Contact the Law Library
The Law Library's Reference Librarians are available from 9AM - 5PM, M - F.
Email us and we will respond as quickly as possible.
Stop by the Circulation Desk and ask to speak to a reference librarian.
Call 615-343-8731 and ask to speak to a reference librarian.
Start Your Research with Secondary Sources
When you are a non-law student researching the law, it is often best to start your research with a secondary source, which will mean a trip to the law library. The internet is not a comprehensive source for legal materials so do not expect to be able to do your research from the comfort of your dorm room.
Below are some of the most popular types of legal secondary sources and how to find them. But don't forget, if you have any questions:
- Reach out to your friendly law librarian!Send us an email or stop by the Reference Desk between 9-5PM, M-F. We are happy to help you find a useful resource in print or using the public Westlaw terminal.
Current Awareness Resources
If you are trying to figure out what are hot topics at the moment, or you just want to stay up to date with legal developments in certain areas, a current awareness tool is your best friend. Here are some of the more popular current awareness tools you have access to:
- Law360 (Law users only) This link opens in a new windowLaw360 is only available to law-school students, faculty and staff. Other patrons may access it from the law library terminals..
- Bloomberg Law (Off-campus access restricted to Law users) This link opens in a new windowLegal content, company and market information, proprietary news, and Bloomberg BNA content that migrated to the Bloomberg Law platform. Includes dockets from PACER. Users will not have access to the “download center” or be able to customize items, including news alerts. They will also not be able to request new dockets, but will be able to see existing dockets already on the system. On-campus access is available to all VU faculty, staff, and students. Off-campus access is available to law users only via username and password. For registration assistance, contact a law reference librarian.
You might also have success locating useful blogs and other materials by finding a legal research guide. Just Google your topic and "legal research guide." Most good legal research guides include links to agency websites, blogs, nonprofit organizations who put out news, etc.
Legal Encyclopedias
Legal Encyclopedias are good places to start when you know very little about the area of law and you want to get the basics (no in-depth analysis). They are great for providing background information and for identifying many of the key issues in a particular are of law. Below are descriptions of the two most commonly-used legal encyclopedias and how to access them.
- American JurisprudenceAmerican Jurisprudence is one of the most popular national encyclopedias. It is available for non-law students in print or from the public Westlaw terminal in the Law Library.
- Tennessee JurisprudenceA state-based encyclopedia, focused on the law of Tennessee.
Treatises
Treatises :
Treatises are comprehensive, in-depth examinations of a particular area of law within a particular jurisdiction. For example, you might look at a federal health law treatise or a California education law treatise. There are a few different ways you might locate a useful treatise.
- Reach out to your friendly law librarian!Send us an email or stop by the Reference Desk between 9-5PM, M-F. We are happy to help you find a useful source.
- Use the Georgetown Treatise FinderLook for your subject in the Georgetown Legal Treatise Finder. Once you identify a promising title, search it in the Vanderbilt catalog (link below).
Practice Resources
Practice Resources are useful for when you are researching how to actually do something: form a company, send a warning letter, file a complain in court, draft a contract, etc. Practice resources generally include explanatory language, along with sample documents. To locate useful practice resources, try the following:
- Reach out to your friendly law librarian!Send us an email or stop by the Reference Desk between 9-5PM, M-F. We are happy to help you find a useful resource in print or using the public Westlaw terminal.
- Use a legal research guide.If you know your subject area (e.g., tax law) but don't know a good source to start with, check out a legal research guide. The easiest way to find one is to Google "[your subject] legal research guide]". Many guides include practical guidance materials.
It also never hurts to do some creative Googling. That might lead you to a government agency website, a legal blog, or other useful resources. Just be mindful of the provider. Not all free legal resources are equal!
Legal Periodicals and Scholarship
Legal Periodicals and Scholarship are periodical/journal publications of law schools, bar associations, and commercial publishers that contain articles providing in-depth analysis of legal issues or practical legal information. Since law review articles are well-documented with footnotes, they give the researcher quick access to citations of relevant primary law (such as cases and statutes) and interpret and explain those primary sources of law as well.
Check out the legal scholarship page of this research guide for more information about how to find and use these resources.
