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Introduction to Legal Research

If you’ve never, ever researched the law, we recommend you start at the beginning and work your way up:

1) This quick online (and PDF) guide from the American Association of Law Libraries Legal Informaton Services to the Public section is an excellent starting point: How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-Lawyers

2) Next, move on to the hard-core books on legal research, many of which you can find at your local libraries, including books from Nolo Press (which has legal research guides, online and in print); Nolo books are available online through the State of Oregon Law Library. Suzanne Rowe's Oregon Legal Research provides an excellent overview of how to conduct legal research in general, and how to research the law in Oregon.

3) If you’re ready for the big time, explore the other resources listed under our Legal Research and Self-Help tabs, or visit your local law library.