Some low cost or free resources

1. Some low cost or free resources

2. LOW COST OR FREE RESOURCES - FastCase • Fastcase is a Florida Bar Benefit (Appellate Plan Only) • Or, you can subscribe • Various payment plans • They have various different coverage • Let’s see what Fastcase looks like (Scroll down to Fastcase, if you are off campus, you will need your i.d. with your barcode to sign in) • You can search state and federal together • You cannot limit by court • You can change your display and sort how you want to see the results • Has a citator, but not with editorial content

3. FASTCASE • Fastcase is a simple search engine – at least at log on. But you can switch to an advanced caselaw search, or you can search in statutes or other legal resources.

4. Advanced Searches in Fastcase • Searches can be carried out in natural language, using Boolean search terms, or by using a citation. This is true for cases, as well as statutes and other legal sources.

5. Low Cost or free resources - CaseMaker • You may have CaseMaker as a Bar Benefit. • If not…. • Sorry. CaseMaker is only available to members of the CaseMaker Consortium – no individual subscriptions allowed. • You should be able to sign up as a law student at the CaseMaker website • Let’s look at CaseMaker • You cannot search state and federal together • You can search in several states at one time • Has a citator, and it has editorial content

6. CASEMAKER • You have to choose where to search with Casemaker. The home page is not a search page. You have to choose a library to search in.

7. Searching in Casemaker • You have to go into a library, and then pick a specific state to search in to get to the search screen.

8. Advanced Searched in Casemaker • CaseMaker has many advanced search options that come up when you select a library to search.

9. when researching LOW COST SITES online, SOME things to consider: • Is the website reliable? • Take a look at the first module if you don’t remember how to analyze reliability • What do they cover? • Kind of information • Scope of information • How do they work? • Do they have an advanced search? • Do they have a citator? • You always have to update your research, is it easy to do in the resource you are using? • Can you rely solely on these databases and still meet the ethical standards for legal research? • You must do enough research to find the answer to a legal question. • How and when should you combine these services with other sources?

10. low cost or free resources • Federal Digital System (Fdsys) • United States Code – no Citators • Federal Register – official, but no Citators • Code of Federal Regulations – official, but no Citators • Legal Information Institute (LII) • State statutes – no Citators • U.C.C. – no Citators • Research guides

11. low cost or free resources • Google Scholar • Gives citation to one other case • Not a full citator – although it has citations, it has no editorial comments to help you • Findlaw • Limited courts-only Florida Supreme Court or Florida Court of Appeals • No Citators

12. More low cost or free resources • Justia • U.S. case law • No Citators • Public Library of Law • U.S. Case law • No Citators • Library of Congress- Thomas • Congressional research • 1990 to present