Legal Research Databases at the Law Library Category: Legal Research
Overview
The law library subscribes to databases such as Lexis, OnLaw from CEB, Hein Online, and smaller legal publisher databases, which are available to the public for free using the library’s computers. Several free databases are also available online.
California Legislative History
Researching Legislative Intent in California The Sacramento County Public Law Library has limited access to California legislative history material, especially for bills passed prior to 1993, when online information becomes available. For bills prior to 1993, the Law Library has the Session Laws (annual record of enacted statutes), the Journal...
Read MoreReading Citations
Finding Cases and Statutes by Citation Any reference to any primary law source - case or statute - has a citation. The basic format of a citation is standardized, and generally includes a volume number, an abbreviation of the title of the publication in which the law appears, a page...
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Using Shepard’s® Citation Service on Lexis
How to Shepardize™ a Case in Lexis+® The most common use for the Shepard’s Citations Services is determining if a case is “Good Law,” valid and citable. This process is referred to as Shepardizing. Shepard’s provides a comprehensive report of the cases, statutes, secondary sources, and annotations that cite your...
Read MoreIn-House Databases: Available free to the public at the Law Library only
Some of these require a password. Ask the Law Librarian for assistance.
Forecite California: supplemental criminal law jury instructions, to be used along with CALJIC or CALCRIM. Defense perspective.
Lexis +: State and Federal Law, Practice Guides, and Shepard’s Citator
OnLAW: CEB’s Practice Guides and Action Guides
**Nolo Ebooks: Do-it-yourself Legal Guides** This database is available from home or elsewhere. Details on how to access the ebooks.
Trellis.Law: Local Court Dockets, Sample Motions, Verdicts and Settlements
HeinOnline: Law Reviews, Restatements, Federal Register and CFR, and More
Law Journal Press: Digital versions of the Law Libary’s ALM /law.com treatises.
Matthew Bender Treatises (Lexis Digital Library): Digital versions of the Law Library’s Matthew Bender treatises, including California and Federal topics.
National Consumer Law Center’s Digital Library: Digital versions of, and updates to, the Law Library’s NCLC practice guides. Many free resources are available from anywhere, without a subscription.
O’Brien’s Workers Compensation: Up-to-date edition of this California Workers Compensation treatise. The print copy is no longer updated.
O’Brien’s Unemployment, Disability, Family Medical Leave Act: Up-to-date edition of this California Unemployment, Disability, Family Medical Leave Act treatise. The print copy is no longer updated.
VitalLaw: (Wolters Kluwer) Litigation and Law Practice, Bankruptcy, Labor & Employment, IP, Construction, Securities, and More