Legal Research Sources Self-Quiz
An example
of a primary source is:
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A law digest
is:
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Mary is a
law librarian for the local trial court’s law library. A very confused
first year law student approaches her and asks her for a tour of the library,
a request with which Mary is happy to comply. As she follows Mary through
the library, the first year law students points to the United States Reports
and asks Mary what types of writings are contained within them. Mary responds
that the United States Reports is a reporter in which one will find:
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John and Laura
are opposing counsel in a negligence case involving a motor vehicle collision.
The plaintiff was struck while in the crosswalk by the defendant’s
vehicle. The defendant, represented by John, has asserted the defense
that although the plaintiff was in the crosswalk, the plaintiff was crossing
on a “do not walk” signal, and the defendant had the right
of way. The plaintiff argues that whether the defendant has the right
of way is irrelevant – because the plaintiff was in the crosswalk,
the defendant had the duty to use care to not hit the plaintiff. Both
John and Laura recognize that there is a split of opinion in the jurisdiction.
The judge, noting the split, asks John to explain the opinions of noted
legal scholars in tort law regarding the issue in question. To what authorities
should John refer?
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In the question
above, what other sources could John cite?
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John is beginning
his career as an environmental attorney in a small, non-profit organization.
John attended law school in Virginia. His new office, however, is in Oregon.
Unfamiliar with Oregon’s current environmental laws, it is a good
idea for John to first review:
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Andy is an
attorney licensed to practice in New York. Because New York has its
own reporter, Andy has never had any reason to look in any reporter
other than the New York Reports and other New York publications. Mike,
one of the senior partners in Andy’s firm, asks Andy to look
in the regional reporter in the library and find a specific Connecticut
judicial decision. Andy, having never heard of a regional reporter,
asks Mike for a definition of regional reporter. Mike explains that
a regional reporter is:
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Legal encyclopedias
only discuss national legal trends:
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Joe is an
attorney who specializes in medical malpractice. Carol, an old, personal
friend of Joe’s is in a motor vehicle accident and asks Joe to represent
her as a “personal favor”. Joe agrees, but is concerned that
he knows little about the area of law concerning motor vehicle collisions.
Out of the following, which will Joe find the most useful for gaining
a deep understanding of the law in his jurisdiction concerning motor vehicle
collisions?
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Why is reviewing
the volume’s pocket part essential?
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