NALA Legal Research & Citation Methods 2

Question 1

What is secondary authority in legal research and when is it most useful?

Accepted Answer

Sources that analyze or explain the law (treatises, law reviews, legal encyclopedias), most useful when starting research on an unfamiliar topic

Answer

Court opinions from lower courts

Answer

Unpublished judicial decisions

Answer

Draft legislation not yet enacted

Question 2

What does 'stare decisis' mean and why is it important for legal research?

Accepted Answer

The doctrine that courts should follow precedent established by prior decisions, making case law research essential

Answer

A Latin term meaning 'start the research'

Answer

A requirement to cite at least three cases in every brief

Answer

A procedure for filing documents with the court

Question 3

What is a Boolean search in legal database research?

Accepted Answer

A search using logical connectors like AND, OR, and NOT to combine or exclude search terms

Answer

A search limited to a single court

Answer

A search using only case numbers

Answer

A search that automatically corrects spelling errors

Question 4

What is the Key Number System used in Westlaw?

Accepted Answer

A classification system that organizes legal topics and subtopics with assigned numbers for efficient research

Answer

A system for numbering court cases chronologically

Answer

A security code system for accessing confidential documents

Answer

A method for calculating court filing fees

Question 5

What is the difference between mandatory and persuasive authority?

Accepted Answer

Mandatory authority must be followed by a court; persuasive authority may be considered but is not binding

Answer

Mandatory authority is always federal; persuasive authority is always state

Answer

Mandatory authority is more recent; persuasive authority is older

Answer

There is no practical difference between the two

Question 6

What is an annotated code and why is it valuable for legal research?

Accepted Answer

A statutory code that includes references to cases, regulations, and secondary sources that interpret each statute

Answer

A code written with explanatory notes in the margins by a judge

Answer

A simplified version of statutes for non-lawyers

Answer

A code that only contains recently enacted legislation