Introduction to Primary Resources

1
Introduction to Primary Resources

• Codes, Cases, and Citations

2
Types of Resources

• Primary
• Contain the Law
• Secondary
• Explain the Law

3
Statutory Law

• Federal and State Codes

4
Codes

• Subject arrangement of current statutory law
• Many codes also contain the text of constitutions
  and court rules

5
Code Formats and Contents

• Unannotated Codes
• Text of Law

• Annotated Codes
• Text of Law
• Research Assistance
• Case annotations
• References to Secondary Resources

6
35 U.S.C. 105
7
(No Transcript)
8
Research Assistance
9
Federal Codes

• 3 Publications
• United States Code
• United States Code Annotated (West)
• United States Code Service (Lexis)

10
Citations to Federal Codes

• 21 U.S.C. 851 (2000)
• 21 U.S.C.A. 851 (West 1999)
• 21 U.S.C.S. 851 (Lexis 1997)

11
State Codes

• All states have at least one code
• There is no uniform method of naming or numbering
  state codes
• Examples
• Iowa Code 633.219 (2001)
• Cal. Fam. Code 3900 (West 1994)
• Fla. Stat. ch. 673.3101 (2001)
• Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. 211.8 (West 1998)
• N.Y. Penal Law 220.00 (McKinney 2000)

12
State Codes

• Check Bluebook A Uniform System of Legal
  Citation, pp. 170-225 to determine what resources
  are available for a particular state.

13
To Locate a Relevant Statute

• Find a known cite
• Use General Index

14
Case Law

• Courts and their Reporters

15
Elements of an Opinion

• Start by looking at the parts of a case as
  published by West

16
Citation Volume Reporter Page No.
17
(No Transcript)
18
(No Transcript)
19
Court and Date Decided
20
Start of Opinion
21
Editorial Enhancements
22
Editorial Enhancements
Synopsis
Headnotes
23
Synopsis

• Brief description of the case written by West
  editors
• Contains
• facts of case
• name and holding of lower court judge
• holding of the court
• name of judge writing the opinion

24
Headnotes

• Are sequentially-numbered paragraphs used for
  researching cases by subject
• Will be discussed during Part IIA sessions

25
Reporters

• Are chronological arrangements of judicial
  opinions
• May cover one or many jurisdictions

26
Federal Courts and their Reporters
27
Sample Citations - Federal Courts
410 U.S. 113 93 S.Ct. 705 35 L.Ed.2d 147
United States Supreme Court
Parallel Cites
28
Federal Courts and their Reporters
Courts of Appeals There are 11 geographical
Circuits plus the District of Columbia and
Federal Circuits
F.3d About 50-80 of cases are published
29
Sample Citations - Federal Courts
410 U.S. 113 93 S.Ct. 705 35 L.Ed.2d 147
United States Supreme Court
United States Courts of Appeals
13 F. 3d 161 886 F.2d 213
30
Federal Courts and their Reporters
District Courts Each state has a least one
federal district court Larger states have as many
as four federal district courts
F.Supp.2d Fewer than 30 of cases are published
31
Sample Citations - Federal Courts
410 U.S. 113 93 S.Ct. 705 35 L.Ed.2d 147
United States Supreme Court
United States Courts of Appeals
13 F. 3d 161 886 F.2d 213
776 F.Supp. 1011 13 F.Supp.2d 923
United States District Courts
32
State Courts -- Similar Structure

• Highest level court or Court of Last Resort
• Intermediate level court
• Trial level court

33
Naming of state courts

• Many states follow the federal pattern
• Some exceptions
• most notable is New York where the highest court
  is the Court of Appeals

34
Schematic representation of Iowa Court system
35
Description of state court systems

• BNAs Directory of State and Federal Courts,
  Judges, and Clerks
• Ref KF 8700 .A19 K56
• Wants Federal-State Court Directory
• Ref KF 8700 .A19 F4

36
State Opinions

• Some States publish reporters
• Example -- Illinois
• Illinois Reports
• Illinois Appellate Reports
• In addition, West publishes intermediate and
  highest level state opinions in the Regional
  Reporters

37
Wests Regional Reporters - State Opinions

• Atlantic (A)
• North Eastern (NE)
• North Western (NW)
• Pacific (P)
• South Eastern (SE)
• South Western (SW)
• Southern (So)

• New York Supplement (NYS)
• California Reporter (Cal. Rptr)

38
State Courts - Sample citations
27 Cal. 3d 900 615 P. 2d 555 167 Cal. Rptr. 366
Highest State Court
Parallel Cites
39
State Courts - Sample citations
27 Cal. 3d 900 615 P. 2d 555 167 Cal. Rptr. 366
Highest State Court
State Intermediate Appellate Courts
35 Cal. App. 3d 210 100 Cal. Rptr. 221
40
State Courts - Sample citations
27 Cal. 3d 900 615 P. 2d 555 167 Cal. Rptr. 366
Highest State Court
State Intermediate Appellate Courts
35 Cal. App. 3d 210 100 Cal. Rptr. 221
State Trial Courts
41
Iowa
Supreme Court (Iowa) In documents submitted to
Iowa State courts, cite to one of the reporters
listed below (other than N.W. or N.W. 2d) if
therein and to N.W. or N.W. 2d if therein. In
all other documents, cite only to N.W. or N.W.
2d, if therein otherwise, cite to another
reporter listed below. Iowa Reports 1855-1968
Iowa (Cite to edition published by Clarke for
volumes 1 through 8) Greene 1847-1854
Greene Morris 1839-1846 Morris Bradford 18
39-1841 Bradf. North Western Reporter 1878-date
N.W., N.W. 2d Court of Appeals (Iowa Ct. App.)
Cite to N.W. 2d North Western Reporter 1977-date
N.W. 2d Statutory compilations Cite to Iowa
Code if therein. Code of Iowa Iowa Code x
(19xx) Iowa Code Annotated (West) Iowa Code Ann.
x (West 19xx)
Use Bluebook The Uniform System of Legal
Citation to determine citation preferences
42
Deciphering Case Citations

• Missouri v. Holland, 252 U.S. 416 (1920)
• U.S. v. Joyner, 201 F.3d 61 (2d Cir. 2000)
• Morgan v. Kroupa, 702 A.2d 630 (Vt. 1997)
• Gleason v. Kueker, 641 N.W.2d 553 (Iowa App.
  2001)

43
Deciphering Case Citations, contd

• Pierson v. Post, 3 Cai. R. 175 (1805)
• Shelleys Case, 1 Co. Rep. 93b (1581)
• Johnson v. MIntosh, 8 Wheat. 543 (1823)
• Krell v. Henry, 2 K.B. 740 (1903)
• Keeble v. Hickeringill, 11 East 574 (1707)

44
For Unknown Abbreviations

• To discover reporter title
• Use Biebers Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations,
  5th ed., Ref. KF 246 .B46 2001
• To determine location of reporter
• Use UI Libraries Catalog on InfoHawk

45
Deciphering Case Citations, contd

• Johnson v. MIntosh, 8 Wheat. 543 (1823)
• Biebers entry Wheat. Wheatons Reports (14-25
  U.S.)
• Go to U.S. Reports, 14 U.S. 1 Wheat.
• Shelleys Case, 1 Co. Rep. 93b (1581)
• Biebers entry Co. Rep. Coke, Reports, Kings
  Bench (1572-1616) (Eng.)
• InfoHawk keyword search Coke reports kings
  bench
• LAW Rare Book (Special Collection) KD200 1572 .C6
  A2 1738