10 Must-Know Legal Databases for Law Students

Lost in a sea of legal research? Don't worry—here are the ultimate Best legal databases for law students to suceed!

Whether it is case law, statutes or legal journals, a law student requires to get to the right material as quickly as possible to enhance academic performance. That is why it is important to determine best legal databases for law students, in order to maximize the results of the search process. To effectively use these databases and ensure your research is well-organized, follow our tips in How to Write a Perfect Law Essay. This guide will help you structure your essay and make the most of the resources at your disposal.    

In this blog, I will provide you with 10 essential legal research databases that every law student should be aware of. From free platforms to premium resources, these are Online legal databases for students that will help you stay ahead in your legal journey.

Westlaw

Source: Westlaw

Westlaw is one of the most inclusive legal research tools which provide the full access to the case law, statutes and legal commentary. These capabilities make it a must-have for law students and professionals due to its search capabilities and AI tools. Law students benefit from tools like KeyCite, which tracks case histories and citations, ensuring they can easily find relevant legal precedents. Discover how AI tools like ChatGPT are influencing research methodologies in our article Using ChatGPT in Legal Research, where we explore how these technologies are reshaping the way legal research is conducted.

LexisNexis

Source: LexisNexis

LexisNexis contains comprehensive legal resources, ranging from international law materials, and is therefore suitable for comparative legal research purposes. Its Shepard's Citation Service allows users to validate cases and statutes. It among the top Legal databases every law student should know.

HeinOnline

Source: HeinOnline

HeinOnline is one of the best law research databases since it contains a large number of law journals. Its unique feature is the Law Journal Library, which provides an opportunity to find various historical legal acts, that is why it is useful for writing research papers. 

Bloomberg Law

Source: Bloomberg Law

Bloomberg Law is a legal research system accompanied by business law solutions. Any college student who is studying corporate law and seeking information regarding the latest changes in legislation should consider using it.

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Google Scholar

Source: Google Scholar

Google Scholar is among the Free legal research platforms as it offers cases and academic publications. It's not as detailed as some of the other tools, but it can be very useful for a quick search. 

Fastcase

Source: Fastcase

Fastcase is easy to use and makes a wide range of legal materials accessible at a low cost. Due to its simplicity and graphic representation of search results, law students prefer this system. 

Justia 

Another free legal research platform for accessing case law, statutes, and legal guides, Justia, is quickly rising in popularity. This is especially true for U.S. law students in need of fast access to core materials. 

The Legal Information Institute (LII)

Source: The Legal Information Institute (LII)

Developed and maintained by Cornell Law School, LII is a legal database every law student should know. It gives the U.S. Code, Supreme Court opinions, and much more for free and is helpful for initial research. 

PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) 

Source: PACER

In its current form, PACER is particularly useful for students who want to access federal court cases. Though it is not free, it provides case files amounting to millions, providing a vivid look at courts. 

JSTOR

Source: JSTOR

While not strictly a legal database, JSTOR is an excellent resource for legal journals and papers, and it is perfect for interdisciplinary work and for carrying out interdisciplinary investigations. 

Why These Databases Matter

The following top resources for law research should be known to the student in detail in order to use them effectively. When doing a case brief, writing a law essay, or for moot court, these are the basics that you need to make the grade. It makes work easier, reduces the chances of making mistakes, and provides an added advantage to one's academic and working life. With these essential legal research tools in hand, navigating the complexities of legal studies becomes much more manageable.

For those who require extra help, connect to a law essay writing service like Owlisdom, which will make your legal writing even more straightforward. Along with these databases, you will have everything that you need to succeed.