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Legal Practice Tools

Practice Tools are a subset of secondary sources. They can assist you in litigation and transactional matters as well as save you from having to reinvent the wheel. This guide will introduce you to some useful practice tools.

Overview

A legal treatise is a book or set of books on a legal topic that are written by experts. Sometimes students get confused between "treatise" and "treaty."   A treatise is a scholarly book or set of books about a legal topic. It is a secondary source. A treaty is a primary source legal agreement between countries. A good treatise is thorough, explaining and even critiquing, the law. A treatise can be an extremely useful secondary source for research because it gathers such detailed information on a particular legal topic or issue into one publication. 

If you practice in a certain area of law, you will become familiar with the well-known and highly respected treatises in that area. If you are unfamiliar with an area of law, consult a research guide on that area of law written by a law librarian.

Finding Tools Within Treatises

Indexes

Table of Contents

Updating

Many treatises are updated by pocket parts or supplements.  Some treatises, known as "loose-leafs" are updated by new pages being inserted into a binder.

Books available through Lexis, Westlaw & Bloomberg BNA

There are many treatises available through Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law.

Use OneSearch to Find articles, books, and more

You can use OneSearch to see if a book is available in our library or another UC library. 

  1. If a book you want is in our library, please go to the location, retrieve the book, and check it out at the Circulation Desk. Note that if your pick-up location and request location are the same, the request is not processed. In other words, if a book is available in the law library, do not request it. Instead retrieve the book yourself and check it out.
  2. If a book you want is at another UC Library, you can either go to that location or request it to be sent here. To request a book from another UC Library:
  • Click on the book and when the record page opens, sign in as a UC Students and Staff using your UC credentials if you have not already signed in.
  • Under Get It, you should see a Request link (you will not see this link until you sign in). Click the Request Link.
  • Select your Pickup Location: Law Library will be one of the options in the drop-down menu
  • Click on the Send Request button.
  1. If a book you want is not available at UC, you may be able to find and borrow it through the OhioLINK. To get a book from OhioLINK:
  • Click on the book and when the record page opens, sign in as a UC Students and Staff using your UC credentials if you have not already signed in
  • Click the Get it for me from other libraries link
  • then click the Get It button under Get it from OhioLINK. 
  • Select your Pickup Location: Law Library will be one of the options in the drop-down menu
  • Click on the Send Request button.

The book will be delivered to the Law Library and we will deliver it to you when it arrives. Be aware that it may take 7 or more days to arrive. Note that even if checking out a book for a UC journal, YOU and not the journal are responsible for that book. Be sure and renew and return your books as needed. Check your account to see when books are due or renew books at My Library Card.

WorldCat Catalog

If a book you want is not available in in OneSearch at a UC or OhioLink Library, you will need to submit an Interlibrary Loan Request.

  • Find the book in WorldCat (use the box below for a simple search, use the WorldCat Advanced Search for more search options).
    • To access advanced WorldCat, you will need to authenticate. 
  • Fill out an ILL form with the information you found in WorldCat. Note that the Law Library does not use ILLiad at this time.

 

Search for an item in libraries near you:
WorldCat.org >>

The book will be delivered to the Law Library and you will receive an email in your UC email account when it comes.  Be aware that it may take 10 or more days to arrive.  Circulation loan periods will vary.  Renewal options will also vary.

 

 

Google Books

Some books may be available via Google Books.  Primarily, these are books within the public domain.  Limited previews may be offered for other books.  If you need a copy of a book found through Google Books, please check WorldCat and fill out an Interlibrary Loan Request.

Video Tutorials on Treatises

CALI Lesson on Subject Specific Treatises

CALI LogoAvailable to Law Students only (see a reference librarian if you do not have a CALI activation code).

Treatises

Bluebook

Rule 15 of The Bluebook (22nd ed. 2025) covers citing treatises. There are many variables in citing a treatise so definitely consult the rule for its many permutations. 

Elements

Generally, a citation to a treatise should contain the following elements:

  • Volume (if applicable)
  • Author (see R. 15.1(b) for more than 2 authors and R. 15(c) for institutional authors)
  • Title (italicized or underlined)
  • Section and/or Page
  • Editor, translators (if applicable)
  • Edition
  • Copyright Date

Example

2 Joseph M. Perillo & Helen Hadjiyannakis Bender, Corbin on Contracts § 1.1 (1993).

ALWD

Rule 20 of The ALWD Citation Manual (7th ed.) covers the citation of books.

Elements
  • Volume number (if applicable)
  • Author (see R. 20.1(b)(2) for multiple authors and R. 20.1(b)(3) and Appendix 3 for institutional authors 
  • Title (italicized or underlined)
  • Section and/or Page
  • Editor, translators (if applicable)
  • Edition
  • Date

Example

2 Joseph M. Perillo & Helen Hadjiyannakis Bender, Corbin on Contracts § 1.1 (1993).

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