Legal Research Basics

Encyclopedias (1^st floor)

Legal encyclopedias are useful at the beginning of a research project. They provide broad information on specific topics. While useful, encyclopedias should not be considered authoritative sources.

• Corpus Juris Secundum (CJS) (KF154 .C6)
• American Jurisprudence 2d (AMJUR) (KF154 .A42)
• Florida Jurisprudence 2d (FLJUR) (KFF80 .F56)

Dictionaries (1^st and 2^nd floor)

Legal dictionaries provide the definitions of legal terms, citations, and abbreviations.

• Black’s Law Dictionary (KF156.B53) The latest edition is on reserve at the circulation desk.
• Prince’s Bieber Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations (KF246.B46)
• Prince’s Bieber Dictionary of Legal Citations (KF246.P73)

 Form/Model Jury instructions and Causes of Actions treatises

If you do not quickly find the necessary "elements" that give rise to a specific crime or civil cause of action, you can almost always find those elements listed in one of these two types of sources. The print resources most frequently used for that exercise are,

• Florida Causes of Actions (KFF533 .B47)
  
• Florida Elements of an Actions (KFF80.W46 v.21)
  
• Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases (KFF542 .A65 F55) A version is available to law students on Lexis.
• Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases (KFF583 .A65 F55)
• Modern Federal Jury Instructions (KF9682.A65 M64) Available to law students on Lexis.
  
• Shepard's Causes of Action (KF8863 .S53)

Treatises

A treatise is an in-depth scholarly work on a specific topic. It could be a single or multi-volume work. Use the catalog to search for the legal topic area, filtering for either 'Title' or 'Subject Heading' in order to return the most relevant results.

American Law Reports (2^nd floor)

American Law Reports (ALR) offers in-depth analysis of specific points of law. ALR can be a good resource for finding cases. ALR can be searched using Lexis or Westlaw, or it can be found in the print collection.

• American Law Reports (KF132.A5216)

Law Reviews and Legal Periodicals (3^rd floor)

Law reviews are scholarly journals. Most are edited by law students. Almost every law school publishes at least one law review; some publish several. The Current Index to Legal Periodicals (CILP) covers the most recent eight weeks of legal periodicals and law reviews. The library also owns the print version of the Index to Legal Periodicals, which covers 1908-1994. Law reviews and journals can be searched using Westlaw (ILP, CILP), Lexis (ILP), and HeinOnline.

• Index to Legal Periodicals (ILP) (K33. N32)

Words and Phrases (1^st Floor)

•  Words and Phrases, (KF156 .W67)

Restatements (2^nd floor)

Restatements are written by members of the American Law Institute. They are highly annotated and useful for conducting more in-depth studies on their specifically covered topics .

Legal encyclopedias are divided into volumes, and composed of several distinct parts.

One key part of the encyclopedia set is the general or 'topical' index. This is the first place you would look when starting your research.

The main and largest part of the encyclopedia set consists of the individual entries for the legal area subject or topic, arranged in alphabetical order. One volume may contain several topics. Each topic is further divided into sections, with a broad and then a detailed outline at the beginning ot the topic.

Finally, the encyclopedia will have one or more other parts, usually consisting of few volumes near the end of the set, for finding aids, or tables lsting case names or laws and statutes, and other material that assist you in using the set.

The three major legal encyclopedias, all located on the first floor, are:

Florida Jurisprudence 2nd (referred to as Fla Jur), KFF80 .F56. Fla Jur covers Florida law. It is available online via both Lexis and Westlaw.

Corpus Juris Secundum (referred to as CJS), KF154. A42. CJS is a national encyclopedia. It is available online via Westlaw.

American Jurisprudence 2nd (or AmJur), KF156 .C6. AmJur is another encyclopedia with national coverage. It is also available via both Lexis and Westlaw.

To find a relevant encyclopedia entry for a legal topic, you generally begin by searching the Index. The listings there direct you to a specific section for that topic. You should also review the outline at the beginning of the topic.

Another place to examine is the 'Research References' listing at the beginning of each topic entry. Those  references can be very helpful. They list the database identifiers you can use for searching online, associated West digest key numbers, and law review articles and other secondary sources related to the encyclopedia topic entry.

Some of the hardback bound volumes are not updated for several years. So, as always, remember to check out the pocket parts or companion softbound supplements for the latest updates.

Though not normally a place to begin your research, the Words and Phrases set can sometimes be handy in quickly finding one or two cases that provide a definition of a word or phrase used as legal terminology. 

The volumes allow you to search for a phrase or word considered "terms of art". If the word or phrase is included, you are provided cites for cases using the word or phrase. From the book or the case you can determine the West key number and expand your search from there.

Lexis allows you to search for "defined" words and phrases. The Westlaw database contains the same content as the print volumes.

In print the resource is available in three locations:

• The larger 46 volume national set, call number (KF156 .W67)
• The relevant volumes near the end of West's Florida Digest, 
• and a third version at the end of the Fla. Jur. volumes.

Of course, the Florida sets will not contain as many entries. On the other hand, if the term is defined, the definition refers you directly to a Florida case.