Legal Research Using Lexis Nexis Academic

An introduction to searching the Lexis Nexis Academic database to find legal information.

1. Finding Legal Information Using Lexis Nexis Academic Laura Wilson Reference Librarian Framingham State College Fall 2010

2. What is Lexis Nexis Academic? Database that offers full-text access to news, business and legal information Legal information includes: Case law, statutes and regulations U.S. Supreme Court decisions 1790-present Legal news and law reviews State court decisions at all court levels Federal laws from 1988 to present Federal regulations Codes for all 50 states and territories

3. Getting Started Searching a database is a different experience than using a search engine like Google In a database, search using keywords - specific words and synonyms of those words related to your topic Brainstorm for keywords before starting your research Combine two or more keywords with the word AND Ex: health care and elderly Combining keywords will retrieve results that are more specifically related to your topic if your original search retrieved too many irrelevant results

4. Getting Started Go the library’s homepage: http://www.framingham.edu/henry-whittemore-library Click “A-Z List of Databases” Click “Lexis Nexis Academic Universe” If you are off-campus, you will be prompted to login to the database using your Blackboard username and password

5. Getting Started There are two main areas where you can search for US legal information in Lexis Nexis Academic

6. Search for a Case Search for a case in the “Look up a Legal Case” box Search by citation, specific party names, or topic Searching by topic will search for your keywords in the headnotes and core terms of the case . Headnotes summarize the points of law involved in a legal case using the same language employed by the judge in writing the decision . Core terms are index terms assigned to the case by Lexis Nexis.

7. US Legal Tab By clicking the “US Legal” tab in the left column, a number of options open that you can use to search or browse for information

8. US Legal: Federal and State Cases Click on the “US Legal” Tab, then click “Federal and State Cases” Combine citation, party names, legal topics, etc. Limit by date or jurisdiction Combine name, topic, etc. Limit by date and /or jurisdiction

9. Search Results When you click on a result from your search, the record will include a “Case Summary” section near the top, which will tell you the summary of the case and its outcome

10. US Legal: Shepard’s Citations Shepard’s Citations and Shepardizing: Gives the entire history of how a particular case is treated in the legal world “Shepardize” directly within the record of a case Enter a legal citation in the Shepard’s Citations section of the US Legal tab to review if the case is still “good law” Part of the ruling may have been overruled, overturned, reversed, etc.

11. US Legal : Landmark Cases Browse though a list of the most “popular” Federal and State cases Organized by topic (abortion, civil rights, etc.)

12. US Legal : Supreme Court Briefs Search Supreme Court Briefs Search for your keyword in the full-text by selecting “everywhere” You can also search for briefs by citation, party names, counsel, brief type, and more.

13. US Legal: Federal and State Statutes, Codes and Regulations Search or browse federal or state statutes, codes and regulations

14. US Legal : Law Reviews Search secondary source materials (law reviews, articles in law journals) Limit Date Limit by topic Search

15. US Legal : Legal Reference Search in legal reference materials including American Jurisprudence 2 d and legal dictionaries

16. Need help? If you need help, click the or the There are also guides and video tutorials available under “ Help & Instructions ”

17. Need help? If you need more help searching Lexis Nexis Academic, feel free to contact or make an appointment with a librarian at FSU Call the Reference Desk at 508-626-4654 Email : [email protected]