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Researching Virginia Law at the Wolf Law LibraryFinding the law on a specific topic is not an exact science. To discover what "the law" is for a particular situation, you must first learn what rules apply to your situation. After you have determined what the rules are for your situation, you must then apply those rules to the facts. This is usually an extensive process that involves several stages. » Beginning Your Research » Secondary Sources » Virginia Statutes » Legislative History in Virginia » Virginia Case Law » Virginia Administrative Law » Reference List » Complete Guide (all of the above sections combined on one page for easy printing) BEGINNING YOUR RESEARCH Some useful tools Guides to the Legal Research Process This guide is only intended as a brief introduction to the process of researching law in Virginia. For a more detailed guide to the legal research process, there are several books in our Self-Help section which you may find useful. Keep in mind that these books are designed for the law in general, not just Virginia: • Fundamentals of Legal Research, by J. Myron Jacobstein, Roy M. Mersky, and Donald J. Dunn. 8th ed. Call # KF240 .J32. • Legal Research: How to Find & Understand The Law, by Stephen Elias & Susan Levinkind. 10th ed. Call # KF240 .E35. • Legal Research Made Easy, by Suzan Herskowitz. 3rd ed. Call # KF240 .H47. Law Dictionaries A law dictionary is an important legal research tool; even terms that have a straightforward definition in plain English can have a special meaning when used in the law. • Black's Law Dictionary (Call # KF156 .B53 1999 [Reference Section]) is the work most commonly used by lawyers. This dictionary is comprehensive, but its definitions can be confusing at times. You may wish to try one of the following law dictionaries, designed for laypeople: • Barron's Dictionary of Legal Terms, by Steven H. Gifis. 3d ed. Call # KF156 .G53 1998 [Self-Help and Reference Sections] • Random House Webster's Dictionary of the Law, by James E. Clapp. Call # KF156 .C57 2000 [Reference Section] • Real Life Dictionary of the Law, by Gerald N. Hill and Kathleen Thompson Hill. Call # KF156 .H55 1997 [Reference Section] The Stages of Research – An Outline Depending upon how much prior experience and information you have on the topic you are researching, you may not have to go through all these stages. Most researchers, though, will find it beneficial to follow each of these steps. I. Secondary Sources II. Statutes III. Cases IV. Regulations » Legislative History » Cases » Administrative Law » References
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