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1L Research Guide: Statutory Research

Look before you leap

Before you dive into cases interpreting your statute, try finding a secondary source that can provide a basic explanation of how the statute works. To find secondary sources that discuss your statute:

  • look in the "Library References" section of the Context & Analysis tab (on Westlaw) or the "Research References & Practice Aids" section (on Lexis+) of the annotations to your statute (see "Annotated codes" description below)
  • find a treatise or encyclopedia topic (see the Secondary Sources tab in this guide) that covers the general area that your statute falls into (e.g., for a statute about fair use, try a treatise on copyright or intellectual property)
  • Use the Table of Statutes in a general legal encyclopedia such as Cal. Jur. 3d (see the Secondary Sources tab in this guide)

Annotated codes

"Annotated" codes help you connect statutes to relevant cases (and secondary sources) that interpret or apply them.

  • look up the statute and look for case annotations -
    • on the Notes of Decisions tab (on Westlaw) or in a section below the text of the statute, usually labeled Case Notes or Notes to Decisions (on Lexis+)
    • These provide short blurbs ("squibs") about relevant caselaw
    • They are organized by topic (e.g., "Constitutionality," "Construction and application")
  • annotations are not binding law - they are editorial content added by the publishers
  • annotations differ between brands - one publisher's analysis may differ from the other (what cases to include, how to organize the blurbs, how to describe the holding), so check both if you can - you may find something new

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