Start using this Workflow
Case Law Research Checklist
Understand the Case
Identify the relevant facts of the case at hand
Determine the legal issues or questions that need to be addressed
Clarify the jurisdiction and venue of the case to focus research appropriately
Gather Primary Sources
Search for binding precedents from the jurisdiction's highest court
Look for relevant statutes and regulations that apply to the issue
Examine lower court decisions that may provide persuasive authority
Consult Secondary Sources
Review legal encyclopedias, treatises, and law reviews for background information
Check legal databases for annotations and commentary on relevant statutes and cases
Utilize legal periodicals and journals for recent developments in law
Utilize Legal Research Platforms
Conduct keyword and Boolean searches in legal databases like Westlaw, LexisNexis, or Bloomberg Law
Make use of headnotes and key numbers to find cases on specific legal issues
Employ citation research tools to trace the history and treatment of a case
Analyze and Synthesize Case Law
Read and brief the key cases to understand the legal principles
Synthesize the holdings and reasoning from multiple cases to build an argument
Evaluate the strength of the precedents in light of the current case facts
Update and Validate Research
Use citators such as Shepard's or KeyCite to check the current validity of cases
Monitor for any recent or pending cases that might affect the legal issue
Review and update research regularly to ensure all information is current
