Final Examination in Legal Research Methods, LIS 617

Pratt Institute Graduate School of Information and Library Science

5 May 1999

Visiting Assistant Professor Steven C. Perkins
sperkins@andromeda.rutgers.edu
VOX: 973-353-5965
FAX: 973-353-1356

This examination is due no later than 8:20 P.M. on 12 May 1999, in the regular classroom on the second floor of the PUCK Building. Please notify me in advance if you will turn the paper in late. This examination is to be done by each student alone without assistance from any other person. It is a take-home exam, and you can use any materials in your course book, notes, or in on-line services to answer the questions.

Good Luck!

1.Give three examples of the types of materials that are considered primary authority.

2.Give three examples of secondary authority materials.

3.Can primary and/or secondary authority materials also be used as finding tools?

4.What does jurisdiction refer to?

5.What is mandatory primary authority in New York?

6.What are the 5 fact categories to note when analyzing a fact pattern?

7.Name the main legal dictionaries used in American Law.

8.What would you use West's Legal Thesaurus/Dictionary for?

9.What kind of item in American Jurisprudence, 2d?

What is the name of the equivalent publication from West Publishing?

10.What are LEXIS and WESTLAW?

11.Which one do you have access to at Pratt?

12.Results of a boolean search in LEXIS are usually presented in a list in what order?

13.Results from a FreeStyle search in LEXIS are usually presented in what order?

14.What service would you use to find a case in LEXIS if you have the citation?

15.What service would you use to find a statute in LEXIS in you have the citation?

16.Which citator service in LEXIS will tell you if your case refers to another case in a negative manner?

17.Name two things a legal encyclopedia can do for you?

18.Most legal books are updated by a separate publication held in the rear cover. What is this pamphlet called?

19.How are looseleaf publications kept up-to-date?

20.What is the main reason to use Shepard's Citators?

21.Is the article by David B. Ezra on page 59 of The Process of Legal Research, a main article or a case note?

22.What are the two main paper indexes for finding law review articles in the US?

Which one began in 1980?

23.What is the title of the Brady Act or the Brady Bill?

24.What is its citation in the US Code?

25.What is its citation in the Statutes at Large?

26.What year was it signed?

27.Did the President issue a statement upon signing?

28.If yes, what is the citation to the statement?

29.Can Congress compel the local Sheriff to "make reasonable effort to ascertain" whether federal gun customer's "receipt and possession would be in violation of law"?

30.Give the citation to a 1994 case from Mississippi on point for question 29.

31.In 1997 the U.S. Sup. Ct. struck down part of the "Brady Gun Law." What is the citation to that case?

32.Has the Brady law been amended?

33.Where is the Brady Act mentioned in the CFR?

34.What is the NICS?

35.Which section of the 27 CFR mentions the TEC-9?

36.What kind of weapon is it?

37.What is the citation for the Federal Firearms Act?

38.What is the NJ Statute on assault weapons? A) Cite in NJSA? B) Cite to NJ Laws?

39.Can an individual own an assault firearm if he/she is not a member of a licensed rifle or pistol club?

40.Are there any cases on the statute? If so, give the citations.

41.Find an article from the Seton Hall Legislative Journal on legislation to combat assault weapons. What is the citation?

Look up Rondebusch v. Hartke et. al. 405 U.S. 15 (1971).

42.Who was the plaintif in the case?

43.Who was the the defendant?

44.Who won the case?

45.What reporter name does the U.S. stand for? S. CT?

46.What page does the case begin on?

47.Who wrote the majority opinion?

48.Who wrote the dissent?

49.What was the "holding" in the case?

50.What did the U.S. Supreme Court do to the District Court decision?

51.Who were the attorneys for the winning party?

52.Has this decision been overruled?

53. What section of the NY Penal Law relates to "licenses to carry, possess, repair and dispose of firearms?"

54. What is the full citation to Richmond Boro Gun Club v. City of New York, 896 F.S. 276.

55. What section of the New York City Administrative Code was discussed in Richmond v. NYC?

56. What is the Form number from the NYCLS CPLR for a "Complaint in Action for Assault with Weapons?"

57. Do the homework assignment on pages 501-502 in The Process of Legal Research and attach it to your paper.

58. ENJOY THE SUMMER!