Course Info
This course will provide students with the practice-ready research skills needed when entering an externship, work setting or the practice of law. The focus will be on learning to research efficiently and cost-effectively with exposure to current technologies used in legal practice. The course will expose students to the skills needed in presenting thorough and reliable research to a supervisor or a court. The class will be formulated in a way that will allow students to spend much class time specifically working on research problems where they can get real time assistance.
Instructor
Prof. Joe Custer oversees all staff and operations for the Judge Ben C. Green Law Library, as well as teaches Advanced Legal Research and Electronic Discovery. His scholarship has primarily been in the areas of legal research, administration and issues pertaining to historical social justice. Custer joined Case Western Reserve in 2015 after serving five years as Director of the Vince C. Immel Law Library and as a faculty member at the University of Saint Louis School of Law. In addition to his JD, Custer holds a Masters in Library and Informational Science and a Masters in Business Administration.
Syllabus
The syllabus for your course is available on Canvas.
Textbook
Ohio Legal Research by Call Number: KFO75.H357ISBN: 9781611637496Publication Date: 2015-09-02Available via LexisNexis Digital Library.
Study Aids
These study aids are available online. Please click the hyperlinked title to view them. For instructions on how to use the specific platforms, including troubleshooting, please view Andy Dorchak's Study Aids Research Guide.
Examples and Explanations for Legal Research by ISBN: 9781454886549Publication Date: 2016Available via Aspen Learning Library.
Gilbert Law Summary on Legal Research, Writing and Analysis by ISBN: 9781642426724Publication Date: 2019-06-24Available via West Academic Study Aids.
International Legal Research in a Nutshell by ISBN: 9781684675845Publication Date: 2021-05-07Available via West Academic Study Aids.
Legal Research in a Nutshell by ISBN: 9781640208049Publication Date: 2018-09-20Available via West Academic Study Aids.
Principles of Legal Research by ISBN: 9781640208056Publication Date: 2020-08-24Available via West Academic Study Aids.
CALI
Computer-Aided Legal Instruction (CALI) requires an authorization code to use. If you do not have a CALI account, please contact Kieran Layton or the reference desk for assistance.
Audio Guides
Legal Research and Writing: In Other Words Audio Series by ISBN: 9781543823929Publication Date: 2/6/2020Available via Aspen Learning Library.
Sum and Substance Audio on Legal Research by ISBN: 1634605128Publication Date: 2016Available via West Academic Study Aids.