7 Free and Low Cost Legal Research
Free and low-cost legal resources can be invaluable to you in your day-to-day practice. This chapter will cover what types of materials are available, when to use them, and how to evaluate these resources. We’ll also take an in-depth look at the Way Back Machine.
Free and low-cost resources can take many forms, including:
- Fastcase (included with your Georgia State Bar membership)
- Government websites (end with .gov), including current laws and regulations, statistical information, and government manuals
- Law firm blogs
- Company and people search databases
- Websites covering one area of the law in great detail, e.g., ScotusBlog
- Databases you have access to as a law school student or alumnus (HeinOnline after graduation)
When is it a good idea to use free and low-cost resources?
- If information is likely to be available for free, e.g., locating a public law number or a form located on a state court’s website
- If starting with free and low-cost resources & then switching to paid resources for supplemental material will save money. For example, you can find a lot of information on agency websites, but at a certain point, the paid databases are worth it, especially in a highly regulated field such as tax or securities law.
- If the time you spend on free and low-cost resources doesn’t outweigh the money you spend on paid. Always remember that your time is worth money.
What information will not be available through free and low-cost resources?
- High quality, reliable secondary sources
- Annotated codes and other finding aids
- Citator services, such as Shepard’s or KeyCite
- Older materials: most coverage begins in the early 1990s for federal government information
What are some tips for evaluating websites to make sure the information is reliable and credible?
- Who is the author or publisher? Is there an About Us page?
- Is the author or publisher the branch of government that produces the information you are looking for?
- Are they considered authoritative and reliable?
- Is the information presented in order to sway the opinion of the reader?
- Does the information appear current? When was the site last updated?
- Are the links within the webpage current?
- How far back does the data go? Are the latest changes/additions included?
- Are sources of information listed? Can you verify them?