Secondary sources are materials that discuss, explain, analyze, and critique the law. They discuss the law, but are not the law itself. Secondary sources, such as Law Journals, Encyclopedias, and Treatises are a great place to start your legal research. Unlike primary sources (case law, statutes, regulations, etc.), secondary sources will help you learn about an area of law, provide you with the scope of the law, and will provide you with citations to applicable and relevant primary law materials.
Juvenile Justice Administration in a Nutshell by Call Number: Main Level - Study Aids REF KF9780 .F45 2018ISBN: 9781640209121Publication Date: 2018-10-03This Nutshell title focuses exclusively on the criminal and non-criminal misconduct of children that bring them within the jurisdiction of juvenile courts and examines law enforcement, judicial, and administrative responses to that misconduct. It deals with issues of children's rights only insofar as they relate to the processes of investigating and prosecuting juvenile offenders for delinquency and status-offenses. Like all Nutshells, it strives to provide a succinct exposition of the law for students studying juvenile justice, for lawyers who do not regularly practice in juvenile court, and for legislators and policy officials involved in juvenile justice law reform efforts. Also available online through West Academic (use the link below).
- West Academic This link opens in a new windowIncludes Nutshells, Gilbert's Summaries, Black Letter Outlines, Concise Hornbooks, and other study aid publications related to courses taught in the Law School.
- Legal Rights of Children by Thomas R. YoungThis electronic version of the multi-volume print looseleaf treatise explains issues important to children: child custody, discrimination against children and adolescents, child pornography, school district issues, rights of handicapped children, parental torts, and children as witnesses. A table of laws and rules, as well as a table of cases, is included.
- Rights of Juveniles: The Juvenile Justice System by Samuel M. DavisThis treatise provides an in-depth examination of the intricate procedures of the juvenile justice process, discussing current practices and their constitutionality. It surveys state and federal cases, analyzes statutory and decisional law, as well as recent developments. A 50-state survey of juvenile laws is featured. Updated regularly.
Find More Books in the Vanderbilt Libraries Catalog
- Google Scholar Vanderbilt Login This link opens in a new window
Use this link to seamlessly access VU resources via Google Scholar both on and off campus.
You can also adjust your Google Scholar settings to display the Vanderbilt Findit@VU link to appear in search results and allow for access from on or off-campus. Access Google Scholar settings by visiting this page (https://scholar.google.com/scholar_settings).
Click library links on the left hand menu. in the search box, search for Vanderbilt and select: “Vanderbilt University Library – Findit@VU” (with uppercase F), Click Save.
- Lexis+ This link opens in a new window
Legal research system for Vanderbilt Law School faculty, students and staff. Please see a reference librarian for assistance.
- Westlaw This link opens in a new window
Legal research system for Vanderbilt Law School faculty, students and staff. Please see a reference librarian for assistance.
- HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive legal research database. Extensive coverage of law reviews and historical access to resources such as the Federal Register, the Code of Federal Regulations, and US Supreme Court decisions. Legislative history and select foreign and international materials. Contains specialized libraries: intellectual property, taxation and economic reform, etc.
Selected Indices
Indices like the Index to Legal Periodicals and LegalTrac can help you identify relevant articles for your preemption check and for researching your chosen topic.
- Index to Legal Periodicals and Books This link opens in a new window
Legal information, with international coverage of scholarly articles, symposia, jurisdictional surveys, court decisions, legislation, books, book reviews, law review and other legal periodicals articles, etc.
- LegalTrac This link opens in a new windowIndexing for major law reviews, legal newspapers, bar association journals, and international legal journals. Law-related articles from business and general interest titles.
- American Journal of Family LawA quarterly journal focusing on current issues in family law practice. Includes sample forms, checklists, and guidelines for use by family law practitioners, paralegals, and judges. Aspen Publishers. Coverage: 1987 - Present (Note: coverage varies by database)
- Children's Legal Rights JournalThe Children's Legal Rights Journal is a quarterly legal journal, edited by Loyola students in conjunction with the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law and with the cooperation of the National Association of Counsel for Children. The CLRJ focuses on the broad range of legal issues confronting children. Its goal is to provide practitioners in law adn related fields with the practical resources they need to be effective advocates for their child clients. Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. Coverage: 1979 - Present
- Family Law QuarterlyA scholarly journal providing discussion and analysis of existing and emerging issues in family law. Addresses such topics as divorce, parentage, child custody and support, property rights, domestic torts, and adoption. Content includes feature articles, judicial decisions, case digests, and summaries of state and local bar association projects. ABA Section on Family Law. Coverage: 1967 - Present (Note: coverage varies by database)
- International Journal of Law, Policy, and the FamilyThe International Journal of Law, Policy, and the Family contains the following: analyses of the law relating to family which carry an interest beyond the jurisdiction dealt with, or which are of a comparative nature; theoretical analyses of family law; sociological literature concerning the family which is of special interest to law and legal policy; social policy literature of special interest to law and the family; literature in related disciplines (such as medicine, psychology, demography) which is of special relevance to law and the family; research findings in the above areas; reviews of books and relevant reports. Oxford Journals. Coverage: 1987 - Present (Note: coverage varies by database)
- Journal of Juvenile LawThe University of La Verne Law Review (formerly known as the Journal of Juvenile Law from 1977 - 2007) publishes two issues per year. The first issue, generally released in December, is devoted to juvenile law. The second issue, generally released in May, is determined on a yearly basis by the incoming editorial board. University of La Verne Law Review. Coverage: 1977 - Present (Note: coverage varies by database)
- Journal of Law & Family StudiesThe Journal of Law & Family Studies, which was formerly known as the Journal of Contemporary Law, contains the full text of documents that are dedicated to the scholarly review of family law and issues of importance to students, practitioners, and academics. University of Utah. Coverage: 1999 - 2013. Also available in LexisNexis Academic
- Juvenile and Family Court JournalJuvenile and Family Court Journal, published by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges since 1949, focuses on issues of interest to the field of juvenile and family justice, including: child abuse and neglect; juvenile delinquency; domestic violence; substance abuse; child custody and visitation; judicial leadership. National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Coverage: 1949 - 2018 (Note: coverage varies by database)
- U.C. Davis Journal of Juvenile Law & PolicyThe Journal of Juvenile Law and Policy is a biannual publication of the UC Davis School of Law that addresses the unique concerns of children in teh American legal system. Initially a product of the creativity and activism of a small group of King Hall students, called the Advocates for the Rights of Children (ARC), the Journal has evolved into a vigorous organization committed to providing practical and timely information about current juvenile, family, and educational law issues. The goal of the Journal is to provide a forum for discussion and to encourage community awareness and involvement in issues that affect children. U.C. Davis School of Law. Coverage: 1996 - Present (Note: coverage varies by database). Also available in LexisNexis Academic.
