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Talk About Tulsa => Other Tulsa Discussion => Topic started by: Ed W on March 17, 2008, 07:42:41 AM

Title: Law research?
Post by: Ed W on March 17, 2008, 07:42:41 AM
Is there a better, more up to date resource for Oklahoma law than the Attorney General's page?

http://oklegal.onenet.net/statutes.basic.html

Title: Law research?
Post by: cannon_fodder on March 17, 2008, 08:35:02 AM
oscn.net is the definitive (if not official) source for Oklahoma law.  It is even cross referenced with case law, previous versions, and of course statutes.

www.oscn.net

(Oklahoma Supreme Court Network)
Title: Law research?
Post by: sgrizzle on March 17, 2008, 09:12:27 AM
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder

oscn.net is the definitive (if not official) source for Oklahoma law.  



..and for finding dirty details about your neighbors and potential dates.
Title: Law research?
Post by: inteller on March 17, 2008, 09:22:00 AM
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder

oscn.net is the definitive (if not official) source for Oklahoma law.  



..and for finding dirty details about your neighbors and potential dates.



yep yep!

but, keep in mind not all counties contribute to this.  There is another database for certain counties that you use to uncover dirt.

www.odcr.com
Title: Law research?
Post by: Ed W on March 17, 2008, 10:28:07 AM
My thanks to all of you.  OSCN has the most recent updates.  The AGs page was from 1999.
Title: Law research?
Post by: tulsasignnazi on March 17, 2008, 10:52:10 AM
Legal research is generally a much bigger proposition than most lay people envision.  The law requires duly licensed attorneys to conduct legal research before accepting a case.

In most situations, preliminary legal research to determine cause of action and venue falls onto the paralegal.

C-Dog seems to be interested in Oklahoma cases relating to bicycling.  There are many up-to-date resources for Oklahoma law.  

Westlaw is the primary online case finding tool for any U.S. jurisdiction, if a case is published.  A non-Oklahoma decision may be used as persuasive authority in Oklahoma cases, when no mandatory authority exists, especially if both cases are on "all-fours."

Legal resources such Am. Jur. and C.J.S. are commonly used as starting points for cases not generally in area of practice.

Am. Jur. Proof of Facts and Cause of Action actually provide specific legal strategies for specific legal problems.

While OSCN covers most Oklahoma APPELLATE decisions, some cases are NOT published.  If a case is not published, it has NO mandatory authority on lower, local trial courts.  

If you are looking for a particular case that was actually appealed and can't find the opinion, it is because it not published.  The appellate court is not altogether sure of its own decision and doesn't want to make the possibly faulty decision mandatory authority.  

Even though the appellant lost, the court is giving itself the benefit of the doubt based on the strength of the appellant's brief.  If you want to read unpublished decisions of a particular case, you have to contact the Court Clerk.

And, only cases that are appealed from the trial courts are published.  Trial courts do not publish decisions.  

Tulsa Municipal doesn't even allow the general public to access their cases, without jumping through some significant bureaucratically created obstacles and going through "channels."  

At risk of unauthorized practice of law (UPL), what is your legal problem in general terms?
Title: Law research?
Post by: Ed W on March 17, 2008, 01:15:27 PM
Thanks, Paul.
Title: Law research?
Post by: custosnox on March 19, 2008, 08:47:47 PM
quote:
Originally posted by inteller

quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder

oscn.net is the definitive (if not official) source for Oklahoma law.  



..and for finding dirty details about your neighbors and potential dates.



yep yep!

but, keep in mind not all counties contribute to this.  There is another database for certain counties that you use to uncover dirt.

www.odcr.com



A link to odcr.com can be found in OSCN also.  Under court dockets, just below serach dockets, is a link that says non-ocis courts.  This takes you to odcr.  see, they think of everything.