CONTENTS

• Jurisdiction: Oregon

Contents

List of Tables and Figures xv

Series Note xix

Preface and Acknowledgments xxi

Chapter 1 • The Research Process and Legal Analysis 3

I. Oregon Legal Research 3

II. The Intersection of Legal Research and Legal Analysis 3

III. Types of Legal Authority 4

IV. Overview of the Steps in Legal Research 5

V. Preparing to Research 6

A. Gathering Facts, Determining the Issue, and Deciding Jurisdiction 7

B. Generating Research Terms 7

C. Choosing to Research in Print or Online 8

D. Selecting Online Sources for Legal Research 10

1. Commercial Providers 10

2. Free Online Providers 11

3. Government Websites 11

4. University and Law School Library Websites 12

5. Gateway Sites 12

E. Selecting Online Search Techniques 12

1. Beginning Research with a Citation 13

2. Searching with Terms and Connectors 14

3. Searching with Natural Language 15

4. Searching a Table of Contents or Index 16

5. Searching by Topic 17

6. Searching Databases, Pre-Limiting Searches,

and Applying Filters 17

7. Working with Documents Online 19

F. Using Print Research Techniques 19

G. Working with Law Librarians 20

VI. Researching the Law 20

Chapter 2 • The Constitution 23

I. Researching the Oregon Constitution 25

A. Free Online Sources for the Oregon Constitution 25

B. The Oregon Constitution on Lexis and Westlaw 26

C. The Constitution in Oregon Revised Statutes 26

D. The Constitution in West's Oregon Revised Statutes Annotated (WORSA) 27

II. Interpreting the Oregon Constitution 28

A. The Priest Framework 28

1. Text and Case Law 28

2. Historical Circumstances 29

B. Interpreting Other Constitutional Provisions and Amendments 31

III. United States Constitution 32

Chapter 3 • Judicial Opinions 35

I. Court Systems 35

A. Oregon Courts 36

B. Federal Courts 36

C. Courts of Other States 37

II. Oregon Cases 37

A. Reporters for Oregon Cases 37

B. The Anatomy of a Reported Case 38

C. Reporter Advance Sheets 42

D. Online Sources for Oregon Cases 42

III. Regional and Topical Reporters 44

A. Regional Reporters 44

B. Topical Reporters 46

IV. Reporters for Federal Cases 46

A. United States Supreme Court Cases 47

B. United States Courts of Appeals Cases 47

C. United States District Courts Cases 48

V. Reading and Analyzing Cases 48

A. A Thimbleful of Civil Procedure 49

B. Analyzing the Substance of Cases 50

C. Strategies for Reading Cases 52

Appendix 3-A. Case Excerpt from Lexis Advance 53

Appendix 3-B. Case Excerpt from Westlaw 54

Chapter 4 • Researching Judicial Opinions 55

I. Full-Text Searching in Case...