{"id":358029,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:21","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/hirealawyer\/choosing-the-right-lawyer\/legal-research.html"},"modified":"2023-09-01T12:42:14","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T17:42:14","slug":"legal-research","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/hirealawyer\/choosing-the-right-lawyer\/legal-research.html","title":{"rendered":"What Is Legal Research?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

What Is Legal Research?<\/h1>\n\n
\n
\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

\n

Legal research is the process of finding and analyzing laws, regulations, and court decisions to support a legal argument or resolve a legal issue. Attorneys use it to understand how similar cases have been decided and to identify the rules that apply to a client\u2019s situation.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

When the U.S. Supreme Court hands down a ruling, people assume the justices base their decision on years of experience and understanding of the law. Although the Supreme Court justices<\/a> know more about federal law than the average person, they may not know anything about the case they’re ruling on. For that, they need legal research.<\/p>\n

Legal research and writing are the heart of law practice. It isn’t glamorous or dramatic. There will never be an exciting TV show about an attorney sitting full-time in a law library with a stack of old casebooks. But without legal research, there would be no law.<\/p>\n

Keep reading to learn how legal research ensures arguments are accurate, well\u2011supported, and grounded in existing law.<\/p>\n

Definition of Legal Research<\/h2>\n

Legal research means finding answers in the law to support a legal decision or argument. Whenever an attorney makes a statement in court, they must support it with a law or previously decided case. If a law already exists or a case was decided in a particular way, other cases must follow that rule.<\/p>\n

Types of Legal Information<\/h3>\n

There is a wide range of legal information available. Not all of it is relevant to all areas of law. The legal issue raised by your case determines the information to research. In general, state laws<\/a> and regulations support pleadings and legal documents. Federal laws support legal issues that are “novel” or lack precedent.<\/p>\n

There are three general categories of legal information:<\/p>\n