Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing, 6th edition

Published by Pearson (January 12, 2017) © 2018

  • Joanne B. Hames
  • Yvonne Ekern

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Research, analysis, and writing assignments throughout the text help students learn through real situations with numerous opportunities to practice the concepts and skills.

  • Short memorandums at the start of each chapter—From the Desk of W. J. Bryan, Esq.contain hypothetical factual situations to be researched and analysed by a fictional research associate.
  • NEW! End-of-chapter Write It Right writing examples and exercises target important skills for effective legal research and writing. Suggested answers in the Appendix allow students to evaluate their work.
  • End-of-chapter Online Research Exercises include research problems that can be completed in a law library or a “free” online research website.
  • End-of-chapter Citation Exercises provide hands-on experience.
  • Can You Figure It Out? features make use of the numerous sample pages or screen shots in the chapters to help students successfully complete assignments.
  • Test Yourself legal research problems with answers appear in the Appendix. This feature also includes a section called Write It Right, which include writing assignments preceded by an explanation and example, with suggested answers often provided in an Appendix. Included are a variety of basic and legal writing issues.
  • From the Writer’s Corner questions are included in the chapters.
  • Chapters also include a Chapter Summary, Terms to Remember, Citation Matters, Questions for Review, a Case Project, and Checklists for research and writing.
  • NEW! Updated and enhanced Chapter Objectives provide motivating learning goals.

All forms of legal research are incorporated, including print, free online research sites, and fee-based sites (Westlaw and Lexis Advance).

  • NEW! Expanded discussion of free Internet research websites includes an emphasis on government sites, affecting the current trend in legal research among legal professionals.
  • NEW! All Finding It Online URLs have been verified and updated, preventing students from unnecessary frustration from sites that are no longer active.
  • NEW! Substantial revisions to Chapter 11 provide students with the most current legal research websites and the newest screenshots.
  • NEW! To reflect the current preference to online research over print resources, many figures reflecting pages in print legal research materials have been deleted, making chapters easier to read.
  • NEW! Chapter 10, Westlaw and Lexis Advance, has been substantially updated and revised to eliminate discussion of first generation sites and concentrate on providing students with the most current information available.

Writing is incorporated throughout the book, including:

  • Writing exercises in each chapter,
  • Sample documents in relevant chapters, and
  • Running vocabulary throughout the text.

Helpful Appendices provide additional information on research case files, research and writing problems based on short-stated fact patterns, legal citation, research strategies, case briefing practice, supplemental cases, an answer key to the Test Yourself questions, and the U.S, Court System.

  • NEW! The Citation Guide in Appendix C has been updated to reflect changes in the 20th Edition of the Bluebook, reflecting the current status of citation rules.
  • NEW! The Answers to Test Yourself part of Appendix G has been revised<

Research, analysis, and writing assignments throughout the text help students learn through real situations with numerous opportunities to practice the concepts and skills.

  • End-of-chapter Write It Right writing examples and exercises target important skills for effective legal research and writing. Suggested answers in the Appendix allow students to evaluate their work.
  • Updated and enhanced Chapter Objectives provide motivating learning goals.

All forms of legal research are incorporated, including print, free online research sites, and fee-based sites (Westlaw and Lexis Advance).

  • Expanded discussion of free Internet research websites includes an emphasis on government sites, affecting the current trend in legal research among legal professionals.
  • All Finding It Online URLs have been verified and updated, preventing students from unnecessary frustration from sites that are no longer active.
  • Substantial revisions to Chapter 11 provide students with the most current legal research websites and the newest screenshots.
  • To reflect the current preference to online research over print resources, many figures reflecting pages in print legal research materials have been deleted, making chapters easier to read.
  • Chapter 10, Westlaw and Lexis Advance, has been substantially updated and revised to eliminate discussion of first generation sites and concentrate on providing students with the most current information available.

Helpful Appendices provide additional information on research case files, research and writing problems based on short-stated fact patterns, legal citation, research strategies, case briefing practice, supplemental cases, an answer key to the Test Yourself questions, and the U.S, Court System.

  • The Citation Guide in Appendix C has been updated to reflect changes in the 20th Edition of the Bluebook, reflecting the current status of citation rules.
  • The Answers to Test Yourself part of Appendix G has been revised to include suggested answers to the writing exercises in each chapter.

  1. Introduction to Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis
  2. The Starting Point: Analyzing Facts and Identifying Legal Issues
  3. Finding and Analyzing Case Law
  4. How To Read and Summarize a Case Law Decision
  5. Constitutions, Statutes, and Administrative Regulations
  6. Statutory and Constitutional Analysis
  7. Secondary Sources
  8. Digests
  9. Validating Your Research: Using Shepard's, KeyCite, and Other Citators
  10. Computer-Assisted Legal Research (CALR): Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law
  11. Computer-Assisted Legal Research (CALR): The Freely Accessible Internet
  12. Basic Legal Writing Skills
  13. The Memorandum of Law: Predictive Legal Writing
  14. Writing to the Court: Persuasive Writing
  15. Motion Practice: Research and Writing Issues
  16. Legal Correspondence

Appendices
A. Research Case Files
B. Research and Writing Problems Based on Short Stated Fact Patterns
C. Legal Citation
D. Research Strategies: An Overview
E. Case Briefing Practice
F. Supplemental Cases
G. Answer Key to "Test Yourself"
H. U.S. Court System  

Joanne Banker Hames is an attorney and paralegal educator who has been actively involved in paralegal education since 1977. She is an instructor in and the former coordinator for the ABA-approved paralegal program at DeAnza Community College in Cupertino, California, as well as an adjunct instructor at Santa Clara University's School of Law. She earned her JD from Santa Clara University Law School and has been an active member of the California Bar since 1972. As an attorney, she has been involved in research and writing for legal memoranda and appellate briefs. Among the classes she teaches are Legal Research and Writing, Advanced Legal Research and Writing, Advanced Legal Research Using Westlaw and Advanced Legal Research Using Lexis. She is the co-author of Civil Litigation, Introduction to Law, and Constitutional Law: Principles and Practice.

Yvonne Ekern is an Associate Clinical Professor of Law at Santa Clara University's School of Law and a full-time member of the Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing faculty. For seven years she was the chairperson of the West Valley College Paralegal Program (ABA approved). Prior to attending law school, she taught high school English and math in California and Missouri. She graduated from the University of Idaho School of Law in 1985. While working in criminal and family law offices, she taught part-time in several Silicon Valley paralegal programs. Among the classes she teaches are Legal Research and Writing, Advanced Legal Research and Writing, Appellate Advocacy, Advanced Legal Research and Writing Using Lexis, and Legal Analysis. She has over 25 years' teaching experience. She is the co-author of the texts Introduction to Law, and Constitutional Law: Principles and Practice.

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