Research skills
How to research UK law
These guides are for anyone — students, journalists, litigants in person — who wants to look up the law accurately. They show you how to navigate primary sources (statutes and judgments) and avoid common research pitfalls.
How to read a UK statute
A practical introduction to reading Acts of Parliament — sections, subsections, schedules, commencement, amendments, and how to check whether a provision is in force.
How to read an English court case
How to read a judgment: parties, citation, court, judges, headnote, ratio decidendi, obiter dicta, dissents, and how to use BAILII or Find Case Law efficiently.
How to check if a law is current
Practical steps to verify whether a statute, regulation, or case is still good law before you rely on it.
Primary vs secondary legal sources
Why citing legislation.gov.uk or an official judgment beats citing a textbook, a forum post, or a generative-AI summary.
England & Wales vs Scotland vs Northern Ireland — what differs
The UK has three distinct legal systems. This guide explains where they diverge and where they overlap.
How to use legislation.gov.uk effectively
Tips for navigating legislation.gov.uk — search, revised vs as-enacted views, status badges, and citing the right URL.
How to use BAILII for case law
BAILII is the largest free database of UK and Irish judgments. This guide explains how to search efficiently, what to do if a case is missing, and how to cite.