How do traditional print legal research methods differ from computer-assisted legal research?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Traditional print research has limitations in terms of access, currency, and availability that computer-assisted legal research materials, accessible through the Internet, does not. Fee-based services such as Westlaw and Lexis-Nexis provide access to primary and secondary authority databases, and include numerous search enhancements that assist the researcher in finding applicable law. The cost of these providers may be high, however, and traditional research would be warranted.

In both methods of research, the key terms of the research issue must be identified. To locate statutes in print, one would look these terms up in the index to the statutes. To locate cases in print, one would look up these terms in the Descriptive Word Index of the appropriate Digest series to locate citations to relevant cases. All supplements and pocket parts must be examined to ensure that the most recent law is located.

Computer-assisted legal research relies on character recognition to locate search terms in the database authority selected by the researcher. Either standardized English queries (natural language) or terms and connectors (using Boolean and proximity connectors) queries can be used in formulating searches. Additional research aids are provided by the various research services to assist the researcher. The databases are usually updated within 24 hours.

Relevant authority must be updated using a citatory. Online citators such as Westlaw’s KeyCite or LexisNexis Shepard’s Citations allow the researcher to update authority more quickly and with greater currency than in print materials. Signal indicators shown on a source provide a graphic notice of later treatment of that authority.