opinion)
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

16. Index Searching
University of Connecticut | School of Law
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17. Terms & Connectors
Searching
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

18. Most Sophisticated method

Search string comprised of “terms”
(words or phrases which express the
legal concept) and “connectors”
(instructions which tell the database how
to interpret the terms)

Allows for precise searching

University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

19. University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

20. NOT W/n (rico NOT W/2 puerto)
NOT W/sent (market NOT W/SENT share)
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

21. Selecting your terms

It is essential to plan your search before
running it using terms & connectors

Write down your key terms; think about
synonyms, antonyms, and related
concepts that might appear when
discussing the issue.
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

22. Grouping with Parentheses
(liquor or spirits or alcohol)
(Bill w/3 Clinton) OR (George w/3 Bush)
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

23. Processing order:
OR is first;
Proximity operators (/p, /s, /n) next;
AND is processed third;
NOT is processed last.
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

24. Word variations:
wom*n – women, woman
Child! - children, childrens
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

25. Too many results?

If available, use filtering features to look
for specific terms within your result set.

Consider separating issues.

Rethink your connectors. AND as well as
proximity connectors gives more control.
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

26. Too few results?

Make sure terms are spelled correctly

Make sure you've formatted your search
to capture alternative words or forms of
words

Add additional terms after an OR
connector to broaden the search
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

27. Secondary Sources
Encyclopedias
ALR
Nutshells
Restatements
Form Books
Practice Manuals
Model Pleadings
Jury Verdicts
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

28. Legal Encyclopedia
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www.law.uconn.edu

29. University of Connecticut | School of Law
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30. University of Connecticut | School of Law
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31. Causes of Action
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32. Am Jur Trials
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

33. University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

34. Looseleafs
The most developed sources of the law

Particularly useful for highly regulated
areas of law
(Banking, tax, employment law)

Combine statutory, regulatory, case law
with comprehensive indexing tools.

Often include forms/checklists.

University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

35. Legal Research Guides
Georgetown
Washington
Connecticut Judicial Branch
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

36. University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

37. University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

38. University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

39. 
Final Thoughts:

Discuss with others

Ask for help
Use secondary sources!

Always update
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu

40. You've got questions?
I've (hopefully) got answers!
University of Connecticut | School of Law
www.law.uconn.edu