We talk a lot about Westlaw and Lexis in our legal research classes, but there are a number of other low-cost/free legal research resources that law students and attorneys should be aware of. Westlaw and Lexis are great tools, but they also cost a lot of money. As times continue to be tough in the legal industry, many attorneys turn to sources other than Westlaw and Lexis to support their legal research.
Over the last several years, most state bar associations have begun providing their attorneys with access to a low-cost legal research service as a member benefit. The two predominant systems in this arena are Fastcase and Casemaker. The Duke Law Library has recently created a map showing what states provide which system. (The map is an updated version of one created by Greg Lambert in 2010).
Utah is a Casemaker state and students can get access to Casemaker by signing up at CasemakerX. Here at BYU Law we also have a subscription to Fastcase if you’re going to a state where you might use it.