Nexis Uni for Legal Research - Western Library Databases - Legal Studies Program LibGuide

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Nexis Uni

NexisUni offers full-text articles related to business, law, government, and medical topics drawing from newspapers, journals, magazines, wire services, as well as primary and secondary legal materials.

Watch this short video to learn how to search for Law Cases using the database, Nexis Uni. Jot down some of the tips and tricks as you watch, then try it yourself!

You can link directly to Nexis Uni, below. Reminder - when you click on the Nexis Uni link you will be prompted to login in with your Western ID.

Nexis Uni includes:

State codes
State case law
Code of Federal Regulation (CFR)
Federal case law
United States Code Annotated (USCA)
American Jurisprudence 2d
Shepard's Citations
United States Treaties in Force
European Union and other countries - Case law and other legal information available.
World Trade Organization (WTO) decisions

Nexis uni contents

Learn more about Nexis Uni at the Western Library Databases - Paralegal Research page of this LibGuide.

Shepard's Reports or "Shepardizing" using Nexis Uni

You learned that it's important to double-check that your primary sources (legislative and case law - treaties, decisions of courts and tribunals, statutes, regulations) are still solid law. To do this you can use Nexis Uni to create a Shepard's Report for statutes and regulations. Nexis Uni uses Shepard's Signal Indicators to provide context about point of law authority.click on the Shepardize this document located to the right of the document.

Screenshot NexisUni - Shepardize this document

To learn more about Shepard's Reports or "Shepardizing" link to the LibGuide below. (Created by the librarians at Northcentral University Library.)

Nexis Uni (LexisNexis) This link opens in a new window
Find credible sources related to business and legal topics. Access local, regional, and national newspapers, magazines, and journals, as well television and radio broadcasts. Search state and federal legal cases, statutes, and Supreme Court decisions. Locate business information on millions of U.S. and international companies, and their top executives.

Case Searching with Nexis Uni

GETTING STARTED

Log in to Nexis Uni. Under "What are you interested in?" Select Cases. The default is "Federal Cases." If you are looking for federal cases, leave as it is or select a different jurisdiction. Enter your search term, for example, dna wrongly convicted, and then search.

SEARCH MODES

All Nexis Uni - searches everything or use the arrow button to choose a sub-category such as "Cases" or "Law Reviews & Journals."
Guided Search - is easier to use.
Advanced Search - may find more precise results. For example, overview(dna and wrongful conviction)
Get a Doc Assistance - By citation, By Party Name & By Docket Number

QUICK SEARCH

By Citation 792 F.3d 1174
By Parties United States v. De Watson
By Topic DNA evidence AND postconviction testing

[Optional - Use Get a DOC Assistance to search by Citation, Party Name or Docket Number].
[Optional - Segment search in Case can be very helpful. For example, overview(dna and wrongful conviction)]

SEARCH RESULTS

Each case is headed with a case treatment indicator (yellow triangle etc.). Case Summary/Overview box is a good place to get the quick facts and outcome. Search terms will be highlighted with a brief context. Search Within Results on the left will help narrow down to specific results.
Click on a case link to read the case. For example, United States v. De Watson, 792 F.3d 1174. On the right panel of the case page, you will find reasons for Shepard's signal (green, yellow, red etc.). Shepardizing is a quick way to find the "good law" cases. To cite this case, use the the "Export Citation" link on the top.

HOW TO READ A CASE

Facts first. Ask what the issue is or what the principles the case stands for. Then ask how the court resolved the issue and their reasoning. Note: Opinion does NOT equal decision. An opinion is the court's explanation for its decision; a decision either affirms or reverses the lower court or tribunal.

What is a Citation?

What is a citation?

A reference system to identify the past judicial decisions on cases or other information. With a citation, one can quickly locate the full text of the case. See citation format and examples below. Case Citation Format in Reporters or Law Reports:

Plaintiff | Defendant |Volume |Reporter |Page |Court   |Year
Blackburn v. Fisk          433       F.2d        121    (6th Cir. 1971)

where "F.2d" stands for The Federal Reporter, 2nd series. Please note that not all citations follow the full format, e.g., 834 N.E.2d 432. Also, one case could have more than one citations, for example, all of these four citations 834 N.E.2d 432; 162 Ohio App. 3d 642; 2005 Ohio 4331; 2005 Ohio App. LEXIS 3932 refer to one case.

Find Law Journals in NexisUni

Nexis Uni (LexisNexis) This link opens in a new window
Find credible sources related to business and legal topics. Access local, regional, and national newspapers, magazines, and journals, as well television and radio broadcasts. Search state and federal legal cases, statutes, and Supreme Court decisions. Locate business information on millions of U.S. and international companies, and their top executives.

Look for articles from Wisconsin (and all states) law journals and reviews, as well as others in NexisUni.

Examples:

Wisconsin Law Review
Marquette Law Review
Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender & Society
Marquette Intellectual Property Law Review
Harvard Law Review
ABA Journal
ABA Journal of Labor & Employment Law

Use the NexisUni filters to focus your search. Let's say you want to search for information about Family Law in a Wisconsin law journal. Do a basic search for "family law." On the page of results select "Law Journals and Reviews." Using the "Jurisdiction" filter choose Wisconsin. You can see there are 435 articles available about "family law" in law journal and reviews from Wisconsin. Choose the journal you would like to use. The number beside the journal title reflects the number of articles about family law that appear in that journal.

Research Tips

Understand your assignment and what is required of you to successfully complete it.
Begin your research with secondary sources: encyclopedias, law reviews, treatises, restatements. These background sources provide an overview of a topic, as well as explain, interpret and/or analyze aspects and issues of the law. They often have citations to primary sources.
Read the material. Read it again. Underline or highlight key facts.
Take notes! Create a list of facts: identify your jurisdiction, field and type of law, etc. Underline legal research terms. Note-taking now, reduces stress later.
Double-check that your primary sources (legislative and case law - treaties, decisions of courts and tribunals, statutes, regulations) are still solid law. Shepardize or KeyCite!

Credo Reference - Background Information

Although databases may look different, they all have the same basic structure, filters, and tools - search boxes, filters to eliminate articles that aren't relevant, email or share tools, and of course, cite tools. Be on the look out for them!

Credo Reference is an excellent database to find background information on topics and issues.

You can link directly to Credo Reference, below. Reminder - you will be prompted to login in with your Western ID.

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Use this database to understand basic concepts taught in your courses. It's also a great database for the first step in your research process. It contains short articles from encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks and other reference sources on a wide range of subjects. Get started on your assignment or research project by learning about key people, places, dates, events, concepts, and ideas related to your topic.

Search Credo Reference by Topic

Is there a new term or concept that you are confused by or just kind of hazy on? Using Credo Reference is a great way to get clarification about new terms and concepts you come across in your course reading or other research. Do a basic search of terms or concepts to find definitions and short articles that explain what they mean.

immigration law
employment law
family law
probate; estate law
trusts' wills and trusts
rights; human rights
death penalty; capital punishment
Juris doctor; lawyer
Bar association

When you see TOO MANY RESULTS use the filters to narrow your search.

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Legal Books in Credo Reference (linked below:

American Constitutional Law: The Bill of Rights and Subsequent Amendments
American Constitutional Law provides a comprehensive account of the nations defining document. Based on the premise that the study of the Constitution and constitutional law is of fundamental importance to understanding the principles, prospects, and problems of America, this text puts current events in terms of what those who initially drafted and ratified the Constitution sought to accomplish.
American Constitutional Law: The Structure of Government
American Constitutional Law provides a comprehensive account of the nations defining document. Based on the premise that the study of the Constitution and constitutional law is of fundamental importance to understanding the principles, prospects, and problems of America, this text puts current events in terms of what those who initially drafted and ratified the Constitution sought to accomplish.
Westview Press 2013
The Ashgate Research Companion to Migration Law, Theory and Policy
The purpose of this Companion is to augment that Series, by taking stock of the current state of literature on migration law, theory and policy, and to sketch out the contours of its future long-term development, in what is now a vastly expanded research agenda.
Ashgate Publishing 2013
Collins Dictionary of Law
Comprehensive coverage of business law, Scots, and Irish law. Wide coverage of business law terms. Defines legal terms of the EU and Commonwealth countries.
Collins 2006
Dictionary of Law
Provides clear, concise and fully up-to-date information on all aspects of civil, criminal and commercial law. Examples and encyclopedic comments help to explain complex terms from British, European and US legal procedure.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law
Over 10,000 entries explain the vocabulary used in legal situations. Entries include definitions pronunciations, and frequent supplementary notes.
Merriam-Webster 2011
Spanish Law Dictionary, Peter Collin Publishing
Provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of British, American and Spanish law. Covers subjects including criminal, civil, commercial and international law. Comments are also included in both languages to clarify entries that relate to specific legal terms, institutions and organizations of a country where either English or Spanish is spoken and which have no equivalent in the other language.
The History of Economic Thought: A Concise Treatise for Business, Law, and Public Policy
The subject of this book is the history of economic thought, including the less-commonly discussed schools of binary and socio-economics. Readers will benefit by coming away from the book with a better understanding of the context within which economic arguments are made.
Business Expert Press 2017
Encyclopedia of Religion and the Law in America
Extensive A-Z entries provide coverage of key court decisions, case studies, concepts, individuals, religious groups, organizations, and agencies shaping religion and law in today's society.
Grey House Publishing 2009

eBooks at Western Library

From Western Library's Website, Click the red box Find Books (Catalog).

Search Terms: law OR legal. Filter: Check the box next to eBooks. Click the link in the title box. library catalog search box, results list, filters

Western Library Website
Find print books in the library, using the library catalog, along with articles, ebooks, and streaming video, from Western Library's website.
Ask-a-Librarian
Be sure to reach out to a librarian if you need help with library or Learning Commons resources!

How to Use Western Library Databases

Ask-a-Librarian

Reach out to a librarian if you have any questions about finding information in the library databases. Use the Ask-a-Librarian button at the left, or check beneath my profile pic below to see if I'm online for a Chat or feel free to reach out to me via email as well! I'm happy to help!