Source: http://www.law.siu.edu/lawlib/guides/ln_stattoc.htm
Timestamp: 2014-09-30 19:52:54
Document Index: 441372953

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 12182', '§ 12181', '§ 12186', '§ 12188', '§ 12101', '§ 12102', '§ 12182']

SIU Law Library: Using the Table of Contents for Statutes on LexisNexis | About This Site | SIU School of Law | SIU Law Library
PDF version	Using the Table of Contents for Statutes on LexisNexis Prepared by Diane Murley, SIU Law Library, Summer 2005	Statutory codes, such as the USC and the ILCS, are arranged hierarchically by topic. When we say that information is arranged hierarchically, we mean that it is organized from the most general topic to the most specific, with related topics grouped closely together and subtopics appearing directly after the topics to which they relate. The visual representation of a hierarchical arrangement is a detailed outline. Usually researchers retrieve a statutory section by using a known citation, going through the index, or searching the full text of the statutory code. Even if these methods seem to retrieve exactly what you want, however, you should not stop there. Because statutory sections are part of a larger collection of laws; they rarely stand alone. There may be definitions in another section that control how your section will be interpreted. There may be a section about enforcement of your section. Or you may find yet another section that is more specifically applicable to your research project. Because of the hierarchical arrangement of statutory codes, you can see where your section fits into the statutory scheme and find related sections by reviewing the table of contents. The table of contents method works on Westlaw and LexisNexis, in print, and with most statutory codes on the web. This research tip is about using the Table of Contents on LexisNexis. Go to the research guide about using the Table of Contents on Westlaw.
LexisNexis has a link from each statutory section to the Table of Contents for the statutory code in which the section appears. Once you retrieve a section by using "Get a Document" or searching the code, click on the "View: TOC" link in the upper left corner to go to an outline that has been expanded to show the sections around your section. Scan the outline above and below your section for related sections.
For example, after we found 42 U.S.C. § 12182, Prohibition of discrimination by public accommodations, which is part of the Americans with Disabilities Act, on LexisNexis, we clicked on the "View: TOC" link in the upper left corner. That took us to an expanded outline showing all of the sections under Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities, as shown above. To make sure our research is complete, we would need to read § 12181, Definitions, § 12186, Regulations, and § 12188 Enforcement. Scrolling up a little further in the outline display, we also find § 12101, Congressional Findings and Purposes, and § 12102, Definitions, which apply to all the subchapters in Chapter 126, Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities. LexisNexis also provides links from each statute to specific points in the statutory hierarchy. Near the top of the screen on which your section is displayed, you will see a string of links to different points in the TOC. The first link will be to the statutory code in which you are doing your research and the last link will be to the smallest subdivision of the code in which your section appears, with intermediate subdivisions in the middle. For example, at the top of 42 U.S.C. § 12182, the following links appear: The full text of the last link is "Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities." If you point your mouse at the middle link, " / . . . / ", a roll-over menu appears giving you options to go to intermediate points: LexisNexis also allows you to search just the table of contents of each statutory code. In fact, when you select any U.S. state or federal statutory code, the default search is "Table of Contents (TOC) only." You can search the "Full-text of source documents" by clicking on the radio button to its left. You can also limit your TOC or full-text search to certain titles, chapters or other subdivisions of the code by clicking in the appropriate check boxes within the Table of Contents. Click on the Advanced link to run an Advanced TOC or full-text Search. Printing Tips
If you want to print an individual statute without the notes, case annotations, and other references, you can either customize the document view and then print, or go into print and then customize the view. To customize the document view before printing, click on Custom in the upper left corner. To print just the text of a statute, select the Unanno segment and click on the Go button. If you go into the LexisNexis print options first, choose Custom from the Document View drop-down menu and select the segments to be printed. To print multiple sections, select them by clicking in the check boxes in the Table of Contents display, then click Print. Follow the instructions in the previous paragraph to print just the statute, without case annotations and other extras. If you want all of the sections to print in one continuous document without page breaks, uncheck the "Each Doc on New Page" box on the print pop-up screen. PDF version of this research guide. SIU School of Law | SIU Law Library | Site Map Comments: Law Library Web Administrator - EOE Link - Privacy Policy -	Last changed: Javascript error: cannot insert last changed date.