Legal Research

From the West Librarian Relations Update, 3/17/09:

Changes to the Topic & Key Number System

On March 1, West released significant changes to the Key Number System.  Attorney editors have completed the reclassification of over 300,000 headnotes.  The improvements include the following:

·         Two new digest topics: The topic PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS AND CONFIDENTIALITY encompasses privilege issues arising in discovery and at trial and contains expanded classifications covering attorney-client privilege, physician-patient privilege, and executive privilege. The topic PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED PERSONS covers such areas as restraining orders and other protection from domestic violence, harassment, and stalking; guardian ad litem appointments; agency investigations and liabilities; and criminal and civil liability.

·         Complete revision of four topics: The topics CONVICTS AND PRISONS are completely revised, with many lines afforded to concepts increasingly important in modern cases, e.g., boot camps. The topic DISORDERLY CONDUCT is greatly expanded to include breach of the peace (a similar offense recognized in most state jurisdictions). In the PRODUCTS LIABILITY topic, many points of law are classified once under the product type and again under the legal concept or procedure.

·         Other areas of the Key Number System have been given minor improvements particularly in the topics COUNTIES, INFANTS, NEGLIGENCE, and PROCESS.