Introduction To Legal Research

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INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL RESEARCH 3.

Legal research helps ensure that the law is applied


Legal research is the process of finding and fairly. By finding and understanding all relevant legal
understanding the laws, court decisions, and other legal information, lawyers and judges can make informed
information needed to solve a legal problem or answer a decisions that are just and equitable, which helps maintain
legal question. It involves looking up statutes (laws passed trust in the legal system.
by legislatures), regulations (rules made by government
agencies), and case law (decisions made by courts) to 4. Many legal issues are complicated and involve multiple
understand how the law applies to a specific situation. areas of law. Legal research helps professionals
understand all aspects of a problem, allowing them to find
Why Is Legal Research Important?
the best solution or course of action.
1. Lawyers use legal research to build strong arguments in
court. By finding relevant laws and past court decisions,
Role of Legal Research in the Work of Legal Professionals
they can make a convincing case for their clients. Judges
also rely on legal research to ensure their rulings are fair Lawyers: Legal research is a key part of a lawyer's job.
and consistent with the law. (Supporting Legal Decisions) Whether they are defending someone in court, giving legal
advice, or drafting a contract, they need to know what the
2. The law is constantly changing, with new laws being law says about a particular issue. Legal research helps
passed and old ones being updated or removed. Legal them find the relevant laws, cases, and other legal
research helps legal professionals stay current and materials to support their work.
ensures that they are using the most accurate and
up-to-date information when making decisions. Judges: Judges use legal research to ensure their rulings
are based on existing laws and precedents (past court
decisions). This ensures their decisions are consistent and •Law Journals: Scholarly articles written by legal experts.
fair and helps set clear guidelines for future cases.
Treatises: Books on specific areas of law.

Other Legal Professionals: Paralegals, law clerks, and legal Basic Steps of Conducting Legal Research
researchers assist lawyers and judges by conducting legal
•Step 1: Identify the Legal Issue or Question:
research. They help find and organize the legal
Understand the legal problem or question that needs to be
information needed for cases and decisions.
answered.

•Step 2: Gather Information: Begin with secondary


Types of Legal Resources
sources for background understanding, then move to
•Primary Sources: primary sources for authoritative information.

•Statutes: Laws passed by legislative bodies (e.g., •Step 3: Analyze and Interpret: Examine the relevance
Congress or Parliament). and application of the found resources to the legal issue.

•Regulations: Rules issued by government agencies to Step 4: Organize and Present Findings: Summarize and
implement laws. organize the information logically to support legal
arguments or decisions.
Case Law: Court decisions that interpret statutes and
regulations and establish legal precedents.

•Secondary Sources:Legal Encyclopedias: Provide


summaries and explanations of legal topics.

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