Where to Start You may feel overwhelmed when you first attempt to do legal research. Yes, there are many ways to tackle to problem and there is usually no right or wrong way to start. If you don't have a legal background or training, the variety of choices can be bewildering. This guide is intended to familiarize you with some of the basic tools and methods of legal research. The Catalog You may find that there is a book on your topic.
Legal treatises explain and analyze the law of a particular subject.
The book will also provide you with relevant references to statutes, cases and regulations. Periodical Indexes Law journal or review articles can provide a good overview of an area of the law. They have lots of footnotes which can lead to cases and statutes. The Index to Legal Periodicals is a paper resource that covers approximately 500 law journals from 1926 to the present. Articles from 1980 to the present are also searchable on the computer using Wilsondisc or Legaltrac.