Research and Course Guides: PO SC 4360: Law, Courts & Politics: Reference & Citation

General Legal Reference

West's Encyclopedia of American Law
Publication Date: 2004-08-27
eBook; click on title to view.
Information on more than 5,000 legal topics.
National Survey of State Laws
Call Number: KF386 .N38
Summarizes state laws on a variety of topics from adoption to DUI. Citations are included & are useful for finding the full legal text.
Dictionary of Legal Terms: A Simplified Guide to the Language of Law
Publication Date: 1998-01-01
eBook; click title to view
Black's Law Dictionary, Standard Ninth Edition
Call Number: Reference (4th floor) KF156 .B53 2009
ISBN: 9780314199492
Martindale-Hubbell® Legal Professionals Listings
In LexisNexis, choose "US Legal" from the left sidebar & select "Legal Reference."

American Jurisprudence
A broad overview of the law, organized by legal topic. Am Jur 2d articles collect, examine, & summarize the broad principles of American law & at the same time, provide direct leads to supporting cases, related annotations, forms, proofs, & trial techniques.

Use popular and political journals and magazines to find a research topic of interest. Case names often mentioned.

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
In-depth reports on issues in the news. Each includes an introductory overview; background & chronology on the topic; an assessment of the current situation; tables & maps; pro/con statements from representatives of opposing positions; & bibliographies of key sources.
Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
A great starting point for full-text articles from political science journals, as well as magazines & newspapers. Find book reviews here, too.

LexisNexis Academic: Shepard's Citations
Click "US Legal" in the left sidebar & select "Shepard's Citations."
The Shepard's Citations Service provides a comprehensive case citation & treatment history to verify the validity of case law, statutes, agency opinions, & other legal documents. Only case law is covered in LexisNexis Academic.

Introduction to Basic Legal Citation
Free eBook; click on title to view.

From the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University Law School.
Legal Citation Formats from LexisNexis
In LexisNexis, if you are searching for a legal citation you must use the precise format, including exact punctuation. This page provides numerous examples, based on citation formats found in the Uniform System of Case Citation (Blue Book).
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation
Call Number: KF245 .U54, latest in Reference
Prince's Bieber Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations
Call Number: Reference (4th floor) KF246 .B46 2009
Enables users to identify the meaning of abbreviations & acronyms employed in American legal literature (Part I) & also to identify the abbreviations for titles, names, & terms used (Part II, the reversed portion).
6th edition (5th edition available via LexisNexis -- US Legal -- Legal Reference).