TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Jurisdiction: North Carolina

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL RESEARCH.............. 1

A. OVERVIEW............................................... 1

B. UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS.............................. 1

C. LEGAL SEARCH ENGINES................................... 5

D. COMMERCIAL OR FEE-BASED SOURCES ....................... 5

[1] Lexis Advance and WestlawNext............................... 5

[2] Selected Other Fee-Based Sites................................ 7

E. FREE WEBSITES ........................................... 8

[1] Selected General Websites....................................9

[2] Selected Federal Government Sources ........................... 9

[3] Selected State and Local Sources .............................. 10

[4] Selected Law School Websites ................................ 11

F. PROPER CITATION FORM .................................. 11

Chapter 2 CASE LAW RESEARCH........................... 13

A. OVERVIEW .............................................. 13

[1] Types of Authority ........................................ 14

[a] Primary Authority ....................................... 14

[b] Secondary Authority ..................................... 14

[2] The Foundation .......................................... 15

[3] The Court System......................................... 16

B. CASE LAW ORGANIZATION................................ 18

[1] Official and Unofficial Reports................................ 18

[2] The Organization of Reported Cases............................ 19

[a] Jurisdiction ............................................ 19

[b] Geography ............................................ 19

[c] Subject Matter .......................................... 19

[3] The Stages of Publication................................... 19

[a] Slip Opinions .......................................... 19

[b] Advance Sheets ......................................... 20

[c] Bound Volumes ......................................... 20

[4] Subject Access ........................................... 20

C. CASE LAW LOCATION METHODS ............................ 22

[1] Name Method ............................................ 24

[a] Plaintiff's Name........................................ 24

[i] Print Version ......................................... 24

[ii] Electronic Version ..................................... 24

[iii] Internet Version....................................... 25

[b] Defendant's Name....................................... 26

[i] Print Version......................................... 26

[ii] Electronic Version ..................................... 26

[iii] Internet Version ....................................... 26

[c] Popular Name.......................................... 27

[i] Print Version......................................... 27

[ii] Electronic Version ..................................... 27

[2] Definitional Method....................................... 27

[a] Words and Phrases "Permanent Edition"....................... 27

[i] Print Version ......................................... 27

[ii] Electronic Version..................................... 29

[b] Words and Phrases "Digest Edition".......................... 30

[i] Print Version......................................... 30

[ii] Electronic Version ..................................... 30

[c] Black's Law Dictionary................................... 30

[i] Print Version ......................................... 30

[ii] Electronic Version ..................................... 30

[3] Descriptive Word Method ................................... 30

[a] Print Version ........................................... 30

[b] Electronic Version....................................... 34

[4] Topic Method............................................ 35

[a] Print Version ........................................... 35

[b] Electronic Version ....................................... 35

[5] American Law Reports (A.L.R.)............................... 37

[a] Print Version ........................................... 37

[i] Overview of A.L.R...