Legal Research & Writing Flashcards

Which of the following is an example of secondary legal authority?

Answer: A law review article analyzing contract law

Secondary authority, such as law review articles, explains and analyzes the law but is not itself the law.

When using the IRAC method in legal writing, what does the 'A' stand for?

Answer: Analysis

In the IRAC framework (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion), 'A' stands for Analysis—applying the rule to the facts.

A legal assistant finds a 1985 circuit court case directly on point. Before citing it, what is the most important step?

Answer: Check whether the case has been overruled or distinguished by later authority

Before relying on any case, a legal researcher must verify it is still good law using a citator like Shepard's or KeyCite.

What is the correct Bluebook format for citing a federal statute?

Answer: [Title] U.S.C. § [section] ([year])

The Bluebook format for a federal statute is: [Title number] U.S.C. § [section number] ([year]).

Which research strategy is most efficient when beginning research on an unfamiliar area of law?

Answer: Begin with a secondary source such as a legal encyclopedia or treatise

Beginning with a secondary source provides an overview of the area, key concepts, and citations to primary authority, making subsequent research more efficient.

In legal writing, 'plain English' principles most often require which of the following?

Answer: Active voice and clear, concise sentence structure

Plain English principles in legal writing emphasize active voice, short sentences, and clear language to improve readability and comprehension.

What is the purpose of a 'string citation' in a legal document?

Answer: To cite multiple sources supporting the same legal proposition

A string citation lists multiple authorities in sequence to support a single legal proposition, showing broad support across several sources.