www.library.usyd.edu.au

Introduction to Legal Research

Agenda

• 1pm to 1.50pm – Introductory Lecture

• 2pm to 2.55pm – Practical Online Session Group 1 (beginners)

• 3pm to 3.55pm – Practical Online Session

Group 2 (beginners)

• 4pm to 4.55pm – Practical Online Session

Group 3 (intermediate and advanced)

Introductory Lecture 1pm to 1.50pm

1. Types of legal material (and what they are good for)

2. Interpreting a case citation

3. Accessing legal abbreviations

4. Where to find cases

5. Where to find legislation

6. Where to find secondary sources

7. How to get the best out of the WWW

Practical Online Sessions2pm to 5pm

•Finding Australian & UK cases• Full text

• Additional information about cases

• Key databases for researching case law

www.library.usyd.edu.au

More classes!!

Starting point for legal research Law Library home page:

http://sydney.edu.au/library/libraries/law

1. Types of legal materialMaterial type Provides

Case law Authoritative record of the law

Legislation Authoritative record of the law

Legal Dictionaries & Encyclopaedias

Definitions & simple explanations

Textbooks More in-depth treatment of a particular area of the law

Journal articles Discussion of issues; summaries or overviews of a topic or case

2. Interpreting a case citation

Swain v Waverley Municipal Council

[2005] HCA 4

(2005) 220 CLR 517

Interpreting a case citation

• Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760

• Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61

• R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682

• Ayles v The Queen [2008] HCA 6

Case citations: the parties

• Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760

• Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61

• R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682

• Ayles v The Queen [2008] HCA 6

Case citations: year of the judgment

• Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760

• Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61

• R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682

• Ayles v The Queen [2008] HCA 6

Case citations: report details

• Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760

• Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61

• R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682

• Ayles v The Queen [2008] HCA 6

Case citations: square and round brackets

• Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760

• R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681

All ER[1969]

2

All ER[1970]

1

All ER[1970]

2

All ER[1971]

1

All ER [1971]

2

All ER[1972]

1

NSWLR

44

NSWLR

45

NSWLR

46

NSWLR

47

NSWLR

48

NSWLR

49

Case citations: pinpoint citations

• Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760

• Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61

• R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682

• Ayles v The Queen [2008] HCA 6

Case citations: medium neutral citations

• Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760

• Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61

• R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682

• Ayles v The Queen [2008] HCA 6

3. Accessing Legal Abbreviations

• Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations

• Law report, Journal and Court abbreviations

• Free web site: http://www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk/

Try also

• Laying Down the Law / Cooke et al.

• Good list in Appendix 4

• CaseBase

• Online database in the ‘Help’ section

4. Where to find cases

Information Type Australian UK

Full text Reported (via Law Reports A-Z)- Legal Online- LexisNexisAU

Justis(Westlaw)

Raw data AustLII BaiLII

Information about

CaseBaseLaws of Australia

CaseBase (some)

• All via Law Library homepage

• Practice in hands-on session this afternoon

5. Where to find legislation

Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth)

Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW)

• AustLII covers all Australian jurisdictions

• Go to: http://www.austlii.edu.au/ or:

• Law Library homepage > Law Databases > Legislation > AustLII

6. Secondary sourcesSource Provides

General

Specific

Legal Dictionaries Definitions

Legal Encyclopaedias Brief explanations

Textbooks More in-depth information

Journal articles Specific aspects of a topic eg. case notes, discussions of legal issues or backgrounds to a topic

• Best place to look for secondary sources:• Library catalogue:

http://opac.library.usyd.edu.au/

• Try AGIS for journal articles on a topic

Making the most of the Web• How big is the internet?

Checklist for choosing good websites

• Authority – is it a reliable source?• Objectivity – what motivation might the

author have for writing it?• Purpose – what is the intended

audience/use?• Currency – how up to date is it?• Accuracy – can you verify the information

in another source?

To Google or not to Google???

Use Google Advanced Search

Using Google Advanced Search

Checklist for choosing good websites

• Authority – is it a reliable source?• Objectivity – what motivation might the

author have for writing it?• Purpose – what is the intended

audience/use?• Currency – how up to date is it?• Accuracy – can you verify the information

in another source?