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Legal Research Checklist
Understanding the Legal Issue
Identify the relevant legal issues and questions that need to be addressed
Determine the jurisdiction(s) involved in the legal matter
Clarify any terms or concepts that are unclear before proceeding
Sources and Resources
Gather and review relevant statutes, regulations, and legislative history
Find and analyze pertinent case law and court opinions
Check for secondary sources such as legal journals, treatises, and practice guides
Research Strategy
Develop a research plan outlining the steps and resources required
Prioritize the research tasks based on urgency and relevance
Keep track of search queries, databases used, and results found for future reference
Review and Analysis
Critically evaluate the credibility and authority of sources
Analyze the facts in light of the applicable legal frameworks
Determine how the law applies to the facts of the case
Organizing Research Findings
Compile and organize the research findings in a systematic manner
Create a memorandum or report summarizing the relevant legal findings
Ensure all sources are properly cited and accessible for review
Updating and Validating
Verify that the legal authorities used are current and still good law
Update the research with any new developments or case law
Validate the conclusions based on the latest legal standards and precedents
