Law for Resource and Environmental Management

We are the library of the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Sir James Dunn Law Library occupies four floors in the Weldon Law Building with bright, comfortable space for study and research. A capable staff provides reference and support services for students, faculty, and other users.

1. Start with Secondary Sources

Secondary sources include dictionaries, encyclopedias, books, and journals.  Beginning with these tools helps you:

• Define the key legal terms that will assist you in later searches.
• Identify relevant the legal concepts that apply to your topic.
• Locate references to key statutes and cases particularly in the footnotes.
• Find explanations of the law that will provide insight into your problem.

2. The Law - Legislation

In Canada much of the law is codified in statutes. Your secondary sources should have directed you to relevant statutes. 

• Locate the key statutes cited in the secondary sources.
• Confirm the statutes are in currently in force and not repealed or amendments.
• Determine if there are any applicable amendments to the applicable sections of the statutes.
• Locate any judicial consideration (court judgments) of the statutes that apply the law to a specific situation.

3. The Law - Cases

Statutes cannot possibly address all contexts of life. The courts apply statute law and general legal principles to specific fact situations.

• Locate key cases cited in the secondary sources.
• Confirm the cases are still good law and have not been overturned on appeal.
• Determine how the cases have been used in the courts (were they followed, referred to, or distinguished).

4. Summarize Your Research

• What is the current state of the law?
• Has your question been addressed?
• No? Next steps.
  • Return to the literature
  • Identify additional concepts/areas
  • Broaden your search