Free Federal Legislative Research

Corporate Research

Public Records

Conducting Free California Case Law Research

Finding Entertainment Law Resources Online: From Scholarship to Scandal

Admissibility of Internet Evidence*

1 hour of self-study credit

Continuing Legal Educaiton Online*

1 hour of self-study credit

Federal Legislative Research

There are three web sites that offer free access to searchable databases of the United States Code (U.S.C.).

Even though all use the same Code (prepared by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House of Representatives), the House site is more up-to-date than the GPO or Cornell site (and also goes back further in time) often making the House’s web version of the Code the preferred choice. Being "more up to date," however, does not mean current as of today. The U.S. Code is published only every six years by The Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives and is then supplemented on a regular basis.

Clear explanations and hyperlinks to Internet research resources lead you on a search for real-life answers to to real-life research scenarios. Read the companion article to learn how to put these resources to work for you.

Go to the quiz.

Government Document Research

There are literally thousands of Federal, State, and local government agencies generating documents on innumerable topics important to lawyers in their practices.

The questions in this quiz, and the accompanying fact patterns, highlight three sources for this diverse and useful data, and feature hyperlinks and explanations of the sites' search functions to take you directly there so you can learn to dig up this information for yourself.

Go to the quiz.

 

Corporate Research

From Due Diligence to Corporate Intelligence

 

Say you're working on a big case, and you need as much information on the opposing company as possible. Or perhaps you're pitching a potential new client, and want to know everything about their business for your presentation. Maybe your clientâs competition is developing a new product or you want to read all the news stories about some development that will affect your business or your clientsâ. Do you know how to get that information quickly online? And for free?

 

Clear explanations and hyperlinks to Internet research resources lead you on a search for a real-life answer to questions about a real-world companies.

Read the companion article to learn how to put these resources to work for you.

Go to the quiz.

 

Public Records

How Public Are Public Records?

The term "public record" has always been VERY misleading. Even though a record is "public" and available for public scrutiny in the strictest sense, in reality it may not be readily available. The availability of numerous public records online via the Internet has addressed some of the accessibililty issues, but just as it's always been in the "offline" world, access to free public records via the web is a hit or miss proposition.

Each question in this quiz, and the companion article, feature, an outline of the type of information included in each specific resource discussed, and a hyperlink to take you directly there so you can see for yourself.

Read the companion article to learn how to put these resources to work for you.

Go to the quiz.

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Conducting California Case Law  Research on the Internet for FREE

On July 6, 2000, Lexis debuted LexisONE.com, the first web site to offer a FREE, FULL TEXT searchable California case-law database (back to 1996). The free LexisONE site offers almost the same robust search engine for constructing searches as the pay Lexis site. One month later, FindLaw.com (now owned by West Publishing) debuted its free California case-law database (back to 1934). The Daily Journal Corporation also offers case-law research resources free online to subscribers of its print newspapers.

Read the companion article to learn how to put these resources to work for you.

Go to the quiz.

Type “entertainment” into the Google search engine, and "about 162,000,000" results appear with E! Online topping the list. Type “entertainment law” into the Google search engine, and about 40,000,000 results are listed, with a Beverly Hills entertainment attorney's site listed first, and the Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Journal (COMM/ENT) not far behind. From the lowbrow to the highbrow, these searches offer an excellent summary of the range of online sources that entertainment attorneys use to stay informed. More specific questions can be addressed by refining one’s search techniques.

Read the companion article to learn how to put these resources to work for you.

Go to the quiz.

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Admissibility of Internet Evidence

Lawyers looking for evidence need to start thinking about looking “virtually.” With increasing amounts of "paperless" information being added to the Internet every minute of every day, there is an increasing chance lawyers could find potentially relevant evidence there. Evidence to prove or refute a point in contention, get the upper hand in a settlement conference, or decide whether to even take a client’s case, might be found in both the near and far reaches of the Internet.

Go to the quiz.*
This exercise is eligible for 1 hour of SELF-STUDY credit.

Continuing Legal Education Online

If you are an attorney or paralegal, probably no day goes by in which you do not receive e-mail about online continuing legal education. As recently as 2000, however, you would not have received any, because the State Bar of California did not approve online continuing education courses until then. Since 2000, online continuing education offerings have evolved to meet increased demand. This article and quiz outline how legal professionals can meet their Continuing Legal Education requirements online.

Go to the quiz.*
This exercise is eligible for 1 hour of SELF-STUDY credit.