Last summer, I sent a questionnaire on legal research to the justices and judges of the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Virginia Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. I asked simply, “What one piece of advice would you provide to attorneys who are presenting legal research in a brief or memo to your court?” Seventeen justices and judges responded. Their advice followed several themes: using secondary sources to your advantage, focusing on analysis—not just finding—using persuasive authority as appropriate, being wary of online research traps, preserving credibility through candor, and making your arguments obvious.

Citation
Benjamin Doherty, Appellate Research Lessons from the Judges, UVA Lawyer 16–19 (December, 2013).