[blindlaw] Electronic Rule books

[AZNOR99@aol.com]

I didn't get any of the code and rule books in electronic format.  At  first, 
I had them read onto audiotape for me.  That quickly became a  nuicance 
because tapes are really hard to navigate.  I agree that I found  the comments 
really useful, especially for Evidence and Civil Procedure.   I'd suggest the 
following:
First, contact the school to find out if they're going to open up your  
Westlaw/Lexis subscription from the beginning of school.  If you have  access like 
upper-level students, you can just search for the codes and sections  you 
want.  The comments are listed below the text of the rules if you  search for each 
section individually, and there is a link for comments if you  search for the 
entire Code/Rules.  The way my law school did it, we'd deal  with a section 
at a time and read the cases that applied to that.  So in  any given day, we'd 
only need to read three or four sections or rules for each  class.  I 
understand that to be standard operating procedure for law  schools.
Second, ask the library at your law school to give you a quick lesson in  
searching.  Since you'll know which rules and code sections you want, your  
search will be relatively simple.  If the library can't/won't give you a  crash 
lesson, I'll be happy to talk it through with you over the phone.
But if your law school won't open up your access to Westlaw and Lexis, then  
I'd suggest you either ask the publishers for the code electronically, or if  
they won't cooperate, Google the specific sections you need each time you're  
reading.  You'll be surprised how many places post things like the Fed. R.  
Civ. P. and the Fed. R. Evid.  
 
Take it from someone who's been a research assistant for several years, the  
language of the codes and rules rarely change.  If you can get your hands  on 
an earlier edition, you should be absolutely fine.  You can double-check  with 
your professors, but some will even come in the first day of class and tell  
you that you can get the older version for the class to save yourself some  
money.  At the beginning of each new edition, there is a list of the  changes 
that were made since the last version.  Those are also posted  online in a bunch 
of places.
 
Hope this helps,
Ronza
 
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I didn't get any of the code and rule books in electronic format.  At first, I had them read onto audiotape for me.  That quickly became a nuicance because tapes are really hard to navigate.  I agree that I found the comments really useful, especially for Evidence and Civil Procedure.  I'd suggest the following:
First, contact the school to find out if they're going to open up your Westlaw/Lexis subscription from the beginning of school.  If you have access like upper-level students, you can just search for the codes and sections you want.  The comments are listed below the text of the rules if you search for each section individually, and there is a link for comments if you search for the entire Code/Rules.  The way my law school did it, we'd deal with a section at a time and read the cases that applied to that.  So in any given day, we'd only need to read three or four sections or rules for each class.  I understand that to be standard operating procedure for law schools.
Second, ask the library at your law school to give you a quick lesson in searching.  Since you'll know which rules and code sections you want, your search will be relatively simple.  If the library can't/won't give you a crash lesson, I'll be happy to talk it through with you over the phone.
But if your law school won't open up your access to Westlaw and Lexis, then I'd suggest you either ask the publishers for the code electronically, or if they won't cooperate, Google the specific sections you need each time you're reading.  You'll be surprised how many places post things like the Fed. R. Civ. P. and the Fed. R. Evid. 
 
Take it from someone who's been a research assistant for several years, the language of the codes and rules rarely change.  If you can get your hands on an earlier edition, you should be absolutely fine.  You can double-check with your professors, but some will even come in the first day of class and tell you that you can get the older version for the class to save yourself some money.  At the beginning of each new edition, there is a list of the changes that were made since the last version.  Those are also posted online in a bunch of places.
 
Hope this helps,
Ronza