RasGuides: *School of Justice Studies*: Paralegal

Finding Resources

Refer to the Database Help tab to view video tutorials

Best Bets: Begin your search for articles in the databases listed below:

Academic Search Complete via EBSCO
Articles from all subject areas gathered from more than 11,000 magazines, journals, books and reports. Subjects include astronomy, multicultural studies, humanities, geography, history, law, pharmaceutical sciences, women's studies, and more. Coverage from 1887 to present. Start your research here.
Associate's Programs Source Plus via EBSCO
Articles from more than 1,900 magazines, journals and books that relate to associate degree programs of study including computer & data processing, forensics, graphic arts, health information technology, massage therapy, alcohol & drug abuse counseling, law enforcement & criminal justice, paralegal studies, and many more.
Discovery All-in-One Search
Discovery is an all-in-one search platform. Search most of our academic databases at one time on our familiar, easy-to-use EBSCO platform.
Justice Studies via ProQuest
Justice studies, criminology, social sciences, and psychology databases from ProQuest.

Specialized Databases: Use these databases for in-depth research.

Fastcase
Fastcase includes primary law (cases, statutes, regulations, court rules, and constitutions) from all 50 states, as well as deep federal coverage.
Lexis Advance
A legal database for Rasmussen's paralegal students only. Paralegal students will receive login and password information via email by week 9 of their first quarter in the program.
News and Newspapers via ProQuest
Newspaper databases from the U.S. and Canada from ProQuest.
ProQuest (PQ Central +)
Business, justice studies, technology and design, and allied health disciplines are all covered in this database of databases! Highlights include access to HOOVERS business content, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.

eBooks and Academic eBooks via EBSCO
24/7 access to eBooks and eAudiobooks in all program areas.
eBook Central via ProQuest
(Formerly known as ProQuest Ebook Central)
eBook Central via ProQuest is a collection of ebooks selected by Rasmussen College Librarians to aid in research and support course assignments.

When logging in for the first time, you may be prompted to search for your institution. Search for 'Rasmussen' and select it from the list and you will then be routed to the main search page.
Cloud Library (3M)
A collection of ebooks that supports leisure reading, life-long learning, and course assignments.

----Once the page opens, click the appropriate box for the device you are using to download the app.
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Lexis Advance
A legal database for Rasmussen's paralegal students only. Paralegal students will receive login and password information via email by week 9 of their first quarter in the program.

Interlibrary Loan
Search for resources from outside of the Rasmussen Library System. Contact the School of Justice Studies Librarian for assistance in obtaining an item from outside of Rasmussen College.

Credo Reference eBooks
Credo Reference offers full-text online versions of hundreds of reference books in all major subjects. It includes dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, quotations and atlases, plus a wide range of subject-specific titles. Also featured are concept maps for visual learners, tables, interactive maps, timelines, and talking dictionaries.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Written by scholars and edited by experts, Britannica offers objective and factual articles to help you start your research.
GALE Virtual Reference Library
60+ eReference books in ALL subject areas.
Lexis Advance
A legal database for Rasmussen's paralegal students only. Paralegal students will receive login and password information via email by week 9 of their first quarter in the program.
Research Starters
Search over 70,000 Research Starters; they are a great way to start your research and get an overview of your topic!

Fastcase
Fastcase includes primary law (cases, statutes, regulations, court rules, and constitutions) from all 50 states, as well as deep federal coverage.
Lexis Advance
A legal database for Rasmussen's paralegal students only. Paralegal students will receive login and password information via email by week 9 of their first quarter in the program.

Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute
Governed by the belief that everyone should have free and open access to the law, Cornell University Law School maintains this premier database of U.S. and state laws, case law, Federal regulations.
FindLaw for Legal Professionals
A companion to FindLaw.com, this cite includes additional resources on topics such as law firm management, legal careers, and additional legal resources.
Justia
Justia's mission is to provide free access to the law. Search for state and Federal materials here--most link directly to state and Federal sites.
Oyez
Oyez (pronounced oh-yay), a free law project at Chicago-Kent, is a multimedia archive devoted to making the Supreme Court of the United States accessible to everyone. It is a complete and authoritative source for all of the Court’s audio since the installation of a recording system in October 1955.

American Bar Association: Preview of U.S. Supreme Court Cases
Use this cite to find briefs filed with the United State Supreme Court to learn the issues facing the court in the current session.
Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute
Governed by the belief that everyone should have free and open access to the law, Cornell University Law School maintains this premier database of U.S. and state laws, case law, Federal regulations.
Findlaw
Originally developed to market legal services, this cite offers information on a variety of legal topics.
FindLaw for Legal Professionals
A companion to FindLaw.com, this cite includes additional resources on topics such as law firm management, legal careers, and additional legal resources.
Guide to Law Online
The Guide to Law Online, prepared by the Law Library of Congress Public Services Division, is an annotated guide to sources of information on government and law available online. It includes selected links to useful and reliable sites for legal information.
Justia
Justia's mission is to provide free access to the law. Search for state and Federal materials here--most link directly to state and Federal sites.
Code of Federal Regulations (Annual Edition)
The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) annual edition is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
United States Supreme Court
This is the official website for the United States Supreme Court. Find U.S. Supreme Court opinions and cases on the docket.
Washburn University School of Law - Legal Forms Links
Link to websites that contain legal forms here. Disclaimer: Be sure to consult the statutes and court rules for the jurisdiction to verify that the form on the website complies with current law.

ASP: Counseling and Therapy in Video
Counseling and Therapy in Video provides faculty and students with a first-hand look at the realities of working with clients and the challenges associated with putting theoretical concepts into practice. These collection provide a thorough grounding in dozens of therapeutic methods and diagnoses, insight into the human condition, and training in skills such as reflection and empathy while working with specific populations such as veterans and teens.
ASP: Business Education in Video
Business Education in Video features executive interviews, corporate training videos, case studies, How To features and documentary films that focus on all aspects of the global business environment. Subjects covered include Globalization, Operations & Logistics, Management, Marketing, Finance, Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, International Business, Negotiations, Ethics, Cross-cultural communication, Technology, and much more.

Films on Demand
Browse all of the academic videos available in the Films on Demand suite. Browse most popular, recently added, featured producers, and subjects. Subjects include: sociology, English, technology & society, world languages, earth science, psychology, business & economics, history, counseling & social work, geography, music & dance, archival films & newsreels, political science, engineering, mathematics, nursing, anthropology, art & architecture, criminal justice & law, communication, philosophy & religion, physical science, education, environmental science, health & medicine, area studies, and biology.
ProQuest Videos and Audio
ProQuest offers videos on many legal topics including paralegal.

Understanding Legal Resources

When looking for legal materials, determine jurisdiction and branch of government by THINKING IN TRIANGLES:

FEDERAL Legislative (Statutes)

STATE LOCAL Judicial(Cases) Executive(Regs)

Start a search for legal informaton by determining who has jurisdiction (is it a Federal, state or local issue), then decide whether the answer to the question will be found in the statutes, court opinions or regulations. Once these questions have been answered, you can begin to search in appropriate legal resources:

Cases (Federal or state case reporters)
Statutes (Federal or state codes, municipal or county codes)
Regulations (Code of Federal Regulations, State Administrative Codes, Local Ordinances)

Legal resources are divided into two categories: primary sources and secondary sources.

In simple terms, primary sources are the rules of law. They include the version of the Federal or state government's Constitution, statutes, court opinions and administrative regulations that those jurisdictions recognize as official or having "primary authority."

Secondary sources provide analysis and commentary about primary sources. They assist legal researchers in locating and explaining the law. Examples of secondary sources include:

· Legal Dictionaries

· Legal Encyclopedias

· Law Reviews

· Annotated Law Reports

· Treatises, Hornbooks and Nutshells

· Restatements of the Law

How to Read a U.S. Supreme Court Case
Understand the various elements that are included in a U.S. Supreme Court Opinion in this informative article by the American Bar Association.
About the CFR
Gain a basic understanding of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and the rules issued by Executive agencies through this site.

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