There are various methods for legal research. Not that long ago, lawyers would spend endless hours poring over books - cases, codes, treatise, and digests. True legal libraries are currently outdated in their ability to effectively and efficiently provide results, and their consumption of valuable office space. The vast majority of lawyers currently employ, almost exclusively, online resources for legal research.

The big two: Westlaw and Lexis are the two most well known and recognizable online legal resource tools. Both provided extensive resources, including public records, various search methods, access to cases and codes, some form of shepardizing, legal treatise, rules, among others. Both are also very expensive.

Various alternatives to the big two exist for the legal researcher. These options are not usually as robust as the big two, but they are usually a fraction of the price or even free. All provide access to at least cases and codes which as a practical matter will provide the brief writer all of the material that he/she needs to effectively put together the most legal writings. Here is a pro and con analysis of some of the alternatives:

  • Casemaker: available through various state bar associations, usually free of charge.
    • Pros
      • Free
      • Access to cases, codes, including Alabama and Admin, and legislative material
      • Access to Court Rules, including Local Federal
      • Access to Attorney General Opinions
      • Case Check which provides citing references
      • Advanced Fields for filtering results
    • Cons
      • Lack of Shepard's® / KeyCite ®
      • No secondary materials
  • Google Scholar: available from Google®
    • Pros
      • Free
      • Access to Cases and Codes
      • Access to legislative materials
      • Citing References provided under "How cited" tab
    • Cons
      • Available resources are undefined
        • What I mean is that you cannot tell what resources are available for search, where the results come from, or the depth of the resources.
      • Limited date ranges
      • No hyperlink to legislative materials
      • Lack of Shepard's® / KeyCite ®
      • Printing Options
      • No toggling between search terms
      • Limited secondary materials
      • Limited Advanced Fields
  • FastCase
    • Pros
      • Low cost
      • Access to Cases and Codes
      • Access to legislative materials
      • Citation Analysis - attempts to offset lack of Shepard's® / KeyCite ®
      • Dual column printing
    • Cons
      • Lack of Shepard's® / KeyCite ®
      • Secondary Materials
  • Loislaw
    • Pros
      • Low cost
      • Access to Cases and Codes
      • Access to legislative materials
      • GlobalCite® - closest tool to Shepard's® / KeyCite ®
      • Public Records
      • Some secondary materials
    • Cons
      • Lack of Shepard's® / KeyCite ®
      • Secondary Materials

There are obviously numerous ways to conduct legal research, but the days of outrageous prices, especially for access to cases, codes, & legislative materials is at an end. The above list is not exhaustive, but provides some of the issues that I observed when reviewing current option to the legal practitioner.

Other available legal resources:

Versus Law

FindLaw®

Internet Legal Research Group

Municipal Codes

Code of Federal Regulations