Legal Resources: Use Secondary Sources

Recorded Webinar from the Alaska State Library, January 28, 2016

A webinar from the Alaska State Library, May 21, 2015

Available at the Alaska State Court Law Library in print and through Westlaw. A comprehensive A-Z list of legal topics. Within each legal topic the rules of law are explained, including some differences in treatment among the states. Also cites supporting state and federal cases. Contains over 140 volumes.

An easy to browse "plain-English" dictionary.

This is a community built resource, but according to the website, entries are edited by legal experts.

Developed by a law librarian, this site functions as an encyclopedia, collection of links, and legal research guide. Entries are organized by topic and cross-referenced. The guide continues to grow as Zimmerman adds entries, and researchers propose their own additions.

Covers the basics of legal research, free online legal resources, international law and more.

Guides cover topics as wide ranging as accounting and tax, corporate law, laws of various states, and using case digests.

Contains research guides and link lists to help researchers understand and find legislative and administrative law.

Covers researching administrative law, federal legislative history, foreign and international law, federal statutes, secondary legal resources, judicial decisions, and more.

Search USA.gov for federal agency websites

Search or browse alaska.gov for state agency websites

You need to be at one of the Law Library's locations to use Hein, but it's worth the trip. Among the many other resources, you'll find hundreds of legal periodicals.

From the website: "Searches free full-text of over 400 online law reviews and law journals, as well as document repositories hosting academic papers and related publications such as Congressional Research Service reports."

Identifies and links to over 100 law reviews and journals and sources for finding law review and journal articles

Before relying on a case in a legal proceeding, it is good practice (some say essential) to make sure it has not been overruled or adversely affected by other legal authorities. Anyone can use KeyCite through the Alaska State Court Law Library's public access Westlaw service. State employees can contact the Alaska State Library for assistance with using Shepards.

Digests group cases by legal issue. West assigns each legal issue a headnote and key number to organize cases by topic. West's Alaska Digest covers Alaska state and federal cases since 1869. The digest is available at many Alaska State Court Law Library locations. People can also review case summaries by headnote and key number through the Alaska State Court Law Library's public access Westlaw service. Lexis also assigns headnotes to cases to help users find cases by legal topic. State employees may ask the Alaska State Library for assistance in finding cases by headnote using the library's Lexis subscription.

Covers how to cite judicial opinions, constitutions and statutes, agency and executive materials such as regulations, and other legal sources. This is a comprehensive guide, suitable for people who are engaged in legal writing.

Includes Federal and state cases, statutes, administrative codes, briefs, journals and law reviews, American Jurisprudence legal encyclopedia and forms, jury verdicts and more. Anyone can use Westlaw at one of the law library's public access computers at 16 locations throughout Alaska.