Why should I use a secondary source?
Why should I use ALR?
To find cases from many different jurisdictions on a very narrow topic. It allows you to see trends in case law across jurisdictions.
Available in print:
American Law Reports(ALR)Available Online:
A great place to start your research, especially if you are researching a topic new to you. Footnotes will lead you to relevant cases and statutes.
Available in print:
American Jurisprudence (Am Jur) 2dNew York Jurisprudence (NY Jur) 2dAvailable online:
What is a treatise?
A one- or multiple-volume work on a particular legal area written by an expert. Excellent place to familiarize yourself with a subject and obtain references to primary sources. Two examples of treatises in print format in the Law Library:
Nimmer on copyright; a treatise on the law of literary, musical and artistic property, and the protection of ideasCriminal Law. Sixth edition by How can I identify a treatise on a particular topic?
Treatises online:
Restatements
What are the Restatements?
Detailed summaries of the law of the United Stated published by the ALI (American Law Institute).
"Restatements are primarily addressed to courts and aim at clear formulations of common law and its statutory elements, and reflect the law as it presently stands or might appropriately be stated by a court." (from the American Law Institute (ALI) website)
Available in print:
Restatement of the law, second--contracts 2dRestatement of the law, second, torts 2d.Available online:
Why should I consult jury instructions?
These instructions are useful for background research because each instruction is followed by a comment which explains the legal rules and any cases the rules originate from. The language tends to concisely describe the laws and rules in "plain English."
Available in print:
New York pattern jury instructions--civilCriminal Jury Instructions, New YorkFederal Jury Practice and InstructionsAvailable online:
Law review and journal articles can be located by searching 'periodical indexes" or by searching databases with the full text of articles.
Links to law and law-related indexes and full-text article databases available at UB are located here:
A useful tool for identifying books and other materials on topics of interest.
A UB Online Catalog SEARCH will lead you to:
• Books on the shelf in all the UB Libraries
• Selected E-Books UB subscribes to
• Titles of Journals (in paper or electronic format)
• Websites (selective)
• Titles of Microform collections
Other Library Catalogs to Explore:
(WHY? If you can identify it, we can get it for you! Use Delivery+ to place a request!)
• Harvard Law Library (HOLLIS)
• Library of Congress
• New York Public Library
• British Library
Search thousands of online catalogs at once (3 versions of WorldCat):
• First Search WorldCat TIP: Click on “Advanced Search”
• WorldCat Discovery
• WorldCat.org (Free version)[once you click on a search result, enter your zip code under “Find a copy in the Library”]
