Legal Research

RAQ: Recently Asked Questions

In this occasional feature, we highlight recently asked questions and brief answers from the Law Library reference desk.

Q: Why can?t I find this 1982 law review article on Westlaw or Lexis?
A: The law review databases on Westlaw and Lexis, with only a couple of exceptions, don?t go back to the early 1980s. Use HeinOnline for older law review articles.

Q: I need to find an old public law from 1940, but I can?t figure out what the public law number is.
A: Before 1956, new federal laws didn?t have a public law number?just a chapter number. If you have a Statutes at Large citation, it doesn?t matter whether you have a chapter or public law number anyway.

Q: I?m using KeyCite to look at citations to my case, and there are way too many of them for me to read. How can I limit my results to just one jurisdiction?
A: Click on the ?Limit KeyCite History Display? button at the bottom of the screen?you?ll get several options for limiting your results, including choosing a jurisdiction.

Have your own reference question? Call or email the reference desk at 612-625-4309 or law-ref@umn.edu.

Full post as published by LexLibris on October 14, 2008 (boomark / email).