COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

Course Outline Expanded

Session | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |

CLASS SESSION I - September 19, 1998

INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE

Faculty and student introductions, overview of the administrative details of the class and format of the course. Review the Syllabus, including discuss the weekly assignments and annotated pathfinder/ bibliography.

INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL RESEARCH

General Introduction to Legal Bibliography; the Anglo-American Legal System and Court System; Research Strategies; Legal Abbreviations and Citation Form.

Required Readings:

FLR: Chapter 1, pp. 1-14; Chapter 2, pp. 15-21; Chapter 23, pp. 583-597

Exercises: Due next class session.

1. Foster and Johnson, Assignment One - Finding and Citing Cases, Exercise A. (ON RESERVE)

Part 2 PRIMARY SOURCES - SUPREME COURT & FEDERAL CASE LAW

PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIALS

Court Reports; Role and Development of Legal Publishers; How Cases are Published; Federal Case Law; Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and District Court case reports.

Required Reading:

FLR, Chapter 3, pp. 22-39; Chapter 4, pp. 40-70.

West's Encyclopedia of American Law - Overview of U. S. Courts - Federal Courts
http://www.lawoffice.com/tools/usfed.htm

State Courts - http://www.lawoffice.com/tools/usstate.htm

U.S. Federal Courts' Home Page - Understanding the Federal Courts
http://www.uscourts.gov/understanding_courts/899_toc.htm

The Federal Judicial Branch -
http://www.uscourts.gov/understanding_courts/8992.htm

State and Federal Courts -
http://www.uscourts.gov/understanding_courts/8993.htm

Structure of the Federal Courts -
http://www.uscourts.gov/understanding_courts/8994.htm

The Supreme Court -
http://www.uscourts.gov/understanding_courts/8995.htm

Courts of Appeals -
http://www.uscourts.gov/understanding_courts/8996.htm

District Courts -
http://www.uscourts.gov/understanding_courts/8998.htm

Exercises: Due next class session.

1.     FLR - Nelson, Chapter 4, Assignment 1, Method A. - Questions 1-5 and Method B, Questions 1-5; Assignment 2, Questions 1-5;  Assignment 4, Drill Problems I. and III.

Session | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |

CLASS SESSION II - October 3, 1998

PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIALS: Regional and State Case Law

Required Reading:

FLR, Chapter 5, pp. 71-84

U.S. Federal Courts' Home Page - Understanding the Federal Courts

http://www.uscourts.gov/understanding_courts/899_toc.htm

State and Federal Courts -

http://www.uscourts.gov/understanding_courts/8993.htm

West Publishing Group - National Reporter & Digest Systems -

http://www.westgroup.com/practice/nrsdigst.htm

Browne, Kelly, A.  "The Ins and Outs of a Uniform Citation System."  National Law Journal (July 17, 1995):C5. (On Reserve ISB Library)

Keene, Deborah M. And William Morse,  "A Web Progresses As Source of Primary Legal Material."  National Law Journal (July 22, 1996):B7-B11. (On Reserve ISB Library)

Cinque, Deborah G.  "A Internet Expertise Increases Value of Librarians."  National Law Journal (July 15, 1996):S3-S5. (On Reserve ISB Library)

Exercises: Due next class session.

1.  FLR - Nelson, Chapter 5; Assignment 1, 1-15; Assignment 2, Questions 1-3; Assignment 3, Questions 1-3; Assignment 4, Questions 1-3;  Assignment 6, Questions 1-3; Assignment 7, Theme Problem I and Drill Problem I.   .

Part 2 DIGESTS & ALR

CASE FINDING: Digests and Annotated Law Reporters

Required Reading:

FLR, Chapter 6, pp. 85-112; Chapge 7, pp. 121-139

Exercises: Due next class session.

1.  FLR - Nelson, Chapter 6, Assignment 1, Questions 1-2; Assignment 3, Questions 1-3; Assignment 4, Questions 1-3; Assignment        3, Questions 1-3; Drill Problem II.

2.  FLR - Nelson,  Chapter 7; Assignment 1A, Questions 1-4; Assignment 1C, Questions 1-3; Assignment 2, Questions 1-3; Assignment 3, Questions 1-3; Assignment 10, Theme Problem IA, Questions 1-3 and Drill Problem IA, Questions 1-3

Session | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |

CLASS SESSION III - October 17, 1998

CASE VERIFICATION AND UPDATING TOOLS: Shepardizing; How to Bring a Case Search Up to Date.

Required Reading:

FTL, Chapter 3, 56-83

Bast, Carol M.  "Shepardizing: An Indispensable Legal Research Tool," 14 Research Strategies 112 (Spring 1996).

How To Shepardize - A Web Tutorial - Your Guide to Complete Legal Research Through Shepard's Citations

http://www.shepards.com/helpcite/tutorial.htm

What Can You Shepardize  - http://www.shepards.com/helpcite/refdesk/authorty/authorty.htm

Editorial Analysis Reference Table - http://www.shepards.com/helpcite/refdesk/editltr.htm

The Duty to Shepardize - http://www.shepards.com/helpcite/training/dutytosh.htm

What Happens When You Don't Shepardize -  http://www.shepards.com/helpcite/training/ojtrial.htm

Exercises: Due next class session.

1. FLR - Nelson, Chapter 15,  Assignment 10, Theme Problems I, II, & III and Drill Problems I and II.

2.  How To Shepardize - Web Tutorial - Your Guide to Complete Legal Research Through Shepard's Citations-Complete Exercises          http://www.shepards.com/helpcite/tutorial.htm

 

STATUTES - FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL SOURCES; ANNOTATED CODES;

Required Readings:

FLR, Chapter 8, pp. 140-155; Chapter 9, pp. 156-187; Chapter 11, pp. 230-250

How Our Laws Are Made (Revised and updated by Charles W. Johnson, House Parliamentarian)

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/holam.txt

Enactment of a Law (By Robert B. Dove, Senate Parliamentarian)

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/enactment/enactlawtoc.html

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/enactment/enactlaw.html

The Legislative Process

http://legiweb.legislate.com/d/ddlegpr1.htm

Legislative Information - http://www.mnsfld.edu/depts/lib/bills.html

Exercises: Due next class session.

1. FLR - Nelson, Chapter 8, Assignment I, Questions 1-6; Assignment 6,  Theme Problem I, Questions 1-9 and Drill Problem I, Questions 1-5

2. FLR - Nelson, Chapter 9, Assignment I, Questions 1-3; Assignment 2, Questions 1-3; Assignment 3H, Questions 1-3; Assignment 4, Questions 1-3; Assignment 5, Questions 1-3; Assignment 6, Questions 1-3; Assignment 8, Theme Problem I and Drill Problem I

Session | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |

CLASS SESSION IV - October 31, 1998

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY; Sources and Techniques. ADMINISTRATIVE LAW AND EXECUTIVE PUBLICATIONS: Rules, Regulations and Ordinances and their Indexes: Federal and Texas; Government Documents in Administrative Law, Attorney General Opinions; Court Rules

Required Readings:

FTL, Chapter 7, 200-218; Chapter 8, pp. 219-256; Chapter 9, pp. 257-281

Federal Regulations - Library Guide Series -

http://www.clark.net/pub/lschank/web/fedregs.html

http://www.mnsfld.edu/depts/lib/fedregs.html

What is Regulation?

http://www.regulation.org/whatisreg.html

Key Regulatory Facts & Figures

http://www.regulation.org/keyfacts.html

Guide to the Regulatory Process

http://legiweb.legislate.com/d/ddregpr1.htm

Guide to the Code of Federal Regulations

http://legiweb.legislate.com/d/ddcfr.htm

Guide to the Federal Register

http://legiweb.legislate.com/d/ddfr.htm

Exercises: Due next class session.

1.     FLR - Nelson, Chapter 10, Assignment I, Questions 1-5; Assignment 2, Questions 1-5

2.     FLR - Nelson, Chapter 13, Assignment I, Questions 1-20

 

COMPUTER-ASSISTED LEGAL RESEARCH: (CALR) Overview of the history and development of CALR including; Westlaw and LEXIS; The Pros and Cons of Online Full-Text Searching; Other Technology and the Law: Legal Databases, Non-Legal Databases, CD-ROM based Sources; On-line Catalogs & Networks.

Required Readings:

FTL, Chapter 4, pp. 122-127

Hazelton, Penelope. Computer Assisted Legal Research - The Basics. (St.Paul: West Publishing Co., 1993. (On Reserve ISB Library)

Pantaloni III., Nazareth A. M. "Legal Databases, Legal Epistemology, andthe Legal Order." 86 Law Library Journal 679-706 (Fall 1994).(On Reserve ISB Library)

Rosen, Nathan Aaron, AChoosing An Electronic Database: The Six Steps.@National Law Journal (July 15, 1996):S4-S10. (On Reserve ISB Library)

Copies of Learning Lexis - Nexis User's Guide will be given to each student.

Other Readings: Select and read two of the following articles and prepare for discussion in class.

Bayer, Barry D. and Benjamin H. Cohen, "Natural-Language Queries: Two Choices." 16 Legal Times 49 (January 17, 1994).(On Reserve ISB Library)

DeLashmitt, Eleanor, "LEXIS and WESTLAW: Searching for Hamlet on a Dark and Stormy Night," 12 Legal Reference Services Quarterly 43-74 (Number 4, 1993). (On Reserve ISB Library)

Griffith, Cary,"The Bottom Line on Online." 14 California Lawyer 69 (January 1994).(On Reserve ISB Library)

________, "The Windows of Legal Research: Access to Lexis and Westlaw MadeEasy." 3 Law Office Computing 76 (April-May 1993). (On Reserve ISB Library)

________, A20 Cost-Effective Tips for Using Lexis and Westlaw.@ Law Office Computing (October/November 1993):60-67.(On Reserve ISB Library)

Kunz, Christina L., Deborah A. Schmedemann, Ann L. Bateson, Matthew P. Downs andC. Peter Erlinder. The Process of Legal Research, 3d. ed., pp. 283-312, Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Co., 1992. (On Reserve ISB Library)

Marotta, Mike, "Online Databases Serve Law Libraries," Library Mosiacs 17 (January/February 1993). (On Reserve ISB Library)

Morgan, Barbara D., "Tracking and Controlling the Cost of Westlaw and Lexis." 13 Legal Management 6 (March-April 1994). (On Reserve ISB Library)

Najar, Ola, "Computerized Research in the Legal Arena." 39 Wayne Law Review 23 (Summer 1993). (On Reserve ISB Library)

Exercises: Due next class session.

1. Foster and Johnson, LEXIS--Part One and Two, Assignments 18 and 19. (ON RESERVE)

Session | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |

CLASS SESSION V - November 14, 1998

SECONDARY SOURCE MATERIALS: Finding and Using Secondary Authority - Legal Encyclopedias, Dictionaries (Legal and Judicial), Directories, Indexes, Legal Periodicals

Required Readings:

FLR, Chapter 16, pp. 374-387; Chapter 17, pp. 388 - 418; Chapter 19, pp. 453-474

Borasky, Daniellek, "An Analysis of World Wide Web Lawyer Directories," 20 Database 66 (August/September 1997).

Exercises: Due next class session.

1.    FLR - Nelson, Chapter 16, Assignment I, Questions 1-5 and Assignment 2, Questions 1-5

2.    FLR - Nelson, Chapter 17, Assignment I, Part I, Questions 1-5; AssignmentI, Part 2, Questions 1-5; Assignment I, Part 3, Questions 1-5;  Assignment 2, Part 1, Questions 1-5; Assignment 3, Part 1, Questions 1-5.

    

Part 2 OTHER SECONDARY SOURCE MATERIALS

OTHER SECONDARY SOURCE MATERIALS: Restatements; Monographs; Hornbooks; Texts and Treatises; Formbooks; Looseleaf Services: The use of Looseleaf Services in Legal Research; Uniform Laws; Bibliographies; Specialized Legal Research - Federal Tax Research.

Required Readings:

FLR, Chapter 18, pp. 419-452; Chapter 14, pp. 316-333.

Other Readings: Select and read two of the following articles and prepare for discussion in class.

Baum, Frederic S., AWhither CD-ROM Technology? - `Caveat Emptor= Is Wise Counsel For Potential Buyers@ and A Price, Kathleen and Elizabeth Evans, AIncreased Concerns About Obsolence May Be Unfounded.@ National Law Journal (July 15, 1996)S1-S10. (On Reserve ISB Library)

Blintniff, Barbara A., "Introducing CD-ROMS into a Law Library: Administrative Issues and Concerns," 84 Law Library Journal 725-740 (Fall 1992). (ISB)

McKenzie, Elizabeth M. and Margaret H. McDermott, "CD-ROM Journal Indexes: Wilsondisc Compared to LegalTrac" 84 Law Library Journal 439-460. (ISB)

Simpson, A. W. B., "The Rise and Fall of the Legal Treatise: Legal Principles and the Forms of Legal Literature," 48 University of Chicago Law Review 632-656 (On Reserve ISB Library)

Exercises: Due next class session.

1.    FLR - Nelson, Chapter 18, Assignment 3, Drill Problem A and B.

Session | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |

CLASS SESSION VI - December 5, 1998

TEXAS LAW

Required Readings:

Brandt, Lydia M.V. Texas Legal Research, Chapter 1, 13-22; Chapter 3, 59-75; Chapter 4, 77-128; Chapter 9, 309- 344; Chapter 13, 429-459; Chapter 14, 463-486. (On Reserve - ISB Library)

Part 2

INFORMATION ACCESS FOR LEGAL MATERIALS: The Role of the Reference Librarian in Legal Research and Problem Solving; Legal Reference Tools; Issues in Reference Service; Reference Ethics, Information Malpractice Liability; Unauthorized Practice of Law.

Required Readings:

Berring, Robert, How to be a Great Reference Librarian, 4 Legal

Reference Services Quarterly 17-37 (1983). (On Reserve ISB Library)

Krause, Margaret Maher and Gary McCann, "Reference: An Overview" in Law Librarianship: A Handbook for the Electronic Age. pp. 493-534, Littleton, CO: Fred B. Rothman & Co., 1995. (On Reserve ISB Library)

Houdek, Frank G. AA Day in the Law Library Life@ 89 Law Library Journal 157 (Spring 1997) Other Readings: Select and read two of the following articles and prepare for discussion in class.

Other Readings:  Select and read two of the following articles and prepare for discussion in class.

Begg, Robert, "The Reference Librarian and the Pro Se Patron," 69 Law Library Journal 26-32 (1976). (ISB Library) and (On Reserve ISB Library)

Bluh, Pamela, "Striking a Balance: Document Delivery in the Nineties." 85 Law Library Journal 599-608 (1993) (ISB Library)

Callinan, Ellen M. "Research Protocols in Reference Service: Informal Instruction in Law Firm Libraries." 82 Law Library Journal 39-59 (1990) (ISB Library)

Craig, Edward L, "Usage of Non-Legal Databases in Law Firm and Academic Law Libraries." 83 Law Library Journal 705-719 (1991). (ISB Library)

Crowther, Janet. "Legal Information for the Public: A Public Library Perspective," 84 Law Library Journal 559-566 (Summer 1992). (ISB Library)

Dunn, Don, "Service Strategies for Non-primary Patrons in Academic Law Libraries," 2 Legal Reference Services Quarterly 5-17 (1981). (On Reserve ISB Library)

Dunn, Mary Beth, "Legal Information Service for the Pro Se Patron." 48 Bookmark 290-292 (Summer 1990). (On Reserve ISB Library)

Elias, Steve, AThe Unauthorized Practice of Law - A First Amendment Atrocity.@ Nolo News (Fall 1993):14.(On Reserve ISB Library)

Garner, Kathy, "Lawyer-Librarians in Public Law Schools: The Ethical Conundrums of Pro Bono Activities," 84 Law Library Journal 31-66 (1993) (ISB Library)

Herskowitz, Susan, "Lawyer-Librarians in Public Law Schools: Too Many Unanswered Questions," 85 Law Library Journal 205 (1993).(ISB Library)

Jensen, Mary Brandt, "Is the Library Without Walls on a Collision Course with the 1976 Copyright Act?" 85 Law Library Journal 619 (1993).(ISB Library)

Leone, Gerome, "Malpractice Liability of a Law Librarian" 73 Law Library Journal 44- 44-65 (1980). (On Reserve ISB Library)

Middleton, Martha, "The Virtual Library Looms" and "Researchers Plug In" 15 National Law Journal 1, S1-S12 (July 12, 1993.)(On Reserve ISB Library)

Protti, Maria E, "Dispensing Law at the Front Lines: Ethical Dilemnas in Law Librarianship," 40 Library Trends 234 (ISB Library)

Rice, Michael, "Reference Service versus Unauthorized Legal Practice - Implications for the Canadian Reference Librarian," 10 Legal Reference Services Quarterly 41-57 (1990).(On Reserve ISB Library)

Studwell, Bobbie, Model Policies for Legal Information Service, 48 Bookmark 293-295 (Summer 1990)(On Reserve ISB Library)

Todd, Kay M, "Becoming a Virtual Librarian." and Susan P. Siebers, "E-Mail Can Streamline Services." National Law Journal B9-B13 (July 11, 1994)(On Reserve ISB Library)

Tomaiuolo, Nicholas G. and Barbara J. Frey, "Computer Database Searching and Professional Malpractice: Who Cares? (Concern of Medical and Law Librarians)" 80 Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 367 (1992). (ISB Library)

Session | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |

CLASS SESSION VII - December 12, 1998

PRESENTATION OF PROJECTS - BIBLIOGRAPHIES/PATHFINDERS

LEGAL RESEARCH IN ACTION: Levels of Research Service for Users in Different Institutional Settings: a panel of law librarians in private firms -a librarian from a large firm law library and a librarian from a one-man firm law library, a librarian from a corporate law library department (practitioners); public institutions - a librarian from a court law library (judges, clerks, practitioners), from a government law library (staff attorneys and employees) and from an institutional or prison law library (prisoners) and academic institutions - law school library (students and faculty).

COURSE REVIEW - EVALUATIONS

FINAL EXAMINATION: Saturday, July 24, 1999

Term Project

05/22/2003 01:35 PM
If you are having any problems with this site, please contact the Webmaster.