Researching a Topic in Criminal Law
FINDING A TOPIC:
Topical Newsletters -
The Library subscribes to a number of topical newsletters which follow criminal law trends and developments. The following are just a few examples:
The Champion [KF9602.C47 (Circulation)]
Court Review [KF8775.A15 (Circulation)]
Criminal Justice Research Reports [KF9223.C74 (Circulation)]
Criminal Law Reporter [KF9615.C5 (Research Alcove); also available online]
Criminal Practice Report [KF9615.B592 (Research Alcove)]
Federal Sentencing Reporter [KF9685.A59 F43 (Circulation)]
Ninth Circult Criminal Law Reporter Newsletters [KF9214.H341 (Circulation)]
Search and Seizure Bulletin [KF9630.A59 S38 (Circulation)]
U.S. Law Week
[KF105.U33 (Circulation); also available online]
Newsletters on Lexis and Westlaw -
Westlaw
contains databases of current newsletters on a myriad of topics.
You can search the LEGNEWSL database of all the newsletters currently available on Westlaw.
Lexis has a smaller newsletter database: search Combined Legal Newsletters on Lexis.
Newspapers -
Both Lexis and Westlaw have a good selection of US newspapers, where
you can read about new criminal law and policy issues. Findlaw
News covers legal articles written by the Associated Press. It is
a good place to locate current legal news items. Lexis has Major
Papers and Westlaw has West's
NewsRoom Major Papers.
The National Law Journal has
articles on Circuit splits. Search the newspaper website or on Westlaw and use "circuit split" as a search term.
Blogs -
SCOTUS BLOG is the oldest blog on the Supreme Court, and has a great set of links to other useful blogs. How Appealing is a blog on appellate litigation. Split Circuits is a blog dedicated to tracking developments concerning splits among the federal circuit courts. The Confrontation Blog addresses the Confrontation Clause. Other blogs related to criminal law and criminal procedure include Sentencing Law and Policy, TalkLeft: The Politics of Crime, and Criminal Appeal.
Before you commit yourself to your topic, it's a good idea to perform a preemption check to make sure no one has already written on the same subject.
RESEARCHING YOUR TOPIC:
Finding a Book -
Search Hastings Online Catalog for print titles at the Hastings Law Library. Be sure to use keyword searches for broad topics. Once you have narrowed down to a LC subject heading, use subject searchs to find all materials under your subject.
You can search "WorldCat" on FirstSearch to find out if any books exist on your topic at local and worldwide libraries. If you find a book on your topic that we don't have at Hastings, you can submit a request to borrow the book through interlibrary loan (ILL). Simply click on the "ILL" button at the upper left corner of the WorldCat record. It can take up to two weeks to get books through ILL, so plan ahead.
Finding Journal Articles -
Finding a journal article discussing the area of law about which you plan to write is a great way to start your research or to solidify an important point in your paper.
While Lexis and Westlaw allow full-text searches of their law review databases, it's often helpful to search an index first to tailor your search to articles specifically on your topic. LegalTrak and the Index to Legal Periodicals & Books are great for this purpose.
Electronic Resources -
Hastings subscribes to several online database that may help you with your research.
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
CRS works exclusively for members and committees of the United States Congress. An arm of the Library of Congress, the agency is renowned for its non-partisanship and its in-depth analysis of issues.
HeinOnline
Includes full-text law reviews, as well as the Code of Federal Regulations, the Federal Register, U.S. Attorney General opinions, U.S. Statutes at Large, and federal legislative histories.
Legal Scholarship Network
A searchable database of abstracts of working papers as well as articles accepted for publication. Many links to full text of articles not available on line elsewhere.
ProQuest Congressional
Click on the "Advanced Search" tab to search Committee Prints, hearings, House and Senate Reports, Legislative Histories, and the U.S. Serial Set.
U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs (1832-1978)
Full text searchable database of US Supreme Court Briefs includes both argued and cert denied cases.
Getting Help:
The reference librarians at Hastings are available to help you formulate your research strategy and find the resources that might be useful in writing your paper. Feel free to ask questions at the Reference Desk during the hours it is staffed or email one of the librarians to make an individual appointment.
Created by Hilary Hardcastle, Reference Librarian (September 2008).