Research & Citations
You must do this to a case name in a citation.
What is underline or italicize?
This type of authority must be followed by the courts.
What is binding or mandatory authority?
These are the 4 levels of courts in Maryland.
What are the District Courts, Circuit Courts, Court of Special Appeals & Court of Appeals?
The concept of following the precedent of previously decided cases.
What is stare decisis?
This process allows you to determine the judicial history of a case, whether the case is ‘good law,’ and later cases that have cited back to the case.
What is Shepardizing?
Primary law from another state or jurisdiction is *this* within your state or jurisdiction.
What is persuasive?
The decisions of this Maryland court are binding on all courts in Maryland.
What is the MD Court of Appeals?
The body of law developed through judicial decisions and opinions rather than from the legislature.
What is common law?
A search method that uses symbols, word fragments and numbers rather than plain English.
What is Boolean searching?
Primary law from your state or jurisdiction is binding *here.*
What is your own state or jurisdiction?
These are two methods of obtaining jurisdiction in federal court.
What are federal question jurisdiction, claims brought against the federal government and diversity jurisdiction?
Parts of the judge’s opinion not essential to the resolution of the case are known as *this.*
What is dicta?
This is the official reporter of the U.S. Supreme Court.
What is the United States Reports?
These are 3 types of secondary sources.
What are treatises, periodicals, law review articles, restatements, legal encyclopedias, legal dictionaries?
The 2017 Maryland Annotated Code, Family Law Article, § 2-402 in proper citation format.
What is Md. Family Law Code Ann. § 2-402 (2017).
These are 4 sources of primary law.
What are case law, statutes, constitutions, and administrative regulations?