Gotta learn Westlaw... and learn it fast!

January 3, 2007 1:22 AM

Westlaw: How can I learn to use it as quickly as possible?

I recently started doing some work for an overworked and rather stressed attorney who I know. Not being terribly comfortable with technology and computers, she has asked me to find out how to search Westlaw for a specific code (e.g. CA penal code section 422) and download all the relevant research and cases that go with it so that I can show her how it's done. This is complicated by the fact that I am not an attorney and have really never used Westlaw before so I'm at a bit of a loss as to where and how to start. (Heck, I'm not even sure if "all the relevant research and cases" is proper terminology!)

I'm looking for any tutorials or online instructions for this kind of searching, preferably ones that don't cost any money and that I can do in about a week or less. Or books. I've downloaded several short manuals from the Westlaw site, but they are kind of barebones and seem to assume you already know more than I do. Plus, I tend to learn better when I have something to read. Basically any kind of help, hints or specific instructions anyone can give me would be much appreciated.

posted by roosterboy to Law & Government (18 answers total)

Westlaw behaves very much like your standard search engines. This guide [pdf] to UK Westlaw should get you going. If you are at all familiar with electronic databases you should get the hang of things very quickly.

Westlaw has lots of helpful cross references, so as soon as you load up a relevant case, it will show all of the related cases on the sidebar, including court cases that contain the keyword for that penal code section (the lawyer should know the correct abbreviated form of that citation, which can be used for a keyword search), and court cases that overturned or cited that case.

Other guides you should google for include a guide to legal abbreviations, and a general "how to do legal research" guide (and its more recent "how to do legal research online" companions), of which there must be thousands. Some may be better than others, but their suitability will best be determined by how you learn and process information.
posted by Deathalicious at 1:56 AM on January 3, 2007

*sigh* This is the link you were looking for
posted by Deathalicious at 1:57 AM on January 3, 2007

Call them and ask - they will take you through it step by step. When you have time, ask for a free training course. These online services depend on lawyers knowing how to use them, so they are only too ready to help. Well you are at it, ask about receiving more comprehensive free training - if you are in a major center, they can probably do it on site for you (at you'll likely walk away with a spiffy westlaw mug).
posted by magwich at 2:06 AM on January 3, 2007

(And sorry for not being more directly helpful, but I never use Westlaw.)
posted by magwich at 2:07 AM on January 3, 2007

Do you have access to a local law library (in a law school, or a county law library such as this one)? Librarians would be happy to show you how to use it, and can also give you tips on how to search more cost-effectively. The Westlaw trainers are excellent, but they won't be terribly interested in helping you save money using their site. A librarian might also have a written guide for Westlaw.
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 4:17 AM on January 3, 2007

Seconding the phone call. One summer student I worked with had been assigned something really obscure to look up, and she called Westlaw as a last resort. The person bent over backwards to help her -- they were on the phone for about half an hour -- and although they didn't find the resource, they also came away reasonably certain that it wasn't available electronically, period. Finding a section of code and relevant case law will be easy for them to walk you through.
posted by AV at 5:27 AM on January 3, 2007

Here's some more specific advice which might help. In the welcome page, you should see a search box for "Get by Citation." Type in Cal Penal 422 and this will bring up a list of matching statutes, the first one being the one you're looking for. Click on it. First, you'll see the text of the statute itself. But if you scroll down, you'll see links to law review articles, treatises, and, most importantly, cases interpreting the statute. The cases are divded into specific subjects, like elements, burden of proof, etc., and should get you started.

Good luck, and I agree that you should also take one of Westlaw's free training courses.
posted by suasponte at 6:13 AM on January 3, 2007

Also, if you click on 'print' or 'download' in westlaw, it gives you the option to include citing references. That will pick up additional recent cases that have not yet been included in the annotations for the statute.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 6:22 AM on January 3, 2007

Good advice above.

One thing to note - find out what her pricing plan is, and exactly what's included and what costs extra. The extra costs can add up really, really quickly if she has a completely bare bones plan.

Don't hesitate to call them with a specific question, they will walk you through it.

Call them and ask about free training - sometimes they will send someone out there to train you, or they might direct you to a law school (where they do training quite a bit).
posted by KAS at 6:52 AM on January 3, 2007

I think you'll find this page very helpful -- it's from Thomson West (which owns Westlaw), and is full of .pdf files showing you how to use Westlaw to perform various general tasks. For instance, this one and this one show the various ways of researching statutes. Also, if you back up a page, you'll see many other user guide categories, including a whole page of links to statute and regulation research guides.

(On preview, KAS's caution about pricing is appropriate. Researching on Westlaw can get very expensive if she's not on an all-you-can-eat plan).

Happy researching!
posted by pardonyou? at 6:55 AM on January 3, 2007

I am not sure how it works with smaller law firms, but my firm has a Westlaw representative that I have called before and who was extremely helpful. This is the person who sells the subscriptions and whose job it is to keep subcribers happy. If you ask your attorney friend who her, or her firm's, Westlaw rep is, and then call that person and tell them that you want to schedule a tutorial, they may be able to teach you and your friend all you need to know.
posted by ND¢ at 7:22 AM on January 3, 2007

Call their online support for specific issues, have the rep come out for general training, it's free.
posted by caddis at 7:41 AM on January 3, 2007

Ditto the "call them" thing. The number is 1-800-WESTLAW and you want to ask for a "reference attorney".
posted by The Bellman at 7:46 AM on January 3, 2007

Seconding the law library thing. Law librarians, especially the ones that work in law schools, have dedicated their lives to situations just like yours.
posted by box at 8:06 AM on January 3, 2007

As a LEXIS-trained gal who must now use Westlaw, I find many aspects of Westlaw to be completely counter-intuitive. Especially the latest interface. So, I would definitely call the reference attorney. And if you are only going to be assigned one or two searches, I might not even bother getting trained -- I would just have the reference attorney help for those one or two times.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 8:57 AM on January 3, 2007

Please please please learn EXACTLY what pricing plan you're operation under!

A single search on the "All Cases Federal + State" database can easily reach $150-$200!

You really shouldn't run a search in the All cases database pretty much ever, try to narrow down the search fields to your jurisdiction/state before inputing anything.

Oh, and call them. They have live support people with law degrees on staff 24/7.
posted by T.D. Strange at 1:13 PM on January 3, 2007

operating...
posted by T.D. Strange at 1:14 PM on January 3, 2007

Westlaw (and also Lexis) have 800 numbers and search experts who will build the search for you. They'll also tell you how many hits it returns and will help you expand or restrict it before running it on your dime.
posted by KRS at 2:13 PM on January 4, 2007