Legal research is expensive, but there are a number of free alternatives available.

Aside from

running over to the law library at the local courthouse or law school, or hiring law students with

subscription access to Westlaw and Lexis, your options can sometimes be limiting. However, the

trend is moving away from traditional hard copy books towards electronic formats. Unless you have

your own law library, you’re probably looking for a low-to-no-cost solution for your research needs.

I’ve listed some free resources available for primary and secondary sources and also some places

that provide quick and easy background information about the law.

Primary:

1. Lexis Web: This is a great place to start here for everything legal. Use the filters to

find exactly what you need.

2. Casemaker X: A great tool for attorneys practicing in Texas, or any other jurisdiction

for that matter (bar membership comes with free access). This is a free legal research

database that allows you to access statutes, regulations, and case law. Although Casemaker

X is not as comprehensive as the paid subscription services, it does provide a wealth of

information at no cost.

3. Fastcase: This is another database that offers free access for bar members. Similar

to Casemaker X, the site provides statutes, regulations, and case law. Plus, their mobile app

is free, which is great when you aren’t in front of a computer.

4. Google Scholar: Google also provides free case law searching, which can be filtered

by jurisdiction.

5. United States Code: The entire U.S.C. in a searchable and easy to use format.

6. State statutes: every state legislature provides free access to its Constitutions and

statutes. Each of these state codes are searchable and easy to use
1. Texas Statutes

2. California Statutes

3. Florida Statutes

4. New York Statutes

7. Code of Federal Regulations: This is an e-format of the Code of Federal

Regulations.

Secondary:

1. Nolo: This site is informative and thorough, relaying a tremendous amount of legal

information without all the legalese.

2. Legal Information Institute: A helpful site that provides a wealth of information,

particularly the legal encyclopedia.

3. Justia: Another free legal encyclopedia that, in addition helpful law information, also

provides on point case law footnotes.

4. Local attorney websites: Check attorney websites for contact information, the types

of law services offered, and sometimes, free information pertaining to the law in their

jurisdiction. This free information can be very useful to attorneys who may need to familiarize

themselves with an area of the law.

5. Find Law: Similar to Nolo, this is another easy to use source for background

information.

6. Local government agencies: Many local government agencies have relevant legal

information available on their websites. For example, in Texas, if you need specific

employment law information, the Texas Workforce Commission is very comprehensive.

Of course these sites might not have everything you need, but they should get you started. If you’re

a solo practitioner or small firm and legal research costs are a priority, bookmark these sites. Often

times, it’s better to familiarize yourself with a new area of law by doing some background reading.

Not only will this cut down on the amount of time it takes to find what you need, but when it comes

time to switch over to your paid subscription service you already have your search terms. With paid

subscription databases where each search and each click costs money, fewer searches means less

cost to you and your client.

Jason Long is a 2015 graduate of the Oklahoma City University School of Law.

Comments
 Crawford
Posted on 2019-05-21 16:13:40
For California, www.rulings.law offers free access to prior trial court tentative rulings. Reading prior
rulings can help attorneys draft better motions by seeing what caselaw and arguments persuade
their particular judge.
 R.Friedman
Posted on 2018-11-16 12:44:15
There are 2 more free online legal research tools that you did not mention: www.Casebriefs.com
www.Lawpipe.com They are also pretty good free legal resources

Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name * 

Email * 

Website 

Post Comment

 Search
Search
 
Categories

Company

Deposition Tips

Depositions

Events

Horror Stories

Legal hot topics

Legal tech trends

Marketing Tips

Paralegal news

Preparation

Product Updates

Security

Technology

Tips

OVERVIEW
SolutionFeaturesSecuritySuccess StoriesFAQBlog
SOCIAL
   
WRITE US
10900 Research Blvd #160C-4
Austin, TX 78759

EMAIL US
info@agilelaw.com

CALL US
512.348.6525

Copyright Ⓒ 2017 AgileLaw, LLC |Privacy Policy|Site Map

4
Shares