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Cost Effective Lexis & Westlaw and Alternatives to Lexis & Westlaw Sue Altmeyer c 2009

This article provides tips and resources for finding cost-effective alternatives to Lexis and Westlaw for legal research purposes. It covers low-cost databases, free internet sources, and library sources, as well as flat rate plans and computing Westlaw costs.

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Cost Effective Lexis & Westlaw and Alternatives to Lexis & Westlaw Sue Altmeyer c 2009

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  1. Cost Effective Lexis & Westlawand Alternatives to Lexis & WestlawSue Altmeyerc 2009

  2. Topics Covered • The Cost of Lexis and Westlaw • Frugal Lexis and Westlaw Use • Low cost databases • Free Internet Sources • Library Sources (briefly)

  3. Flat Rate Plans • Even if flat rate plan, client charged or maybe outside of plan • Greater Usage = Greater Cost for Flat Rate Plan next year

  4. How to tell when out of plan • Lexis- items outside of plan not accessible. Another account to access off plan. Or, may have dollar signs. • Westlaw-Message saying outside of plan

  5. Computing Westlaw Costs • Florida Briefs Multibase • Click for rate • Select rate = $11.03/min (see Florida Govt 2008 Subscriber Agreement) • Click Subscriber for per search cost • Add communication charges - .22/min • Add print/download costs – .04 per line or $20 per document

  6. Cost-Saving Tips for Lexis/WL • See Efficient /Cost Effective Legal Research C-M Guide • Cost Effective Westlaw – powerpoint • Lexis 20 Minute Webinar

  7. Ask librarian/managing partner about price plan. Use print or lower cost databases Plan your search before you go online Call the Reference Attorneys Narrowest Source Broad Search, Focus/Locate Table of Contents Book Browse on LEXIS (not Westlaw) History (L) or Research Trail (W)

  8. Alerts • (Search by Topic/Headnote (L); KeyNumber/ Keysearch W) • Get a Document (L), Find (W) • 50 state surveys • Westlaw, printing (per line/per document) & searching (transactional/hourly) • Print from browser/Copy with Reference • Get and Print, Find and Print • Briefcheck to Shepardize; Westcheck to Keycite

  9. Reference Attorney Phone Nos. • 800 45 LEXIS • 1-800-REF-ATTY (733-2889) (Westlaw) • 1-800-850-9378 for law students (Westlaw)

  10. Low Cost Databases

  11. Stripped down versions of Lexis/WL • Casemaker –Free w/ free student OSBA membership • Fastcase – Free w/ Cleve bar membership • Lois Law – C-M has, CLL has • Versus Law – Free to Law students

  12. Articles re. Low Cost Database • Four Legal Research Companies Offer Mid-priced Options, Wisconsin Law Journal, Sept. 4, 2008 • A Guide to Fee-Based U. S. Legal Research Databases – Globalex, Dec 2006 • 2006 comparison – Univ. Wash. Law Library • Robert Ambrogi – Casemaker vs. Fastcase 2009 (wrong about statutes in Fastcase. Not everyone agrees w/conclusion)

  13. Access to Low Cost Databases • Go to Library Website, Electronic Resources Page. • Casemaker: Free with FREE student membership to the Ohio State Bar Association OR Librarians can sign you in

  14. Contents

  15. Contents

  16. Searching

  17. Special Feature of Loislaw “ MY SAVED SEARCHES”!

  18. Searching

  19. Casemaker Webinar • Nov 18, 12-1 pm • Casemaker Webinar information

  20. Primary & Secondary – Specific Subjects • BNA – See Electronic Resources page for links. • CCH - See Electronic Resources page for links. • RIA Checkpoint

  21. BNA • Current awareness, may contain past 12 years ex. U.S. Law Week/Supreme Court Today ; Daily Labor Report (DLR expensive!). • Sign up for BNA Current Awareness Services • Libraries, ex. Labor and Employment Law Library , IP Library or ABA/BNA lawyers' manual on professional conduct

  22. CCH Intelliconnect • Both Primary and Secondary Sources • Topics Covered:AntitrustBanking Corporate GovernanceHealth Care and Medicaid/Medicare Labor & Employment, PensionsSecurities

  23. CCH • Boolean searching, w/n etc. • Federated Searching • Indexes • Current awareness emails – Sign up Instructions • Works better in IE browser • Known for their fifty state charts

  24. What’s on the Free Web • All US Supreme Court Cases • Reported Federal Appellate from 1882 • Some Unreported Fed App, Fed District • State cases: early-mid nineties • Statutes & Regulations- federal and states • Municipal Ordinances • LOTS more!

  25. Start with a Good Internet Portal • From the Library Home Page – Legal Research on the Web • Public Records & People Finders • Cornell Legal Information Institute (LII) • FindLaw • Other Portals

  26. Use LEGAL Search Engines • Cornell University Legal Research Engine • LexisWeb • FindLaw LawCrawler • Justia • List of Search Legal Engines

  27. Web Sites to Know • C-M Guide Forms & Practice Materials • Thomas.gov – Federal Legislative History • LexisONE – past 10 yrs caselaw, Lexis search capability • GPO Access – Fed’l Govt. will be FDSys • Martindale Hubbell Law Digest • Ohio Supreme Court

  28. Library Resources • C-M - Lexis Academic • Cleveland Public - Ohio Westlaw • Pro se Lexis - Justice Center • County Law Libraries – may charge fee to use computer. Lexis, Westlaw or both

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