NFPA Paralegal Core Competency Exam (PCCE)Legal ResearchHard
A paralegal is conducting research for a complex civil litigation matter involving a novel issue of statutory interpretation. The paralegal needs to find scholarly articles that critically analyze the statute, discuss its legislative history, and propose various interpretations. Which type of secondary source would be most suitable for this in-depth, critical analysis?
- AAmerican Law Reports (A.L.R.) Annotation
- BTreatise
- CLegal Encyclopedia
- DLaw Review Article
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Law Review Article
Law review articles are peer-reviewed scholarly publications that provide in-depth analysis, critique, and commentary on specific legal issues, often focusing on novel or evolving areas of law. They are ideal for understanding different interpretations of a statute and its legislative history.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. A.L.R. annotations collect and summarize cases on narrow legal topics but do not typically offer the deep critical analysis or proposed interpretations found in law review articles.
- B. Treatises offer comprehensive analysis of broad areas of law, but law review articles typically provide more focused and critical commentary on specific, cutting-edge issues of statutory interpretation.
- C. Legal encyclopedias provide general overviews and are not suitable for in-depth, critical analysis of novel issues or statutory interpretation.
Law Review Article
A scholarly publication, typically by law students or professors, offering in-depth analysis and critique of specific legal issues, statutes, or cases.
- Provides critical commentary and various perspectives.
- Often focuses on novel or complex legal problems.
- Excellent for legislative history and statutory interpretation.
Memory trick: For a 'review' of a 'law's' deep meaning, a Law Review Article is keen.