Request for consultation

Thanks for your request. You’ll soon be chatting with a consultant to get the answers you need.
Your form is submitting...
{{formPostErrorMessage.message}} [{{formPostErrorMessage.code}}]
Email Address is required. 'Email Address' must contain at least 0 characters 'Email Address' cannot exceed 0 characters Please enter a valid Email Address
First Name is required. 'First Name' must contain at least 0 characters 'First Name' cannot exceed 0 characters Please enter a valid First Name
Last Name is required. 'Last Name' must contain at least 0 characters 'Last Name' cannot exceed 0 characters Please enter a valid Last Name
Institution is required.
Discipline is required.
Country is required. 'Country' must contain at least 0 characters 'Country' cannot exceed 0 characters Please enter a valid Country
Cengage, at your service! How can we best meet your needs? is required.
Why are you contacting us today? is required. 'Why are you contacting us today?' must contain at least 0 characters 'Why are you contacting us today?' cannot exceed 0 characters Please enter a valid Why are you contacting us today?

Legal Research, 3rd Edition

William H. Putman, JD, Jennifer R. Albright, JD, LLM

  • Copyright 2015
  • {{checkPublicationMessage('Published', '2014-01-01T00:00:00+0000')}}
Starting At £51.50 See pricing and ISBN options
Instructor Next Steps
Students: Buy now
Legal Research 3rd Edition by William H. Putman, JD/Jennifer R. Albright, JD, LLM
Quick Navigation

Overview

One of the few texts to focus entirely on legal research, this fully updated edition of Legal Research provides the "how to" information for identifying key facts and issues in a case, conducting statutory and case law research and analysis, briefing cases, researching secondary authority, determining whether or not a case is on point, conducting electronic legal research and counteranalysis, and citing authority. Designed to help students develop an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of legal research, the book guides them through each step in the research process, including how to determine what to research, how to identify key facts and terms, what to look for when researching, what to do with the research once it is found, and how to organize research. Each chapter includes examples of every concept and principle discussed, along with a hypothetical fact situation that applies concepts and principles in a real-world setting. The authors demonstrate how to conduct research efficiently without wasting time or duplicating effort and include extensive coverage of primary and secondary research sources, including Internet and computer research, citation format, and case law analysis.

{{readMore['overview'] ? 'Read More' : 'Read Less'}}

Meet the Authors

{{collapseContainerClosed['meet-the-author'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

William H. Putman, JD

William Putman is a lawyer and former instructor in the programs for Legal Assistant Studies at Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque and Paralegal Studies at Santa Fe Community College. A member of the New Mexico Bar since 1975, he received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

Jennifer R. Albright, JD, LLM

Jennifer Albright was an instructor and the director of the paralegal studies and judicial studies programs at Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque. She is currently an adjunct faculty member in legal assistant studies at Phoenix College and a professor of practice at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. Professor Albright received her Juris Doctor degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law and her L.L.M. from Arizona State University. She a been a member of the New Mexico Bar since 1999.

What's New

{{collapseContainerClosed['whats-new'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}
  • Information on legal citation is now included within substantive chapters rather than as a separate chapter.
  • Research using citators has been removed from the secondary sources chapters and is now presented in a stand-alone chapter discussing both Shepard's and West's KeyCite.
  • Updated and expanded materials on electronic legal research and legal applications have been added.
  • New exercises enhance learning and retention of new material.

Features

{{collapseContainerClosed['features'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}
  • RESEARCH: The book takes a step-by-step approach to researching primary and secondary authority using multiple examples.
  • APPLICATION: A hypothetical factual situation at the beginning of each chapter illustrates how the principles presented apply to real-world situations.
  • EXAMPLES: Examples and sample pages from actual research authorities help students understand key concepts.
  • TECHNOLOGY: An online Student Companion Site provides additional assignments, chapter summaries, and outlines.
  • KEY POINTS: Each chapter has a list of key points that may be used as a quick reference and checklist when applying chapter concepts.
  • REVIEW: The Instructor's Manual presents several assignments and exercises in each chapter, which require students to apply the chapter's concepts and principles, along with answers and other resources for instructors.

Table of Contents

{{collapseContainerClosed['table-of-contents'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}
1. Introduction to Legal Principles and Authorities and the Research Process.
2. The Role of Key Terms and Key Facts in Legal Research.
3. Issue Identification--Spotting the Issue.
4. Constitutions, Statutes, Administrative Law, and Court Rules--Research and Analysis.
5. Case Law--Research and Briefing.
6. Case Law Analysis--Is a Case on Point?
7. Secondary Authority and Other Research Sources--Encyclopedias, Treatises, American Law Reports, Digests.
8. Secondary Authority--Periodicals, Restatements, Uniform Laws, Dictionaries, Legislative History, and Other Secondary Authorities.
9. Research with Citators.
10. Electronic Legal Research.
11. Counteranalysis.
12. The Research Process for Effective Legal Research.
APPENDIX A: Legal Research Memorandum.
APPENDIX B: Research Source Chart.
APPENDIX C: Court Opinions Referred to in the Text.
Glossary.
Index.

Compare Buying Options

{{collapseContainerClosed['compare-buying-options'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Textbook Only Options

Traditional eBook and Print Options

{{collapseContainerClosed['detail_0'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

  • ISBN-10: 1305172779
  • ISBN-13: 9781305172777
  • RETAIL £51.50

  • ISBN-10: 1133016545
  • ISBN-13: 9781133016540
  • RETAIL £80.99

  • ISBN-10: 1285439937
  • ISBN-13: 9781285439938
  • RETAIL £88.99
Instructor Next Steps
Students: Buy now

Supplements

{{collapseContainerClosed['supplements'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

FOR STUDENTS

Legal Analysis and Writing

ISBN: 9781133016540
LEGAL ANALYSIS AND WRITING, 4TH EDITION helps readers analyze statutes and cases and draft supporting legal memoranda. In addition to the fundamentals of good writing, legal or otherwise, the book illustrates how paralegals analyze and brief cases, identify key facts and legal issues, and apply case law and counteranalysis to legal matters, and more. Going beyond mere explanations, the book shows readers how to apply concepts to hypothetical situations, draft legal memoranda and correspondence, and scrutinize legal citations and Web research, to develop a thorough understanding of the analytical and writing responsibilities paralegals undertake. Legal Analysis and Writing, 4th Edition is a robust resource for any paralegal writing course and includes a host of available supplemental tools designed to enhance learning while simplifying instructor preparation.