FINDING THE LAW ON A TOPIC
Prepared by Karen Kimber, Social Sciences and Humanities Team Leader
Paul Laurence Dunbar University, Wright State University
For broader information on legal research, see Legal Research Basics
Introduction
The following categories of publications may help you get started when you need to do legal research on a topic.
They are listed starting with the most general resources and moving progressively to more technical legal sources.
Encyclopedias for Laypersons
Often it is useful to consult a broad overview which summarizes your topic in relation to various types of law.
A brief summary for your topic may be included in one or all of these encyclopedias written for laypersons:
- American Justice. Ref KF154.A44 1996
- Magill's Legal Guide. Ref KF385.M35 2000
- West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2nd ed. 2004
- The 1st ed. (10 vols.) is also available in print format: Ref KF154.W47 1998
Law Summaries Arranged or Indexed by Subject
- Wex (Law about ... ) - Alphabetical listing of topics (provided by Legal Information Institute/Cornell Law School)
- Historic U.S. Court Cases: An Encyclopedia. 2nd ed. 2 vols. Ref KF385 .A4J64 2001
- Landmark Decisions of the United States Supreme Court, by Paul Finkelman and Melvin I. Urofsky. Ref KF4549.F56 2003
- Landmark Legislation, 1774-2002: Major U.S. Acts and Treaties, by Stephen W. Stathis. Ref KF68.S73 2003
- Landmark Supreme Court Cases: A Reference Guide, by Donald E. Lively. Ref KF4549.L58 1999
- Landmark Supreme Court Cases: The Most Influential Decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States , by Gary Hartman, Roy M. Mersky, and Cindy Tate Slavinski. Ref KF8742 .H37 2004
- Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions (1999)
Print copy also available: Ref KF4548 .O97
- A Practical Companion to the Constitution: How the Supreme Court Has Rulled on Issues from Abortion to Zoning, by Jethro K. Lieberman. Ref KF4548.L54 1999
Books on Specific Topics
Try a keyword search (e.g., employment and law) in the Library Catalog.
When you find a book that interests you, look for similar books by clicking on any highlighted subject listed in the book's record.
(An example of a subject heading is Environmental law - United States.)
You may want to expand your search to the OhioLINK Central Catalog to find books you may request from other academic libraries in Ohio.
Annotated Codes
Use one of the sources above to find a citation to the relevant section in an annotated code.
A code is a compilation of legislation arranged by topic.
An annotated code adds citations to related regulations and case law.
- Annotated version of the United States Code
- Annotated versions of the Ohio Revised Code
- LexisNexis Academic - Provides Page's Ohio Revised Code Annotated
- Baldwin's Ohio Revised Code Annotated. Ref KFO 30 1970 .A2
Digests
Digests are compilations arranged by subject which give very short summaries of court decisions.
- Digest of United States Supreme Court Reports. KF101.1.A5D5
- West's Ohio Digest. KFO 57.A5W5
Encyclopedias for Lawyers
The main focus of these encyclopedias is case law, although they also include some information on statutory and administrative law.
They are written for lawyers, and their vocabulary and organization reflect that fact.
Supplements update them regularly.
- Federal case law
- American Jurisprudence. KF154.A422
- Ohio case law
- Ohio Jurisprudence. KFO 65.O37
Law Reviews and Other Periodicals
To find information on very specific topics, periodical articles may be useful.
- Legal Collection
- LexisNexis Academic
Choose Legal toward the top of the opening screen. You can combine a topic search with a type of publication search, e.g., Law Reviews & Journals
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