Lindell Library: Government, Policy, Legal & Elections: Legal

HeinOnline

HeinOnline is our only tool for legal research, but it contains a number of powerful, specific search options. Look in its Databases dropdown for focused searches on such topics as American Indian Law, History of Supreme Court Nominations, and Civil Rights and Social Justice. Click on the Help tab in the toolbar for a link to their comprehensive User's Guide.

Law Reviews
Your source for scholarly journals dealing with legal issues.
Federal and State Cases
Searching all HeinOnline databases, you can find detailed information on court cases at the federal and state level. Search 'Full Text' by case name (note that other tabs let you search by citation number). Then use the controls on the left to limit to by date, topic, or location (e.g. a particular state).
Supreme Court Cases
To get transcripts, opinions, and briefs: Enter the exact name of a U.S. Supreme Court case in the search box (e.g. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka) and limit the 'Section Type' in the left-hand column to 'Cases.'
Federal Code
The main search looks for laws starting in 1925. Other tabs take you to earlier codes and compilations of statutes.
U.S. Treaties
When searching for treaties with Indian nations, bear in mind that contemporary Indian names might not match those used at the time of the treaty. So search for 'Chippewa' rather than 'Ojibwe.' For specific treaties, refine your search by data and document type. Also see the American Indian Law Collection.
Federal Regulations
Search the complex world of federal regulation code.

Websites

These websites can help you with your legal research.

For links to finding court cases, federal and state codes, and other government documents, consult the Federal, State, and Local tabs in this guide.

Hennepin County Law Library
This library is open to the public and provides free access to Westlaw, Fastcase, LegalTrac, and other databases that Augsburg does not have. Use of materials is free, though a deposit is required to check out books.
FindLaw
A free, award-winning legal reference site that contains overviews of legal issues, a lawyer directory, legal forms, news, and more.
Legal Information Institute at Cornell
A rich source of information and links for legal research. Covers topics like Constitutional Law and mental health law, as well as providing links to government documents like state statutes by topic.
The Jurist
A great resource for legal news. See the Topics page to browse for recent articles on U.S. and international issues.
law.com Law Dictionary
This is a simple legal dictionary that can be searched by legal term or keyword, or browsed alphabetically.
LawMoose: Minnesota Legal Reference Library
Links to Minnesota, local, and Federal legal resources.
Ramsey County Law Library
The Ramsey County Law Library provides free law-related resources including books, journals, electronic databases, informational workshops and legal assistance.
Minnesota State Law Library
A helpful website to look for laws.

Online Reference Books

Oran's Dictionary of the Law by Daniel Oran
Call Number: View Ebook Reference KF156 .O69 2008

Another good legal dictionary with an electronic version. Appendix C is a detailed guide to legal research.
The Handbook of Human Rights Law: An Accessible Approach to the Issues and Principles by Michael Arnheim
Call Number: View Ebook

Includes chapters on the Human Rights Act, Judicial Review, "Winning Tactics and Strategies", plus content on abortion, torture, privacy, and other rights issues.
Nolo's Encyclopedia of Everyday Law: Answers to Your Most Frequently Asked Legal Questions by by Shae Irving & Nolo editors
Call Number: View Ebook

A great, easy-to-read overview of basic legal issues. Covers topics like Houses, Landlords & Tenants, Patents, Copyrights, Wills, and even Criminal Law & Procedure.
The Criminal Law Handbook: Know Your Rights, Survive the System by by Paul Bergman & Sara J. Berman-Barrett
Call Number: Use it online!

This is the book to go to for stuff like "Talking to the Police", "Booking and Bail", and "A Walk Through Criminal Court".
Power of Attorney Handbook by Edward A. Haman
Call Number: Use it online!

Help in navigating the complex world of Power of Attorney, including Health Care Power of Attorney. Includes state law reference guides and blank forms.

Print Reference Sources

Try searching the library catalog for books on your topic. Adding terms like law or "law and legislation" can help you narrow down the search results. Here are some example search terms:

Products Liability (Law)
Whistle Blowing
Identity Theft (Minnesota)
White Collar Crimes

If your first search brings up too many irrelevant items, try using the Refine by Topic suggestions in the box on the left of the search results screen.

We have a well-stocked reference section that can be useful for overviews, data, and research help. Here are some examples of what you might find:

Black's Law Dictionary
Call Number: Reference KF156 .B53 2009

The definitive law dictionary. This should be your first stop for legal definitions. In the back you'll find a table of legal abbreviations, translations of legal maxims, and other useful things.
Historic U.S. Court Cases: An Encyclopedia by John W. Johnson, editor
Call Number: Reference KF352 .H57 2001 v.1-2

From the Boston Massacre to O.J. Simpson, these volumes contain concise overviews of over 200 notable court cases in U.S. history. Organized chronologically by topic (e.g., "Negligence and Tort Law"), each entry contains suggestions for further reading.
Legal Research in a Nutshell by by Morris L. Cohen, Kent C. Olson
Call Number: Reference KF240 .C54 2007

Legal research is hard, and a straightforward guide like this can make all the difference. Case law, statutes, international law – it's all here.
Student Guide to Research in the Digital Age: How to Locate and Evaluate Information Sources by Leslie F. Stebbins
Call Number: Reference ZA3075 .S74 2006

See chapter six for guides to legal research. Includes discussion of finding case law, secondary legal sources, finding court cases, and more.
Minnesota Legal Research Guide by by John Tessner, Brenda Wolfe, George R. Jackson
Call Number: Reference KFM5475 .T48 2002

Describes the structure and procedures of Minnesota's government, plus a detailed overview of working with relevant primary and secondary sources.
Handbook of International Law by Anthony Aust
Call Number: Reference KZ3410 .A97 2005

Covers issues like treaties, diplomatic privileges, the United Nations, international criminal law, the law of the sea, etc.
Criminal Justice by edited by Phyllis B. Gerstenfeld
Call Number: Reference KF9214.5 .C75 2006 v.1-3

An encyclopedia with over 600 entries devoted to the U.S. criminal justice system. Each entry includes a concise definition and explanation of the term's significance. Volume two contains a number of useful tools, including a bibliography, glossary, explanation of crime rates and trends, court rulings, famous trials, a timeline, website lists, etc.
American Law Yearbook
Call Number: Reference KF154 .W472 2008

A supplement to the The Guide to American Law, the Yearbook expands upon its entries and brings them up-to-date while maintaining the easy-to-use feel.