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ELA 075 - Law for Everyday Life: Legal References, Research, and Writing

 

Below is information to help you learn how to find the many laws of the United States using legal resources and write about it in legal language.

Print Dictionary in the Library

Online Dictionaries and Glossaries

Free Online Legal Dictionaries

 

Free Online Legal Glossaries

The Westlaw Research Database

Use the Westlaw database to access a broad array of legal resources including:

  • all federal and state court decisions since 1789 
  • all federal and state statutes 
  • 41 state administrative codes
  • articles on court decisions and statutes from American Law Reports
  • over 600 law reviews and journals
  • American Jurisprudence legal encyclopedia. 

The database also includes the Washington Practice Series:

Washington Pattern Jury Instructions are open access on Westlaw's website.

To access the Westlaw database from off-campus, use these instructions: How do I log on to Library Databases (i.e. ProQuest, Westlaw)?

If you have difficulties accessing the resources, chat with a librarian 24x7.

Legal Research and Writing Resources

Legal Citations