Free/Cost Effective Research on the Web

and Alternatives to Lexis &

Westlaw

Topics Covered

• How much do Lexis and Westlaw Cost?

• Cost saving tips for Lexis and Westlaw

• Low cost databases

Lexis and Westlaw cost?

• Even if flat rate plan, client charged or maybe outside of plan

• Lexis- items outside of plan not accessible. Another account to access off plan.

• Westlaw-Message saying outside of plan

Computing Westlaw Costs

• Florida Briefs Multibase

• Click for rate

• Select rate = $11.03/min

• Click Subscriber for per search cost

• Add communication charges - .22/min

• Add print/download costs – .04 per line or $20 per document

Cost-Saving Tips for Lexis/WL

• See Efficient /Cost Effective Legal Research

• Call Lexis/Westlaw reference attorney

• Ask librarian re. price plan

• Use print or cheaper databases first

• Before go online: Create search, figure cost

Cost-Saving Tips for Lexis/WL

• Use most specific database

• Start general & use focus/locate

• Decide transactional or hourly, print line or print document

• Use get or find instead of searching if have cite

Cost-Saving Tips for Lexis/WL

• Table of contents, documents in sequence no charge

• Use CheckCite® and WestCheck to check citations.

• Print with Web browser or cut & paste for free.

Tips from Lexis/WL

• LexisNexis Cost Effective Research Strategies

• Cost Effective Research Tips - Westlaw

(These links on Getting Ready to Clerk: Summer Associate Guide )

Low Cost Databases

Stripped down versions of Lexis/WL

• Casemaker –Free w/ free student OSBA membership

• Fastcase – Free w/ Cleve bar membership

• Lois Law – Coming soon

• Versus Law – Free to Law students

Articles re. Low Cost Database

• Four Legal Research Companies Offer Mid-priced Options, Wisconsin Law Journal, Sept. 4, 2008

• A Guide to Fee-Based U. S. Legal Research Databases – Globalex, Dec 2006

• 2006 comparison – Univ. Wash. Law Library

ContentsUnannoStatutes

Casesw/oHeadnotes

Unanno

Regs

“Shepard’s –Like

Feature”

Other

Loislaw Yes Yes –

Ohio unreported

1997-

Yes “Yes” Treatises

Casemaker

Yes Yes –

Ohio unreported 1981-

Yes “Yes” Some Jurisdictions - Jury Instruc., Jury Verdicts,

More

Contents

UnannoStatutes

Casesw/oHeadnotes

Unanno

Regs

“Shepard’s –Like

Feature”

Fastcase Except 11 states – Internet links

Fed App 1968-, Ohio 1950 -, Ohio unreported 2000-.Coverage

Mostly Internet

Links

Yes

Versuslaw

See help, Content/Features

Fed if pay more, no state

Ohio 1950 -. Ohio unreported 1995 -.

Older Fed District More $

Fed if pay more, no State

Yes

Searching

Boolean Natural Language

Fields Search databases together

Loislaw Yes - near2 No Yes Yes

Casemaker Yes - w/n, w/sent, w/para

No Yes Fed together, State CASES together

Special Feature of Loislaw

• SAVED SEARCHES!

Searching

Boolean Natural Language

Fields Search databases together

Fastcase Yes - w/n Yes Date, cite look-up only

Yes

Versus Law

Yes - w/n Yes default connector is ADJ

4 fields, see help

For addtl fee

Primary & Secondary – Specific Subjects

• BNA – See Electronic Resources page for links.

• CCH - See Electronic Resources page for links.

• RIA Checkpoint

BNA

• Current awareness, may contain past 12 years ex. U.S. Law Week/Supreme Court Today ; Daily Labor Report (DLR expensive!).

• Sign up for BNA Current Awareness Services

• Libraries, ex. Labor and Employment Law Library or ABA/BNA lawyers' manual on professional conduct

CCH

• CCH Business and Finance - - Antitrust, Securities, Business Organizations, Corporate Governance, Banking, Insurance, Products Liability, Government Contracts, Intellectual Property, Transportation, Evidence. List of Major Titles.

CCH

• CCH Health and Human Resources - Human Resources, Benefits, Pensions, Labor & Employment Law, Environmental Compliance, Health Care, Food, Drugs & Devices. List of Major Titles.

CCH

• Boolean searching, w/n etc.

• Limit by date – click on Search Tools button

• Current awareness emails – Sign up Instructions

• Index

• Known for their fifty state charts

EEOC Compliance Manual

• “This practitioner´s guide features the full text of the EEOC´s Manual of current guidelines and directives for bringing and settling job discrimination lawsuits against employers.”

• (EEOC Compliance manual also in BNA Labor & Employment Law Library)

Other Databases

• Heinonline – Handy Link on Library Home Page– Law Reviews old & new– Code of Fed Regulations – old & new &

Federal Register– Some legislative history documents

• Ohio Capitol Connection

• Gongwer