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Updated: 08/05/2004

 

Thomas M. Cooley Law School - Practical Legal Scholarship  Since 1972

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Useful Resources for Out of State Externs ***

 

PRACTICE FORMS

 

Am Jur Legal Forms (KF 170 .A542)*

This 20 volume set provides model forms and clauses for virtually all legal topics. The forms include drafting guides and checklists. The index provides cross references to other Am Jur sets such as Am Jur Proof of Facts.

Available on Westlaw: AMJUR-LF

 

Current Legal Forms [also known as Rabkin and Johnson ] (KF 170 .R3)*

This 33 volume set is updated annually. It provides model forms and form clauses for most if not all legal topics.

Available on Lexis:** Current Legal Forms

 

Nichol's Cyclopedia of Legal Forms (KF 170 .N5)*

This is a 44 volume set arranged alphabetically by topic. It includes research checklists and cross references to American Jurisprudence 2d and Corpus Juris Secundum. Each chapter contains drafting checklists, and tax notes.

Available on Westlaw: NICHOLS-LF

 

Warren's Forms of Agreement (KF 886 .W36)*

This eight volume looseleaf set provides model forms of contracts used in business transactions. In addition to forms, it also includes commentary on legal, business and tax matters that are generally associated with business contracts. For each topic a general form of contract is provided, followed by numerous specific clauses which could be incorporated into the form. It is national in scope and does not include state variants. 

Available on Lexis:** Forms of Agreement

 

West's Legal Forms (KF 1384 . A65 W47)*

This 18 volume set covers the gambit of legal topics and is updated annually with pocket parts. Topics covered include: Business Organizations, Domestic Relations, Debtor and Creditor, Commercial Transactions, Estate Planning, Real Estate Transactions, Employment, and much more.

Available on Westlaw: WEST-LF

 

Lindey on Entertainment, Publishing, and the Arts (KF 2992 .L5)*

This five volume loose leaf set forms provides comprehensive coverage of entertainment law and all areas of mass communications and the arts. It provides forms, drafting advice and commentary, as well as model agreements and clauses. Coverage includes sound recordings, computer software, music video programming, motion pictures, books, magazines, plays, mass media, artwork, photographs, advertising, publicity, merchandising, agency agreements, granting of rights, photocopying, and computers.

Available on Westlaw: LINDEY

 

Am Jur Pleading and Practice Forms (KF 8836 .A45)*

This 75 volume set is a comprehensive collection of pleading and practice forms. Jury instructions are included. According to the publisher, the set is A designed to provide dependable forms for all types of pleading and procedural steps in judicial and administrative proceedings. @

Available on Westlaw: AMJUR-PP

 

Bender = s Federal Practice Forms (KF 8836 .F78)*

This is a 25 volume set of forms arranged by federal rule (including Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure). The set provides multiple variations of forms for each type of pleading. It is updated annually with pocket parts.

Available on Lexis:** Federal Practice Forms


West's Federal Forms (KF8836 .W4)*

This is a 25 volume set of forms and form clauses that is updated annually with pocket parts. The set provides sample forms for all procedural aspects of trials, and is specific to type of court. For a given topic there are not only forms for various procedures, but also jury instructions. There are variations for each form.

Available on Westlaw: FEDFORMS

 

Shepard's Causes of Action (KF 8863 .S53)*

For each area of law, this set of books provides articles which include an overview of the substantive law in that area, checklists, and sample complaints. It comes in two series totaling 49 volumes. It is updated annually by pocket part.

Available on Westlaw: COA

 

Westlaw

Westlaw provides many of the practice forms listed above as well as many other similar resources. To access these resources: Click DIRECTORY and then click FORMS, TREATISES, . . . . You will now find FORMS-ALL, FORMS-PP and another expandable tree called FORMS that contains scores of additional forms databases.

 

DISCOVERY & LITIGATION

 

Bender's Forms of Discovery (KF 8900 .A3 B4)*

This 16 volume set is keyed to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Ten of the sixteen volumes consist entirely of sample interrogatories. The set also covers criminal discovery. There are separate indexes for interrogatories and other discovery methods. It is a loose leaf service and is updated annually.

Available on Lexis:** Forms of Discovery

 

 

Deposition Strategy Law and Forms (KF 8900 .D47)*

The first volume of this ten volume set focuses on depositions generally, such as conduct, defenses, forms, etc. The remaining volumes are arranged alphabetically by legal topic. Each chapter discusses issues such as whether depositions should be taken, who should be examined, the goal of the deposition, and preparation for the deposition. The text includes sample questions and answers.

 

Am Jur Proof of Facts (KF 8933 . A42)*

This set consists of 160 volumes in 3 series with a master index for all series. Each topic includes an summary of the law with ample cross reference. Following the summaries of the law are discussions of burdens of proof, defense considerations, elements to be proven and checklists. Following this, there are generally several sample depositions related to the legal topic in question.)

Available on Westlaw: AMJUR-POF

 

Am Jur Trials (KF 8915 .A74)*

This 90 volume set of books discusses all litigation aspects for most legal topics. First the legal topic is defined and the relevant technical jargon is explained. For example a chapter on Diagnostic Radiology Malpractice explains the various types of radiography. Then there are sections on relevant defenses such as informed consent. Following this are discussions of the complaint, discovery and expert witnesses. Finally there are sections that address settlement and trial considerations. The set is updated annually by pocket parts as well as a continual flow of new volumes.

Available on Westlaw: AMJUR-TRIALS


HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH?

 

Damages in Tort Actions (KF 1250 .D35)*

This 11 volume set is a loose leaf service that is updated annually. It is one of the A how much is the injury worth @ guides.

 

JVR Personal Injury Valuation Handbooks (KF 1256 .A8 P4)*

This A how much is the injury worth @ guide is a 9 volume set. It contains selections of jury verdicts from across the country. It is indexed by injuries as well as states. Each pamphlet is a different injury. In the last volume is a case evaluation manual, which is a generalized evaluation of injury values.

Available on Westlaw: LRP-JV

 

Stein on Personal Injury Damages (KF 1257 .S742)*

This 7 volume A how much is the injury worth @ set is loose leaf and is updated annually. It includes relevant state statutes, and numerous practice aids such as deposition questions, form clauses, check lists as well as injury breakdown. Breakdown by types of damage award such as medical, lost wages, pain and suffering. Very good Index.

Available on Westlaw: STEIN

 

Westlaw

Westlaw provides some of the above A how much is it worth @ resources as well as many others. To access these resources: Click DIRECTORY and then click U.S.FEDERAL MATERIALS, and finally click JURY VERDICTS, SETTLEMENTS and JUDGEMENTS. Now you will find several good databases such as STEIN, LRP-JV, JAS-JV and others.

 

Lexis

After logging in, locate on the right side of the screen AREA OF LAW BY TOPIC. Now click LITIGATION and then JURY VERDICTS. There are several good databases listed here. Westlaw and Lexis incorporate many of the same print resources.

 

NOTES:

* The call number = s provided are those assigned at the Brennan Law Library. They may not exactly match the call number assigned to the title in a different library.

** This title can be found on Lexis after logging in by first finding the LOOK FOR A SOURCE heading, and then clicking the FIND A SOURCE tab. Next, click the LONG NAME button, and enter the name we have provided you with, i.e. Forms of Discovery , and then click FIND.

*** In addition to the sources listed, the Brennan library possesses scores of subject specific treatises too numerous to list, and some of these may be found on Lexis and Westlaw. If you need guidance while on your externship, please call the library reference staff, and we will gladly help you find the resources you need.

 

The Brennan Law Library Reference Librarians can be reached at 1-866-REF-DESK.

 

The Librarians can also be reached by email or live Chat Reference by clicking the Ask a Librarian link at http://innopac.cooley.edu , which is also the web address of CoolCat, our online public access catalog.

 

 

Bibliography revised by

Randy Foreman 3/19/2003