Start with a Secondary Source
To locate a state-specific secondary source, consult
- A research guide
- Your State Bar's website
- Lexis/Westlaw/Bloomberg
Research Guides
State-specific research guides are easy to find with a quick Google search. Example: Washington legal research guide. This search returns a number of useful results. Click on one of the results to see what secondary sources the guide recommends. The guides will indicate whether you need a password to access the secondary source, whether it's free, or only available through a database like Lexis or Westlaw.
The same type of search can be used to locate subject-specific research guides. Example: environmental legal research guide.
| Washington legal research guide search results | environmental legal research guide search results |
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State Bar Secondary Sources
Some State Bars provide state-specific secondary sources for their members and sometimes provide access to students for free. In Oregon, the State Bar publishes BarBooks, which is the best place to start any Oregon legal research. In Washington, the preeminent title is Washington Practice and is available on Westlaw but not through the State Bar.
Since State Bar websites vary in what they call these resources, you should start your search with categories like Member Services, Publications, or Online Store.
Note: Access to Oregon BarBooks is available to Lewis & Clark Law School students through the library's link or available with your own login after you join (for free) the Oregon State Bar's Law Student Associate Program. Another useful resource is the Oregon State Bar's Professional Liability Fund, which provides access to forms and checklists. The login username is lawstudent and the password is lawstudent1.
Bloomberg/Lexis/Westlaw Secondary Sources
Locating State-Specific Secondary Sources on Bloomberg Law
From the home page, select "All Legal Content" -> choose "Select Sources by U.S. Jurisdiction" -> use the drop-down menu to select the state you want to search -> select the secondary sources you want to search -> enter keywords and then select the search button, or view Tables of Content for specific titles
Locating State-Specific Secondary Sources on Lexis
From the home page, under "Explore Content" choose "State" -> select the state you want to search -.> scroll down the page to Secondary Materials -> select "all [state] Treatises, Practice Guides & Jurisprudence" or select one title -> enter search terms in the search box -> use filters to narrow search
Locating State-Specific Secondary Sources on Westlaw
From the home page, select "State materials" -> select the state you want to search -> scroll down the page to Secondary Sources -> select "all [state] Secondary Sources" or select one title -> enter search terms in the search box -> use filters to narrow search
Research Help
We're here to help. Contact a research librarian for help with an assignment, project, or resource.
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lawlib@lclark.edu
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