Ch 8: The Law Library

Question 1

A detailed index by subject on points of law covered by reported cases.

Answer 1

Digest

Question 2

A research aid which divides the law into primary sections, subsections, and topics.

Answer 2

Key Number System

Question 3

American Jurisprudence Second.

Answer 3

Legal Encyclopedia

Question 4

Computerized legal research.

Answer 4

Westlaw and Lexis.com

Question 5

Constitutions, codes, statutes, and ordinances.

Answer 5

Primary Authority

Question 6

Legal encyclopedias, treatises, digests, and legal texts

Answer 6

Secondary Authority

Question 7

Paperback pamphlets published weekly or monthly containing reported cases.

Answer 7

Advance Sheets

Question 8

Published court decisions published by region.

Answer 8

National Reporter System

Question 9

Reference to legal authorities and precedents to establish or fortify a case at law.

Answer 9

Citation

Question 10

Remarks, notes, case summaries, or commentaries following statutes that provide interpretations of the statutes.

Answer 10

Annotation

Question 11

Shepard and KeyCite

Answer 11

Citator

Question 12

Supplements to law books in pamphlet form that are inserted inside the back cover of law books.

Answer 12

Pocket Part

Question 13

Why is it important to Shepardize or KeyCite?

Answer 13

To make sure that the authority you are citing is still valid (it has not been overruled, changed, modified, or reversed); to find more relevant law.

Question 14

What is the name of the reporter system for your state?

Answer 14

Answers will vary depending on the state.

Question 15

Why is it essential to check the pocket part when doing legal research?

Answer 15

To be sure the statute has not been changed or repeale

Question 16

Name two types of information found in Martindale-Hubbell.

Answer 16

Any of the following would be correct:

• attorneys’ names and addresses alphabetically by state and city
• digests of state and foreign laws
• specialties and ratings of attorneys
• uniform laws
• Hague Convention

Question 17

Advance sheets

Answer 17

Paperback pamphlets published weekly which contain reporter cases, including correct volume and page number.

Question 18

Case law

Answer 18

That body of court decisions resulting from legal controversies over interpretations of substantive and procedural law.

Question 19

Citators

Answer 19

A publication that lists the citations to all of the judicial decisions that have cited a given case.

Question 20

Decision

Answer 20

The decision of the court.

Question 21

Federal Register

Answer 21

Published daily, contains federal administrative rules and regulations.

Question 22

Good law

Answer 22

Persuasive or mandatory case law that has not been reversed or overruled and may be used to support arguments in pleadings.

Question 23

Headnotes

Answer 23

Summary of each point of law contained in the court decision of a report case.

Question 24

Legal encyclopedias

Answer 24

Books that state principles of law supported by footnote references to pertinent cases throughout the U.S.

Question 25

Legal texts (or treatises)

Answer 25

Books that cover specific areas of the law, usually dealing with a single topic.

Question 26

Loose-leaf services

Answer 26

Loose-leaf replacement pages provided by a publisher in areas of the law where changes occur at a rapid rate.

Question 27

Mandatory legal authority

Answer 27

Primary legal authority that the court is required to follow.

Question 28

Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory

Answer 28

A publication of several volumes that contains names, addresses, specialties, and ratings of lawyers.

Question 29

Ordinances (not defined in this chapter)

Answer 29

A rule established by authority; may be a municipal statute of a city council regulating such matters as zoning, building, safety, matters of municipality, etc.

Question 30

Persuasive legal authority

Answer 30

Case law and analysis from other jurisdictions that may shed light on a case in which mandatory legal authority is ambiguous or nonexistent.

Question 31

Pocket parts

Answer 31

Supplements to law books in pamphlet form which are inserted in a pocket inside the back cover of the books to keep them current.

Question 32

Primary legal authority

Answer 32

Constitutions, codes, statutes, ordinances, and case law.

Question 33

Reporters

Answer 33

Books that contain published court decisions.

Question 34

Restatements

Answer 34

A publication that explains the law in a particular field.

Question 35

Secondary legal authority

Answer 35

(1) Legal encyclopedias, treatises, legal texts, law review articles, restatements, and essays;
(2) Writings which set forth the opinion of the writer as to the law.

Question 36

Session laws

Answer 36

The laws passed during a legislative session and compiled in volumes.

Question 37

Shepardizing

Answer 37

Checking the subsequent history of a reported court decision to make sure it has not been overturned by a higher court.

Question 38

Statutes at Large

Answer 38

Session laws enacted by Congress.

Question 39

Supremacy clause

Answer 39

This clause of the United States Constitution establishes that neither Congress nor any state legislature may enact laws that conflict with the U.S. Constitution.