2. Introduction
Understanding Legal Research
Legal research is "the process of identifying and retrieving information necessary to
support legal decision-making.
Importance of legal research in the legal profession
Legal Research help researchers understand the terminology and words used in the text
of primary sources of law.
It enables students to stay updated with legal developments, navigate legal databases,
and critically analyze legal issues.
It gets from cases, statutes, regulations, treaties, and constitutions which are strong and
reliable sources to understand / work with.
INTERNAL
3. Law Reports
A law report is a record of a judicial decision on a point of law which sets a precedent.
Objective & Importance
The object of law reporting is to give detailed precedent case-laws to the legal practitioners,
judges of all the courts. The statutes cannot explain all matters in all walks of life. Still there
shall be some lacuna. Such lacunas are filled up by the judges of the superior courts in
some extra-ordinary cases.
Explanation of law reports
Law reports or reporters are series of books that contain judicial opinions from a selection
of case law decided by courts. When a particular judicial opinion is referenced, the law
report series in which the opinion is printed will determine the case citation format.
Law report, in common law, published record of a judicial decision that is cited by lawyers
and judges for their use as precedent in subsequent cases. The report of a decision
ordinarily contains the title of the case, a statement of the facts giving rise to the litigation,
and its history in the courts.
INTERNAL
4. Types of Law Reports
• Official law reports
• Unofficial law reports
• Specialized law reports
INTERNAL
5. Significance of Law Reports
• The courts, in different timelines, have always reiterated the importance of precedents
and how they are binding on the subordinate courts. Recognition in law to previous
judgments has been given under the Government of India Act, 1935 wherein under
section 212, it is provided that decisions of the Privy Council and Federal Court are
binding on all courts in India. Similarly, Article 141 of the Constitution of India mandates
that Law declared by the Supreme Court Of India shall be binding on all courts within the
territory of India.
• Play Role in setting legal precedents;
• Citations and referencing in legal documents
INTERNAL
6. Popular Law Reports
• Mentioning well-known law reports in the legal field
• Highlighting the importance of specific law reports
INTERNAL
7. Legal Magazines
• Introduction to Legal Magazines
• Definition and purpose
• Role in keeping legal professionals updated
INTERNAL
8. Role of Legal Magazines
• Contribution to Legal Knowledge
• Case commentaries and analysis
• Updates on recent legal developments
INTERNAL
9. References to Case Law
The Apex court in order to illustrate the principle
underlying the provisions under article 141
Constitution of India observed in State of Bihar Vs
Kalika Kaur that:
"Earlier judgment may seem to be not correct yet
would be binding on later Bench of coordinate
jurisdiction considering the question later, on the
ground that a possible aspect of the matter, was not
considered or not raised before the court deciding the
matter earlier, but it would not be a reason to say that
the decision was rendered per incuriam and is liable
to be ignored."
INTERNAL
10. Conclusion
• Effective Use of Law Reports, Magazines & References
• Reference to and by Courts
• Purposeful study and Citations
INTERNAL
