Conducting a search in the catalog can produce an overwhelming amount of results.  The good news is that these results can be narrowed by selecting facets.  Facets are located on the left side of the screen and allow the user to narrow by areas such as format, location and publication date.  These are just three of the many facets you can select.  A user can narrow by one or more facets at the same time.  I ran a search on adoption which returned 228 results.  I decided to narrow my results by electronic format and records that had my search term in the subject.  I now have 14 results, which is much more manageable.  Next time you conduct a search in the catalog use facets to find more pertinent results.

The case is U.S. V. Windsor.  Do you know the facts?  Read the parties' briefs on WestlawNext.

Brief for Plaintiff-Appellee

Brief for Defendant-Appellant

Also, see many other Amicus Curiae briefs and the Petition for Writ of Certiorari. 

Once logged in to WestlawNext, select "Briefs" from the "All Content" tab on the homepage.

Type the search string "US v. Windsor & DOMA."

How do you think the case will be decided?  What was the legislative intent?

Will they actually reach a decision on the merits - under Equal Protections, 10th Amendment state police power, dismissed for lack of standing?

morguefile.com

 Need help with your legal research or navigating a library resource?  Then make an appointment with a librarian!  While you are always welcome to stop by the Legal Research Help Desk during regular Legal Research Help Desk hours, the PSL law librarians also encourage you to schedule an individual appointment that works with your schedule to provide personalized assistance.

Law students can request an appointment with a librarian by e-mailing research@phoenixlaw.edu  Please be sure to include information on your topic or assignment so we can prepare before we meet. A librarian will contact you to confirm your appointment.

 Image from Morguefile.com

I’ve graduated.  Now what?  How do I afford research? Come find out at our workshop titled Real World Research, this Tuesday, February 26th, from noon-1pm in Classroom 1337. Learn about the most important legal resources for research, including those that are free, which are essential for legal practice.  Discover an affordable alternative to Westlaw and Lexis – FastCase. FastCase provides access to a variety of legal resources including cases, statutes, and secondary sources.

Are you a first semester 1L interested in the basics of legal research?  Come to our Introduction to Legal Research workshop, this Thursday, February 28th, from noon-1pm in Classroom 1535, where you'll discover how to navigate Westlaw and Lexis in order to find reliable authority.

Can't make it this week? The Law Library will be offering workshops on many different topics throughout the semester. Take a look at our library workshops page to view a list of workshop descriptions and a link to the workshop calendar.

Are you currently enrolled in an externship or working as a legal intern? Need some help researching Arizona laws? The Law Library is offering a workshop on Arizona Legal Research tomorrow, Wednesday, 2/20 from noon-1pm in Classroom 1337. This workshop, part of our Law Practice Series, will introduce you to important resources for Arizona legal practitioners, including many free or low-cost alternatives to the major commercial vendors.

Are you a first year law student looking for some extra practice developing research strategies? Or, are you a 2L or 3L looking for a refresher on legal research principles? The Law Library is offering a workshop, titled Legal Research in a Nutshell, this Thursday, 2/21 from noon-1pm in Classroom 1337. This workshop will include reviewing secondary sources in order to find cases, statutes, and regulations.  You will also practice generating search terms, including conducting advanced terms and connectors searches. 

Can't make it this week? The Law Library will be offering workshops on many different topics throughout the semester. Take a look at our library workshops page to view a list of workshop descriptions and a link to the workshop calendar.

Image of Phoenix City Hall downloaded from Morguefile.com.