Legal Research & Writing

UBC – Law in ContextUsing secondary sources

30 January 2007

Contents

1. Why secondary sources?

2. Use of s.s. in facta

3. Use of s.s. in decisions

4. Finding secondary sources

Why secondary sources?

Useful overview of issue• narrative form

References to key cases & statutes• starting point• find primary – note up

Advocacy – fresh arguments & rhetoric Useful authority in court

• e.g. Stoney Creek Indian Band – factum (slide)

• e.g. aboriginal title & rights cases

Using s.s. in memos/facta

“Secondary sources”: Texts (note bibliographies)

Journal/law review/trade articles

Law reform reports & consultations

Government publications

Conference proceedings• e.g. CLE updates - current

Using s.s. in memos/facta

Bonnie Mooney v. A.G. (B.C.) Pages 86-90 of LiC readings

• paras. 6-10 – social-science evidence of problem– police experience in practice

• 11 – judicial notice: Oppal commission

• 12 – crafting evidence into argument• 13-17 – s.s. to bolster the argument• 18 – connecting to facts of Mooney

case• 19-20 – policy arguments built on s.s.

Use of s.s. in decisions

Bazley v. Curry, [1999] 2 S.C.R. 534 Authors cited: major works + articles Fleming on torts: at paras. 26, 29-30 Others on specific points

R.D.S. v. Canada (A.G.) – S.C.C. 1997 LiC readings at 25-56:

• at 28 – para. 17 – leg. history (found via s.s.)• at 31 – Blackstone; Cardozo; Devlin (cf. LiC at

57)

Finding secondary sources

Handout – “Secondary Sources Online” UBC – full catalogue search E-journals: http://toby.library.ubc.ca/ejournals/ejournals.cfm Commercial databases:

• QuickLaw, WestlaweCarswell, Lexis/Nexis• Hein Online• Legal Trac (texts and articles)

Journals note 1: always check lists of sources note 2: start with indexes + lrw page (&

youtube)

Gratuitous feline photos

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