Library guides: Law:

"How To Find" Guides

Finding cases

Legal Abbreviations
How to interpret law report and law journal abbreviations.
What is a Case Citator?
Explains the purpose of a case citator and why you need to use this legal research tool.
What is a Case Citation?
Explains what the various elements of a case citation are and how to interpret them.
FirstPoint Search
How to search for a case using FirstPoint (Westlaw AU).
Search Queensland Legal Indices (QLI)
How to search the QLI database for Queensland cases.

Finding Commonwealth legislation

How to find a Bill
This tutorial will show you how to find a Bill in the Federal Register of Legislation.
How to find Explanatory Memorandum (EM)
This tutorial will show you how to find the EM accompanying a Bill.
Finding a Bill's introduction date
Find the date that a Bill was introduced and use this date to locate the first and second reading speeches in Hansard.
Finding Acts: current and historical versions (Federal Register of Legislation)
This tutorial shows you how to locate an Act in it current version, at a point-in-time, the Act as made and how to identify the compilation date.
How to find the current version of a Regulation
This will show you how to locate a Regulation in force as well as locate historical versions of a Regulation.

Legislation tables (Federal Register of Legislation)
Legislation tables are tools that were used before the internet to track the history of Acts and important instruments.
Wicks subject index to Commonwealth legislation
The Wicks Index is a reference tool for researchers who need to find relevant Acts under subject titles. Under those subject titles, Wicks also provides cross references to other Act titles. The Index has two functions: (a) it is a list that helps you find Commonwealth legislation; (b) it enables you to find out if the Commonwealth has legislated on any particular subject. Held at Gold Coast and Nathan Libraries - Law KH18.W52.

Finding second reading speeches - Commonwealth

Locating Second Reading Speeches and transcripts, browsing in Hansard. (Available from1901 onwards)
How to locate a second reading speech using the browse function in Hansard for the Senate and House of Representatives.
Finding a Second Reading Speech via Hansard Indexes. (Available from1901 onwards)
How to locate a second reading speech in Hansard by searching the Indexes using the ParlInfo Search Engine.
Finding a Second Reading Speech via Parliament of Australia (Bill's Homepage). (Available from 1998 onwards)
How to locate a Bill's second reading speech via a Bill's homepage. A Bill's homepage includes other relevant documentationrelated to a Bill, including information that may be helpful for statutory interpretation.

Finding Queensland legislation

To learn how to best access Queensland legislation, spend some time checking out the information links on the Queensland Legislation website - located along the top menu bar. The site offers videos and How to Guides on how to find Bills, Acts as Passed, current reprints, repealed legislation, historical information and more.

Information about Queensland Legislation (Office of Queensland Parliamentary Counsel)
Includes "How to ensure a reprint is up to date", "Finding legislative information on this website", "Using legislative tables on this website", "About authorised legislation" and more.
How-to videos (Office of Queensland Parliamentary Counsel)
These videos explain how to find Bills, explanatory notes, reprints, information about Acts, subordinate legislation and more, located on the Queensland Government's legislation website.
All About Reprints (Office of Queensland Parliamentary Counsel)
Includes: "What is a reprint", "Finding information about the legislative history of a reprint", "Finding current and historical versions of reprints" and more.
How to Ensure a Reprint Is Up To Date (Office of Queensland Parliamentary Counsel)
Is the current reprint on the Queensland Legislation website up to date? There are a few steps you can follow to check if all the changes that have commenced are consolidated in the current reprint of the legislation on the website
Legislative history (Endnotes)
A reprint's legislative history is available on its homepage via the Legislative history tab. Previously, an Act's legislative history was available in the reprint's Endnotes section.
Finding Repealed Legislation (Office of Queensland Parliamentary Counsel)
Acts and subordinate legislation.

Finding second reading speeches - Queensland

Find a Second Reading Speech, browsing in Hansard (Available from 1860 onwards)
Use a Bill's introduction date to navigate Hansard and locate the commencement of a second reading speech.
Find the resumption of a Second Reading Speech, via Indexes to Debates
How to track a second reading speech from its adjournment to its resumption using Hansard's Indexes to Debates. Available from the 1st Parliament (1860) onwards.

Finding journal articles - Australian and international

Law Journal Databases
Lists Australian and International legal journal databases, as well as multidisciplinary journal databases.
AGIS Plus Text
AGIS Plus Text indexes Australian law journals and is the best place to start your search for law journal articles. Find commentary about cases and legislation as well as articles.
Journal Article Citations and References
How to locate journal articles found in reference lists, using the journal's full title as well as its abbreviation.

Research strategies

When to stop (researching)
It is important to know when to stop your research. Generally, you have reached the end when you keep coming across the same material, and nothing both new and relevant is turning up. Read on ....
Searching effectively (Griffith University)
Do you want to be able to search efficiently and effectively? Here’s 9 tips and tricks to help you achieve better search results.

How to search databases - Self help guides

Check individual database's Help Guides for specific search tips. Videos, guides and tutorials are usually located on each databases's home page.

Lexis Advance Knowledge Network
The Knowledge Network provides videos, tutorials, guides, podcasts etc for using CaseBase; Halsbury's Laws of Australia; Unreported Judgments and LawNow.
Westlaw AU - Training and Support
Provides videos, user guides and many more resources to help you use Westlaw AU products including FirstPoint, Westlaw AU Journals, The Laws of Australia and more.
CCH IntelliConnect
User guides.
Thomson Reuters Westlaw
User guides to assist with searching cases, statutes (legislation) plus tips for using TR Westlaw.
Informit (includes AGIS PlusText)
Tutorials, How to Guides and Help to assist with searching the AGIS database.
TimeBase LawOne
User guides.