Unit 1 - Methods of Legal Research Intro

Legal Question

the systematic process of finding, analyzing, and interpreting legal information to address legal questions, support arguments, and inform decision-making.

Facts

pieces of information or events that are relevant to a legal dispute and can be proven true or false, forming the basis for legal decisions.

Legal Issues

a specific point of law or fact that a court, lawyer, or legal authority must decide to resolve a dispute or protect rights

Jurisdiction

the authority or power granted by law to a court, government agency, or other legal body to hear and decide cases and to issue orders or judgments

Primary Authority

refers to the official, binding legal rules and sources of law that courts, government agencies, and individuals must follow

Secondary Authority

materials that explain, summarize, or interpret the law rather than create it. These sources are not legally binding in court, but they can be persuasive and are often used by lawyers and judges to support arguments based on primary authority

Research Strategy

a structured, systematic plan that guides how a lawyer or legal professional identifies, gathers, and analyzes relevant legal information to address a specific legal issue or case.

Iterative Process

a method of working that involves repeating a cycle of planning, testing, reviewing, and refining to gradually improve a solution or outcome. Each cycle, or iteration, builds on feedback from the previous one, allowing continuous improvement and adaptation.

Relative Law

generally refers to legal principles or rules that are interpreted and applied in relation to specific circumstances, contexts, or other laws, rather than as rigid, universal standards

Authoritative Law

a body of law or a legal principle that is recognized as reliable, binding, and of higher rank than other sources, and which courts are required to follow when deciding cases