360 likes | 448 Views
‘All in One’ Legal Research Class. May 2014 Session. University of Sydney Herbert Smith Freehills Law Library. Patrick O'Mara – LPAB Librarian. Session Aims. Interpret all types of citations from your reading lists Find cases, legislation and journal articles
E N D
‘All in One’ Legal Research Class May 2014 Session University of Sydney Herbert Smith Freehills Law Library Patrick O'Mara – LPAB Librarian
Session Aims • Interpret all types of citations from your reading lists • Find cases, legislation and journal articles • Locate additional resources for legal research
Supplementary Materials • Via LEC Web Campus site or Law Library’s ‘LPAB Students’ link • If source is available via a free web site you will be linked directly to that site • If source is available via a subscription database you will need to enter your Unikey • Select ‘Documents and Markups’ setting to maintain highlighting of extracts.
Interpreting a case citation • Two main types of case citation • Law report citation • Medium neutral citation (court) Swain v Waverley Municipal Council (2005) 220 CLR 517 – law report [2005] HCA 4 – medium neutral
Steps for finding cases • What is the abbreviation?? (see Law Library – Free Web Law – Legal Abbreviations) • Australian or UK or other?? • Law report or medium neutral citation
Steps for finding cases (cont) • Law Report: Law Databases – Cases – Law Reports A to Z • Medium Neutral Citation Law Databases – Cases - AustLII • UK case - Law Databases – Cases – ICLR Online
Case Citators CaseBase and FirstPoint - To obtain extra information about a case - To find cases by subject
Basic Boolean Connectors • AND – combining concepts Eg. murder and defences • OR – for similar concepts and synonyms Eg. murder OR manslaughter • NOT (sometimes AND NOT)– leaving out concepts Eg. Murder NOT provocation
Legislation • Bills • Statutes • Delegated Legislation • Related Parliamentary materials
Bills Bills are a draft of a proposed statute. Example: • Civil Liability Bill 2002 (NSW) cl 16
Acts / Statutes Terms are interchangeable – refer to enactments of Parliament Example: • Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) s 5L(1)
Types of Acts Two main types: Principal Act: An Act that deals comprehensively with a given area of law. Example: • Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW)
Types of Acts (cont) Amending Act: An Act that alters the operation of an earlier Act by: • substituting or inserting words • omitting or repealing provisions Example: • Civil Liability Amendment Act 2006 (NSW)
Delegated Legislation Examples include: regulations, rules, ordinances, by-laws Laws made by a person or body to whom Parliament has delegated law-making authority. Example: • Civil Liability Regulation 2009 (NSW)
Finding Acts and Delegated Legislation Commonwealth Legislation • AustLII • ComLaw NSW Legislation • AustLII • NSW Parliamentary Counsel’s Office
Books Different legal citation guides use different modes of citation…. • Aitken & Orr (eds.), The Australian Constitution, 3rd ed. Australian Government Solicitor, 2002 • Patrick Parkinson, Tradition and Change in Australian Law, (4thed, 2005)
Books: Dewey for Law An example: 340 Law (generally) 340.072 Legal research 340.072094 Legal research in Australia
Finding a book on the shelf Remember to deal with each part of the number separately then move on to the next
Journal articles • Different legal citation guides use different • modes of citation…. • P. W. Young, Dismissal of Judges (1993) 67 ALJ 83. • Anita Stuhmcke, ‘Privatisation and cooperation : what now for the Commonwealth Ombudsman?’ (2004) 11(2) Australian Journal of Administrative Law 101.
Finding Journal articles • When you already have a citation ‘Journal’ search on Library Catalogue. Search title of journal NOT title of article • Searching for journal articles by subject Law Databases – Journal Databases and News Services – eg. AGIS Plus Text (Australia) and LegalTrac (innternational)
Basic Boolean Connectors • AND – combining concepts Eg. murder and defences • OR – for similar concepts and synonyms Eg. murder OR manslaughter • NOT (sometimes AND NOT)– leaving out concepts Eg. Murder NOT provocation
Legal Encyclopaedias • Go to: Law Databases – Comprehensive Legal Research • Two major legal encyclopaedias • Laws of Australia • Halsbury’s Laws of Australia
Interpreting a case • Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760 • Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61 • R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682 • Ayles v The Queen [2008] HCA 6
Case citations: the parties • Merritt v Merritt[1970] 2 All ER 760 • Grey v Pearson(1857) 6 HL Cas 61 • R v Young(1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682 • Ayles v The Queen[2008] HCA 6
Case citations: year of the judgement • Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760 • Grey v Pearson(1857) 6 HL Cas 61 • R v Young(1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682 • Ayles v The Queen[2008] HCA 6
Case citations: year of the publication For law report citations with square brackets • Merritt v Merritt[1970] 2 All ER 760 • Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61 • R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682 • Ayles v The Queen [2008] HCA 6
Case citations: report details • Merritt v Merritt[1970] 2 All ER 760 • Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61 • R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682 • Ayles v The Queen [2008] HCA 6
Case citations: square and round brackets • Merritt v Merritt[1970] 2 All ER 760 • R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682
Case citations: pinpoint citations • Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760 • Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61 • R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682 • Ayles v The Queen [2008] HCA 6
Case citations: medium neutral citations • Merritt v Merritt [1970] 2 All ER 760 • Grey v Pearson (1857) 6 HL Cas 61 • R v Young (1999) 46 NSWLR 681 at 682 • Ayles v The Queen[2008] HCA 6
Medium Neutral Citation Ugle v The Queen [2002] HCA 25 at [53] Year Court Parties Decision No.
More Law Report Citations Waterhouse v Hickie (1995) Aust Torts Reports ¶ 81-347
Criminal Cases R v Milat(1996) 87 A Crim R 446 OR: Milat(1996) 87 A Crim R 446
Popular Names Commonwealth v Tasmania (The Tasmanian Dam Case) (1983)158 CLR 1