Case assignment
This assignment is designed to help you learn to use lexis/nexis to find published opinions by courts.
To do the assignment, go to the UF library homepage, and click on “quick links.” On the quick link page, in the top category (called major multi-database service provider menu) you will see a link to lexis-nexis. Click on it. On the new page, you will see a column to your left with a link to legal research. Click the legal research link. You will get a page with many links, under the “case law” category, you will find a link to “state case law.” Click it. You will see a page with the names of all the states. Pick a state and click it. You will see a screen that asks you for several bits of information.
For you assignment, do the following:
I want you to find a case involves a criminal offense, and the court talks about what an accessory does.
At “search term” type in accessory. At “date” type in 1800 in the first box and 1860 in the second (that is, you want the range for your search to be from 1800-1860). Then click search and see what you get
Then send me an email with the title of the case, and the citation (we will discuss this in class) and quote a sentence from the opinion using the word accessory.
Two hints: First, not all state cases go back as far as
1800. You should probably look at one of the following states:
Second, you may turn up lots of cases. To make your review of the cases quicker, bear in mind that a criminal law case usually has a title like “State v. Smith,” or “Commonwealth v. Smith.” When you see to personal names in the case name, it is probably not a criminal case and you can ignore it.
The assignment is due by 8 pm next Tuesday.