Primary source materials like statutes, court rules, and caselaw may also need to be consulted; see our Federal research guides for how to access these primary source materials.
"Secondary sources that explain and analyze governing legal doctrines make primary sources more accessible and should serve as launching pads for most research projects." Morris L. Cohen & Kent C. Olson, Legal Research in a Nutshell § 2-1 (14th ed. 2021).
When doing federal legal research, resources like encyclopedias, law review and law journal articles, ALI Restatements and Principles of Law, and other treatise sets can be excellent research tools. These resources often provide an overview of the subject and offer practical tips.
Federal Practice and Procedure West/Thomson Reuters
Also available on the library's Westlaw computers. Also referred to as Wright and Miller.
Library also has previous editions: see all.
Federal Procedure, Lawyer's Edition West/Thomson Reuters
Available on the library's Westlaw computers.
Moore's Federal Practice LexisNexis
Also available on the library's Lexis computers.
"An ALR annotation provides a comprehensive summary of the case law on a specific topic." The ALR annotation "find[s] relevant cases . . . and arranges them according to specific fact patterns and holdings. . . . [I]t synthesizes the cases into a narrative discussion and compares decisions that have reached conflicting results . . . ." Kent C. Olson, Principles of Legal Research § 12.3 (3rd ed. 2020).
American Law Reports
Available on the library's Westlaw computers.
Includes ALR through ALR7th, ALR Fed, ALR Fed 2d, and ALR Fed 3d.
"Legal encyclopedias have two major functions: they explain and summarize basic legal doctrines, and they provide footnote citations to supporting primary authority." Morris L. Cohen et al., How to Find the Law 141 (9th ed. 1989).
American Jurisprudence 2d West/Thomson Reuters
Also available on the library's Westlaw computers. Library also has previous edition.
Also of interest may be American Jurisprudence Proof of Facts and American Jurisprudence Trials (also available on the library's Westlaw computers).
Corpus Juris Secundum West/Thomson Reuters
Available on the library's Westlaw computers.
Library also has former title, Corpus Juris, in print.
Words and Phrases West/Thomson Reuters
Available on the library's Westlaw computers. From the All Content tab, select Secondary Sources > Words & Phrases (located in the Tools & Resources box on the right)
Contains judicial definitions, from both state and federal courts, from both published and unpublished opinions.
"The Restatements have excellent summaries of basic doctrines, useful both for students learning an area of law and for lawyers seeking to apply the law to novel issues arising in practice." Morris L. Cohen & Kent C. Olson, Legal Research in a Nutshell § 2-6 (14th ed. 2021).
The American Law Institute publishes both Restatements of the Law and Principles of the Law. Jenkins has access to these publications in print, on the library's Westlaw computers, and on HeinOnline.
For more information about the individual Restatements and Principles of the Law, including detailed access information, see the individual Restatement guides.