Legal research is the process of finding, understanding and applying the law. Writing a convincing brief depends on effective legal research. Some commonly used sources in legal research include.
Identifying and understanding legal authorities that support and oppose your argument is important to crafting an effective brief.
For a more detailed discussion, refer to Loyola University Chicago Law Library’s First Year Legal Research Guide, by Patricia Scott.
Another good source for information on Oregon legal research is the following book:
When you are writing your brief you are making a legal argument. This is a special kind of argument that is very different than day-to-day arguments with non-lawyers. Justice Scalia and Bryan Garner note the objectives of such an argument in their introduction to Making your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges.
Judges can be persuaded when three conditions are met:
This kind of argument can be difficult for even experienced attorneys.
The following books are also useful guides to methods and techniques of effective legal arguments.