Table of Contents
What is a ALR annotation?
A.L.R. is the acronym for American Law Reports. A.L.R. annotations (articles) provide a very useful summary and analysis of the law in a specific area, and include citations to relevant primary law and other secondary sources. annotations cover more specific legal issues and in greater depth than do encyclopedias.
How do you read an ALR citation?
The citation should contain:
- Author.
- the word “Annotation”
- Title (italicized or underlined)
- ALR Volume.
- ALR Series (see chart 24.1 for abbreviations)
- Page (if pinpoint citing, both the initial page and the pinpoint reference)
- Copyright date of volume.
How do I find an ALR?
Find relevant annotations by using the print indices or searching the ALR databases in Lexis or Westlaw….Finding ALR in print and online
- ALR on Westlaw.
- ALR on Lexis.
- The ALR Index is located in the Reading Room at KF 132.2.
- The ALR Quick Index is located in the Reading Room at KF 132.6.
Who writes ALR?
It has been published since 1919, originally by Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, and currently by West (a business unit of Thomson Reuters) and remains an important tool for legal research. Each ALR volume contains several annotations.
How is ALR organized?
In print, ALR is organized into two parts: six “series” that cover state law topics (ALR, ALR 2d, ALR 3d, ALR 4th, ALR 5th, and ALR 6th), and two “series” that cover federal law topics (ALR Fed, ALR Fed 2d).
How many restatements are there?
There are now four series of Restatements, all published by the American Law Institute, an organization of judges, legal academics, and practitioners founded in 1923.
How do you cite American law?
There are generally four elements in a citation to a statute in the United States Code:
- The title number.
- The abbreviation of the code used (here, U.S.C.)
- The section symbol (§) followed by a space and the section number containing the statute.
- The year of the code. (optional if citing to the current code – Bluebook R.
Where is ALR in Westlaw?
ALR is also available electronically on both Westlaw & Lexis Advance. (Lexis Advance does not have index). To access ALR, simply type “American Law Reports” in the search box and click the link to ALR that will appear as you type. Use keyword search or index to find relevant annotations.
Is ALR a digest?
American Law Reports (ALR): Home At the time of this guide’s creation, there are six series in ALR, plus two federal series, a digest, and an index. The 6th series has been in publication since 2005. For historical research, it may be necessary to consult a previous series.
Is ALR primary or secondary?
American Law Reports (a/k/a ALR) is a secondary source that combines elements of legal encyclopedias with elements of case reporters. ALR contains articles (called annotations) that look similar to articles in legal encyclopedias.
What is Wex law?
Wex is a free legal dictionary and encyclopedia sponsored and hosted by the Legal Information Institute at the Cornell Law School. Wex entries are collaboratively created and edited by legal experts.
Are the restatements binding?
Although Restatements of the Law are not binding authority in and of themselves, they are highly persuasive because they are formulated over several years with extensive input from law professors, practicing attorneys, and judges. In essence, they restate existing common law into a series of principles or rules.