As one of the largest online law libraries in the world, Fastcase provides online access to jurisprudence, laws, regulations, constitutions, court rules, and law review articles, making legal research and analysis faster and easier. The combination of more digitized legal resources and the development of new technologies means that there is now an overwhelming amount of legal information that can be found online. The good news? Many of these legal research resources can be found online for free (if you really want to dive deep, browse this comprehensive resource for a detailed list of free legal research options.) The process is simple: drag and file a plea or complaint, and Casetext`s AI search, CARA, will find relevant cases – whether it`s to improve your search for your own drafts or to look for missing or omitted cases in opposing counsel`s pleadings and complaints. Convenience is even smoother thanks to Casetext`s Clio integration, which allows you to send a Clio document to CARA with just one click. Access to the file is also possible via the publicly accessible terminals of the registry of the court where the case was brought. Find a case before the Federal Court using Public Access to the Court`s Electronic Records (PACER) or by visiting the clerk`s office of the courthouse where the case was filed. In addition, older legal information may not yet be available online. In this situation, visiting a library can be useful because you can find archived legal information that is not available elsewhere. You can also find potential collaborators in your colleagues (and librarians) who will also do research there.

This staff is a great source of information about arguments that have worked in the past and can help you find local knowledge that you may not be able to discover on your own. The Cases and Codes section of FindLaw contains resources and links to state and federal laws. This includes resources related to constitutions, articles, business, etc. Search for case summaries or select a jurisdiction to search for applicable law. As part of the mission to make all published U.S. court decisions freely available for online publication, the Caselaw Access Project (CAP) offers free access to all official U.S. case law published in books — each volume designated as the official report on court decisions in the United States through June 2018 (fun fact: The first available case dates back to 1658.). All 360 years of U.S. case law data were digitized from the Harvard Law Library collection. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States.

Courts below the federal level include the U.S. Court of Appeals, U.S. District Courts, U.S. Court of Claims, U.S. Court of International Trade, and U.S. bankruptcy courts. Federal courts hear cases involving matters related to the U.S. Constitution, other federal laws and regulations, and certain cases involving parties from different states or countries and numerous disputes.

Most records prepared prior to 1999 are kept only on paper. Access paper documents from the court where the case was filed or at one of the Federal Document Centres (RCFs). Contact the court where the case was filed for more information. Whether paid legal research platforms are outside the firm`s budget or you simply want to find cost-effective ways to conduct thorough research for your cases, today`s free legal research resources help you be more efficient so you can serve your clients more effectively – and stay ahead of the competition. Each state has its own judicial system, which includes courts of first instance and appeal. The highest court in each state is often referred to as the “Supreme Court,” although there are some exceptions to this rule, for example, the New York Court of Appeals or the Maryland Court of Appeals. State courts typically hear cases involving state constitutional cases, state laws, and regulations, although state courts can usually hear cases with federal laws as well. States also generally have courts that deal with only a certain subset of legal issues, such as family law and inheritance. One of the best ways to become a more effective legal researcher is to stay one step ahead.

The best way to do it? Maintain your expertise by keeping abreast of the latest developments in your field by regularly reading legal journals and legal blogs. Define data requirements for research using the Integrated Database of Federal Supreme Court Cases (IDB), which is provided free of charge by the Federal Judicial Centre. The IDB has case data (not documents) for criminal, civil, appeal, and bankruptcy cases that can help researchers narrow down their queries. In the past, paid search platforms were the only choice, so we accepted legal research tools as an expensive but necessary expense for law firms. Today, however, the industry landscape has changed dramatically, with many great free tools available online, making free legal research a viable option for law firms looking to allocate funds to other areas of their practice without compromising the quality of their research. LexBlog – an online network of over 22,000 legal bloggers – is a hub for the latest comments on the law. LexBlog sorts blogs by channels, making it easy to find and subscribe to legal blogs that focus on your specific area of law. Search case law, codes, regulations, regulations, and articles related to federal and state affairs with Justia`s extensive free database. Designed to make the law more accessible to everyone, FindLaw`s FindLaw for Legal Professionals division provides free online legal content, including state and federal court jurisprudence, case summaries, bylaws, and legal news. Fastcase also has the most benefits for members with the bar associations of all legal research providers. You may already have access to it through your cash fees.

Cornell Law School`s Legal Information Institute (LII) offers free access to most U.S. laws online, making it a good resource if you need to find a law or regulation, while also providing online access to legal documents such as: As valuable as legal databases are for your case search, There are also other alternative sources. where you can find information and resources to support your legal research. Below, we offer you free and affordable options to create your case. Technically, number six on this list isn`t free, but inexpensive options for AI-based legal research can make a big difference in your results. Casetext`s search is powered by AI, which helps you conduct legal research better and faster, find cases and other authorities on the same facts, legal issues, and jurisdictions as your case. Here are some resources you can access directly online: Sometimes the easiest way to get the information you need is to be direct. You can find many case law and court documents online for free. Lawmakers and courts publish their own documents, sometimes available online as downloadable PDFs – a convenience that never existed until recently.

Note, however, that some online versions are not considered “official” and may be refuted by the print version, even if they come from the same source. The direct benefit of researching staying up to date? If you maintain expertise, you already have certain cases and ideas in mind – so when you`re faced with a case, you don`t have to start from scratch every time. There are many up-to-date online legal research guides, many of which have been written by librarians at universities and public law libraries. In addition to the George Mason Law Library`s research guides, other recommended sources for research guides include: A paid subscription to ROSS Intelligence is another way to use AI to improve your legal research. Ross` AI-powered tool allows you to focus your searches by highlighting the unique facts of your case, helping you identify cases with the same procedural position presented in your case, and more. Keep in mind, however, that while this information is easily accessible through primary sources, you`re probably missing out on the advanced search or analytics features you`ll find on search engines and legal databases. Casetext`s AI search is a paid but inexpensive option for legal research – although you can try it out for free with a 14-day trial. Want the easiest way to research case law? On the main Google Scholar page, select the “Jurisdiction” button below the search box to search for case law filtered by jurisdiction. Free legal research tools were a dream. High-quality legal research is a necessity for all law firms – after all, finding the right precedent or law could give you the advantage of winning your case – but does it have to be expensive? For more primary sources and articles on legal practice, see our Professional Reference Documents section. Please note that if you are requesting a fee waiver from a single court and/or for purposes other than research, please contact that court directly. While Google Scholar isn`t specifically designed for legal research, it allows you to comprehensively search and access scholarly literature, meaning it`s an effective and free way to find legal documents such as patents, legal opinions, law journals, and articles.

Legal research can be tedious and time-consuming, but it is often also the key to success as a lawyer. Here are 10 tips to help you improve. Information on access to advisory opinions and case documents for the United States Supreme Court is available on the Court`s website. And thanks to integration with Clio, Fastcase makes it easy to keep track of the time you spend on legal research closely and keep your research organized. Without having to leave Fastcase, with the Clio integration, you can: Another free research resource hosted by LII is Wex – a free legal dictionary created by the community and a legal encyclopedia created and edited by legal experts.