Legal research is an essential skill and involves the identification and location of legal material, including law reports and academic journal articles. We recommend you use the databases listed on this page in addition to our general databases and eJournals which are highlighted in the Journal Articles section of this guide. These are not exhaustive lists and access to some resources may require a Newcastle University Campus ID and password. If you are unsure of the correct abbreviation for legal journals or law reports, please use the Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations below.
Legal Databases and Resources
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Cardiff Index to Legal AbbreviationsUse the Cardiff Index to check you are using the correct legal abbreviation for journals and case reports from the British Isles, the Commonwealth and the United States, including those covering international and comparative law.
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British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII)The British and Irish Legal Information Institute provides access to primary and secondary legal materials such as British and Irish case law and legislation, European Union case law, Law Commission Reports and other international resources.
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HeinOnlineHeinOnline provides the largest collection of image-based law and law-related materials. It provides access to the English Reports, the reprinted collection of the Nominate Reports, dating from 1220-1867. Their Law Journal Library contains over 1,200 law journals.
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ICLREstablished in 1865, the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales (ICLR) is the authorised publisher of the official and most authoritative law reports in England and Wales. The Law Reports are available in the Law Library; Westlaw UK and LexisLibrary currently offer access to the official series. The Law Reports are the authoritative source for published reports of cases that constitute binding precedents in English Law.
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Lexis@LibraryLexis@Library is primarily a legal database providing full-text access to case law, journal articles, legislation and commentary from a range of courts and jurisdictions, with unique access to Halsbury’s Laws of England and the All England Law Reports. Content includes the UK, Europe and the USA with additional content covering the Commonwealth (Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand).
Lexis@Library News provides access to UK national and regional newspapers, from the 1990s to today (click on News for full text access to all UK publications). Please note that news articles only include text and do not have images. -
Westlaw UKWestlaw UK is one of the leading online legal information services combining up-to-date legal information from the UK, Europe and the United States. It covers cases, legislation, European Union and journals. We also have access to Thomson Reuters Westlaw (Westlaw International), which covers international materials and an extensive collection of law journals.
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Westlaw (Westlaw International)Thomson Reuters Westlaw (Westlaw International) gives access to legal materials from Australia, Canada, the European Union, Hong Kong and the United States as well as international/worldwide materials and an extensive collection of law journals.
All databases should have a help section with tips and tricks on how to get the best out of using them, so do make yourself familiar with them. You also may find the following helpful:
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BAILII SupportHelp on how to use BAILII
Using BAILII? You may want to read this blog post for insight into the open access/restrictions around the data contained within:
https://inforrm.org/2019/10/04/bailii-and-the-re-use-of-judgments-as-public-legal-information-paul-magrath/
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HeinOnline SupportA comprehensive user's guide (PDF)
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HeinOnline LibGuidesHeinOnline LibGuides and the database A-Z list are a great way to learn more about database content and interface functionality. These guides cover the Law Journal Library and World Constitutions Illustrated.
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JustisOne SupportSupport and FAQs using JustisOne
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LexisLibrary SupportA list of help topics for using LexisLibrary
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LexisLibrary Legal Research CertificationLexisLibrary have launched a new and improved certification site. A hub of LexisLibrary guides, videos and infographics is available, alongside the opportunity to become LexisLibrary certified at Foundation or Advanced level.
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Thomson Reuters Westlaw (Westlaw International) SupportTips and Tricks to get you started on Thomson Reuters Westlaw (Westlaw International)
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Thomson Reuters Westlaw (Westlaw International) SupportTraining and Support direct from Thomas Reuters, including user guides, video tutorials, and guidance on customising Westlaw International.
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Westlaw UK SupportTraining videos of how to use Westlaw UK.
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Westlaw UK CertificationWestlaw UK Certification Training gives you an interactive walk-through of Westlaw UK with the option to then test your skills and become Certified which can be listed on your CV.
You may also find database and resource hints, tips and troubleshooting ideas within our Library Help FAQs.
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European and International Resources
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European Union Legal Database EUR-LexEUR-Lex provides single entry point to the complete collections of EU legal texts, including CELEX, PreLex, Oeil, and other sources. It has separate search pages for the Official Journal, Treaties, Legislation, Legislation in Preparation, Case-Law, and Documents of Public Interest.
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European Court of Human RightsInformation from the European Court of Human Rights. It includes access to the HUDOC database, which provides access to the case-law of the of the ECHR: Grand Chamber, Chamber and Committee judgments, decisions, communicated cases, advisory opinions and legal summaries from the Case-Law Information Note, the European Commission of Human Rights (decisions and reports) and the Committee of Ministers (resolutions).
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HUDOCHUDOC provides access to the case law of the Grand Chamber, Chamber and Committee judgments and decisions of the European Court. For help with the database, click on 'Help' in top right hand corner of the website.
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EUROPA - European UnionEuropa.eu is the official website of the European Union. It is a good starting point if you are looking for information and services provided by the EU but you don't know your way around our sites.
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United Nations DocumentsAvailable documents include the UN Journal, as well as documents from the General Assembly, Security Council, Human Rights Council, Economic and Social Council and others.
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Brexit - Sources of Interest
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GOV.UK | BrexitCurrent status on the Brexit deal as according to GOV.UK.
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Department for Exiting the European UnionUK Government department responsible for overseeing negotiations to leave the EU and establishing the future relationship between the UK and EU.
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European Commission - Brexit NegotiationsThe European Commission is the executive of the European Union and promotes its general interest.
Steve Peers (ed), 'EU Law Analysis: Expert Insight into EU Law Developments' (Blog, 2019) <http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/> accessed 7 January 2020.
House of Commons Library, 'Commons Library Podcast: Brexit' (Podcast, 2019) <https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/brexit/> accessed 7 January 2020.
Joris Larik, 'It will be much easier without the British' (Universiteit Leiden, 06 January 2020) <https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2020/01/it-will-be-much-easier-without-the-british> accessed 7 January 2020.
A Selection of Podcasts about Brexit:
BBC World Service: Understanding Brexit
The New European Brexit Podcast
Remainiacs: The Brexit Podcast
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Justia U.S. Supreme CourtThe United States Supreme Court (“USSC”) is the highest court in the United States. Opinions rendered by this court are considered the law of the land and the Court is the final arbiter on issues regarding the United States Constitution. The Court consists of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices who are nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. Decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court are binding on all federal and state courts.
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Australian Legal Information Institute (AustLII)The Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) provides free internet access to Australasian legal materials.
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Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII)CanLII is a non-profit organization managed by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada. CanLII's goal is to make Canadian law accessible for free on the Internet.
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Commonwealth Legal Information Institute (CommonLII)The Commonwealth Legal Information Institute (CommonLII) aims to provide one central Internet location from which it is possible to search - for free - core legal information from all Commonwealth countries.
Legal Information Institutes
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The African Legal Information Institute (AfricanLII)AfricanLII convenes a network of 16 African LIIs - a collaborative group of organizations and individuals in Africa, dedicated to free access to law on our continent. It also provide a Pan-African legal search engine, and host regional legal materials for free access.
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The Asian Legal Information Institute (AsianLII)AsianLII provides for searching and browsing databases of legislation, case-law, law reform reports, law journals and other legal information, where available, from each country in the region.
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American Society of International Law (EISIL)EISIL has been designed as an open database of authenticated primary and other materials across the breadth of international law.
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The Southern African Legal Information Institute (SAFLII)SAFLII, the South African Legal Information Institute, is an online repository of legal information, e.g. case law and legislation, from South Africa. It aims to promote the rule of law and judicial accountability by publishing legal material for open access in line with the objectives of the global free Access to Law movement.
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World Legal Information Institute (WorldLII)WorldLII provides a single search facility for databases located on the following Legal Information Institutes: AustLII; BAILII; CanLII; HKLII; LII (Cornell); and PacLII. It also includes databases of decisions of international Courts and Tribunals, databases from a number of Asian countries, and databases from South Africa.
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Additional Resources
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International Court of JusticeThe Court is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the United Nations Charter, signed in 1945 at San Francisco (United States), and began work in 1946 in the Peace Palace, The Hague (Netherlands).
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UNBISnetCatalogue of United Nations(UN) documents and publications from 1979 onwards
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United NationsGateway to UN information.
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Westlaw (Westlaw International)Thomson Reuters Westlaw (Westlaw International) gives access to legal materials from Australia, Canada, the European Union, Hong Kong and the United States as well as international/worldwide materials and an extensive collection of law journals.
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