TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE INTERNET & WEB BROWSERS 1

Transcription

1 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE INTERNET & WEB BROWSERS 1 WHAT IS THE INTERNET 1 WEB BROWSERS 1 Title Bar 2 Address Bar 3 Menu Bar 3 Saving Web Pages 4 Downloading Web Pages 5 Printing Web Pages 5 Edit and Find Functions 8 View Function 9 Tools 9 Tool Bar (Back, Forward, Stop, Refresh, Home and Search) 11 Favorites 13 Adding Favorites 14 Saving Web Pages & Working Off-line 15 Organizing Favorites 16 Creating Favorites Folders 17 Moving Favorites to Folders 18 Deleting Favorites 19 Viewing, Launching & Closing Favorites 19 Backing Up Favorites 20 Pre-organized Favorites 21 History 22 ing Internet Data 22 ing a Link 23 ing a Web Page 24 WHAT EXACTLY IS A LINK? 25

2 CHAPTER 2: HOW TO SEARCH THE WEB: SEARCH ENGINES, DIRECTORIES & THE "INVISIBLE WEB" 27 RELIABILITY AND ADMISSIBILITY OF INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNET 27 NAVIGATING TO INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET 29 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SEARCH ENGINES & DIRECTORIES 29 THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VARIOUS SEARCH ENGINES 33 Boolean Logic: How to Connect Search Words & Phrases 33 The Difference Between Boolean Connectors 34 Boolean Connector "Defaults" 34 A Search Engine s Default Boolean Connector Can Greatly Effect the Results that Search Engine Returns 35 Phrase Searching 36 Proximity Connectors 37 Searching With Wildcards 39 Organizing Your Search with Parentheses 39 Search Engine Comparison Chart 40 CHAPTER 3: OUR FAVORITE SEARCH ENGINES 41 Google 41 Yahoo! 42 FindLaw s LawCrawler 43 USA.gov 43 Clusty.com 43 Twingine.com 44 A CLOSER LOOK AT GOOGLE 44 "Basic" Google Search Strategies 46 The Basic "Google Search" vs. the "I m Feeling Lucky" Search 46 Narrowing Down Your Search Using Google s "Search Within Results" 48 Creating Sophisticated Searches Using Search Engines' "Advanced Search" Pages 49 Domain Searching 52 Use Google as a Phone Directory or Address Directory 53 Discover Who is Linking to Whom 54 "Hidden" Search Engine Features 55 Search a Search Engine of Search Engines 55 Use a "Special Topic" (e.g. Law) Search Engines 56 TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SPECIALIZED TOOLBARS 58 ii

3 CHAPTER 4: THE "VISIBLE," "THE "INVISIBLE" & THE "SEMI-INVISIBLE" WEB 61 Invisible Databases 63 Finding Older Versions of Web Pages That Have Been Deleted or Revised 64 Admissibility of Information From the Internet Archive 66 The "Semi-Invisible" Web 67 Finding "Semi-Invisible" PowerPoint Presentations 68 Finding "Semi-Invisible" PDFs 70 Utilizing the Tools on the Specialty PDF Toolbar 71 Finding Your Keywords in Web Documents 72 Pinpointing Other Types of Files on the "Semi-Invisible" Web 73 "Semi-Invisible" Current News 74 Keeping Up to Date with Information Automatically 75 Locating Historical Information 75 Locating "Semi-Invisible" Blogs 76 Locating "Semi-Invisible" Non-Text Files Like Sound/Audio/Podcast & Video 78 Locating "Semi-Invisible" Images 80 How to Find Special Topic Search Engines & Directories 80 Human Search Engines 81 Bring In Your Own Search Expert 82 Search Engine Help Screens & Other "Help" Sites 83 CHAPTER 5: TECHNOLOGY TIPS 85 USING A SEARCH ENGINE FOR THE FILES ON YOUR OWN COMPUTER 85 ACROBAT PROFESSIONAL 88 Commenting and Collaboration 89 Bates Numbering 89 True Redaction 90 Creating Interactive Forms 91 KEEPING UP WITH YOUR PRACTICE AREA & WITH TECHNOLOGY 92 Mailing Lists Your Online Community 93 Free E-Newsletters & Slip Opinion Alerts 93 RSS Feeds Bring Information to You 94 iii

4 CHAPTER 6: FREE INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCH RESOURCES: TO LOCATE AND BACKGROUND PEOPLE 95 Public Records vs. "Publicly Available" Information 95 Public Records and Personal Information 96 Public Records & "Sensitive" Information 96 Private Records 96 Driver s License Records 97 FINDING PORTALS, DIRECTORIES, AND ARTICLES POINTING TO PUBLIC RECORDS & PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION 98 FINDING OR INVESTIGATING PEOPLE 107 Begin with Ascertaining Whether They re Alive: The Social Security Death Index 107 PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION 109 Gravesites 109 Obituaries 109 Using A Search Engine Search to Find or Investigate People 110 Searching Usenet (Discussion) Groups, Forums, Message Boards, Blogs & Social Networking Sites to Find & Investigate People 110 Social Networking Sites 114 FIND REMOTE ACCESS TO PAY DATABASES FOR FREE FROM E-LIBRARIES 116 Locating Pictures & Photographs of People, Products, or Places 118 Finding and Investigating People & Companies Using Telephone Directory Web Sites 118 Finding Telephone Numbers and Addresses in Other Sources 123 FINDING MILITARY PERSONNEL 125 PUBLIC RECORDS USING ASSET SEARCHES TO FIND PEOPLE & INVESTIGATE BACKGROUNDS 126 LOCATING ASSETS REAL PROPERTY 126 LOCATING ASSETS PERSONAL PROPERTY 130 Money 130 Airplanes & Pilots 131 Aircraft Registration 131 Pilot Certification 132 Boat Registration 132 Intellectual Property (Patents, Trademarks & Copyrights) 133 LOCATING ASSETS BUSINESSES 134 Company Ownership, Registered Agents & Fictitious Business Names (DBAs) 134 Locating Information About Company Stocks 135 iv

5 CHAPTER 6: FREE INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCH RESOURCES: TO LOCATE & BACKGROUND PEOPLE (cont.) A LACK OF ASSETS BANKRUPTCIES 137 UCCs, Judgments, and Liens Databases 138 CRIMINAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION 139 VERIFYING OCCUPATIONAL LICENSES OF PROFESSIONALS, EXPERTS & OTHERS 143 Medical Licenses 143 Finding Background Information About Attorneys & Judges 144 VITAL STATISTICS: BIRTHS, DEATHS, MARRIAGES & DIVORCES 145 Marriage & Divorce Records 147 Birth Records 148 State and Local Death Records 149 Social Security Numbers 150 TRY A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 152 MORE INVESTIGATIVE & FACTUAL RESEARCH ASSISTANCE 153 CHAPTER 7: FINDING EXPERTS & VERIFYING THEIR CREDENTIALS 155 Finding Experts by Searching Free National Expert Witness Directory Databases 155 Finding Experts by Searching a Search Engine or Discussion Group 157 Finding Experts by Searching Law Association Web Sites 157 Finding Experts by Searching Other Association Web Sites 158 Finding Experts by Searching a Product Directory 159 Finding Experts by Searching a College or University Web Site 160 Finding Experts Via a Literature Search Through Topical Article Databases 160 Finding Experts Through Jury Verdict, Settlement, Case Law & Brief Bank Web Sites 161 Verifying Experts Professional or Trade Licenses 161 CHAPTER 8: PAY INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCH DATABASES 163 Records Found in Pay Investigative Research Databases 164 Relational Databases 164 Credit Headers and Credit Reports 165 GRAMM LEACH BLILEY ACT 166 PRICING AND ACCESS TO INVESTIGATIVE DATABASES 167 MAJOR PAY INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCH DATABASES 168 COURT DOCKETS AS INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCH TOOLS 170 v

6 CHAPTER 9: USING THE INTERNET FOR SUBSTANTIVE LEGAL RESEARCH 171 How to Put Internet Search Tools To Work For You 171 Find a Subject-Specialist or an Internet Research Book Arranged by Subject 172 LEGAL PORTALS & LEGAL DIRECTORIES 172 The Top Legal Directories & Portals 174 Free Commercial Legal Portals & Directories 174 FindLaw s Specialized Directories 176 FindLaw s Free Case Law Databases 176 FindLaw s LawCrawler Search Engine 179 Justia 180 Justia s Free Case Law Databases: Federal District Courts 181 Justia s Free Federal Court Docket Database 182 Justia s Free U.S. Supreme Court Center 182 Justia s Free U.S. Regulation Tracker 183 LexisONE 183 LexisONE s Free Case Law Databases 184 LexisNexis Free California Case Law Database 187 Cite Checking Cases: A Free Alternative to Shepard s (LexisNexis) & KeyCite (Westlaw) 188 Law.com 192 HG.org (formerly Hieros Gamos) 193 LLRX.com 194 Nolo Press 194 LexisNexis InfoPro: Zimmerman s Research Guide 195 Law Firm Portals 195 Government Portals & Directories 195 Academic Portals & Directories 198 Legal Associations' Portals 202 NON-LEGAL PORTALS AND DIRECTORIES 204 FINDING LEGAL WEB SITES THAT ARE TOPIC, JURISDICTION, OR FORMAT SPECIFIC 206 Advertising Law 206 Bankruptcy Law 206 Class Action Lawsuits 207 Copyright Law 208 Corporate Law 208 Criminal Law 209 Employment & Labor Law 209 vi

7 CHAPTER 9: USING THE INTERNET FOR SUBSTANTIVE LEGAL RESEARCH (cont.) FINDING LEGAL WEB SITES THAT ARE TOPIC, JURISDICTION, OR FORMAT SPECIFIC (cont.) Family Law 210 Foreign & International Law 211 Forms 212 Insurance Law 213 Intellectual Property 213 Journals and Magazines (General) 214 Journals and Magazines (Legal) 215 Legal Ethics 215 Libraries 217 Litigation/Practice Tools 217 Medical Malpractice Law 218 Real Estate Law 219 Securities Law 219 Tax Law 220 GOVERNMENT INTERNET RESOURCES 221 Portals & Directories to Federal and State Government Internet Resources 221 STARTING POINTS FOR FEDERAL STATUTORY RESEARCH 223 Federal Statutory Law: United States Code (U.S.C.) 226 Searching the House U.S.C. Database 228 Updating the House U.S.C. Database 230 Searching the Cornell USC Database 232 Updating the Cornell U.S.C. Database 232 Linking to CFR Parallel Authorities from the U.S.C. 234 Searching the GPO Access U.S.C. Database 235 Updating the GPO U.S.C. Database 235 Bills, Public Laws & Legislative Materials 236 Thomas 237 GPO Access 239 House & Senate Web Sites 240 STARTING POINTS FOR FEDERAL REGULATORY RESEARCH 241 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 242 List of Sections Affected (LSA) 247 Federal Register (FR) 248 Federal Agencies 250 vii

8 CHAPTER 9: USING THE INTERNET FOR SUBSTANTIVE LEGAL RESEARCH (cont.) FOREIGN & INTERNATIONAL LAW 252 STARTING POINTS FOR FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BRANCH INTERNET RESEARCH 253 The President 253 STARTING POINTS FOR FEDERAL JUDICIAL RESEARCH 254 U.S. Supreme Court 256 U.S. Courts of Appeal 259 U.S. District Courts and U.S. Bankruptcy Courts 261 Federal Dockets: PACER & Other Docket Sites 262 STARTING POINTS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTERNET RESEARCH 266 State Statutory and Regulatory Law 266 States Executive Branches, Agencies, Boards & Commissions 267 State & Local Courts 268 State & Local Courts: Cases 268 State & Local Courts: Dockets 269 Local Government Web Sites: County and City Level 269 Local Codes: County & City 270 LOCATING ATTORNEYS, JUDGES, AND OTHER LEGAL PROFESSIONALS & LEARNING ABOUT THEM 271 Contact Information, Biographies, and Directories 271 Contact Information & Biographies: Judicial Directories 273 Articles By & About Judges or Attorneys 274 Blawgs 275 Search Dockets by Attorney or Judge Name 275 Search Reported Cases by Attorney or Judge Name 276 STATISTICAL INFORMATION & DATABASES 277 GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS 280 CHAPTER 10: HOW TO CITE RESOURCES ON THE INTERNET 281 INDEX 285 viii