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Legal Information

Court System Basics

How can I do legal research?

In addition to reading your state’s rules of evidence, you may want to do additional research to prepare for your case. Here are some ideas on how to proceed:

  • Go to a law library, either at the courthouse or at a local law school. Many courthouses have libraries, which will have other cases that have been decided (known as “case law”), statutes, and secondary source materials. A law librarian may be able to help you in your research.
  • See if your courthouse has an office for the self-represented (“pro se” litigants). These offices are designed to provide information, instruction, and forms for people who are representing themselves in court.
  • Look for online tools that have access to case law or articles on legal topics, such as Google Scholar (WomensLaw.org does not endorse the services of Google Scholar – we provide this information for your knowledge only).

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