LIS 530 GLE: Legal Resources: Home

Legal citation is the practice of crediting and referring to authoritative documents and sources. In this course, and in many legal contexts,the citation format will follow guidelines set in The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (20th ed.).

Welcome to the LIS 530 GLE LibGuide. This semester you will be introduced to and practice the skills needed to search for relevant legal authority, both in print and electronic forms. These skills and conventions include how to find, choose, and cite to appropriate authority; how to evaluate legal resources; the ethical use of information in the law; and the legal research process.

In addition to the information outlined within the LibGuide itself, you will find a variety of external links and resources. You may find other texts, websites, and resources will be helpful supplements to this guide and your coursework.

Legal research plays a primary and important role in a lawyer's job.

In fact, legal research provides the necessary grounding for almost all legal work. Effective legal research will directly affect the outcome of your client's legal problem. A lawyer cannot advance the strongest argument if they cannot find the strongest legal support for that argument. Lawyers have an ethical obligation to their clients to be thorough and efficient legal researchers. Efficiency in legal research can be defined as (1) the best possible result, (2) in the least possible time, (3) at the lowest possible cost. Efficiency is achieved through knowledge of research techniques and practice over time.

Ineffective or incompetent legal research can not only hurt your client, but can lead to discipline, civil liability, or even disbarment for you. For an example of how this could happen, read Deters v. Davis, 2011 WL 2417055 (E.D. Ky. June 13, 2011).