Lexis^® Support

How do I search using Lexis®?

There are several ways to perform legal research with Lexis. To begin your research, select Client at the top of the page to associate your research with a specific client or matter. Then search using one of the methods below.

When you enter a search, you don't need to enter your terms using terms and connectors or natural language guidelines because Lexis automatically determines which type of search to perform from your search terms.

To search all content:

1. Enter your search terms in the search box, using either natural language or Boolean search construction.
   • Legal phrases and documents - If the terms you are typing are closely related to a legal phrase or document, you'll see a list of suggestions you can select from. Click one of these if you want to see the results for the suggestion instead of what you are typing. The legal phrase or document name will replace the terms you were entering in the search box.
   • Sources - If the terms you are typing are closely related to a source name, you'll see a list of possible source names displayed beneath the search box, next to Add Source as a Filter. Select one of these if you want to search in the source. Your selections will display under the search box. Click Clear to remove them.
2. Select Search.

Note: In general, the longer the search query, the less likely you are to find documents containing all the search terms you entered. Any query can result in zero documents being found, but very long queries are more likely to do so.

Restrict your search to a specific jurisdiction, category, or practice area:

1. Enter your search terms in the search box, using either natural language or Boolean search construction.
   • Legal phrases and documents - If the terms you are typing are closely related to a legal phrase or document, you'll see a list of suggestions you can select from. Click one of these if you want to see the results for the suggestion instead of what you are typing. The legal phrase or document name will replace the terms you were entering in the search box.
   • Sources - If the terms you are typing are closely related to a source name, possible source names are displayed beneath the search box, next to Add Source as a Filter. Select one of these if you want to search in the source. Your selections will display under the search box. Click Clear to remove them.
2. Select Filters.
3. Select Jurisdictions, Category, or Practice Areas & Topics from the left pane.
4. Select the check boxes for the filters you want to use.
5. Select Search.

To Shepardize® a citation:

1. In the search box, type shep followed by a colon (:), followed by the document citation.
2. shep: 800 F.2d 111
   shep: 410 us 73
   Punctuation, spacing, and capitalization within the citation are optional. However, the colon following "shep" is mandatory in order for the system to run a Shepard's® search and not a regular search.
3. Select Search.

To resume previous research, do one of the following:

• Select Recent Searches from the History pod, and then select the search you want to run.
• Select Recent Documents from the History pod, and then select the document you want to view.

To restrict your search by selecting from a list of all sources:

1. On the Lexis® home page, select the Browse drop-down menu at the top of the page.
2. Select Sources.
3. Do one of the following:

1. When you see the source you want to use, select it.
2. From the menu that opens, select Add source as a search filter.

Note: If you have selected any other filters for this search, they will be replaced by your selection.
To search in a specific topic:

1. Select Browse at the top of the page, next to Lexis.
2. Select Topics.
3. When the topic list is displayed, do one of the following:

1. Select the topic you want to use.
2. Select the Actions drop-down menu.
3. Select Add topic as a search filter.

To find an individual document when you know the citation:

1. Enter the citation in the search box.
2. Click Search.

To enter multiple citations and download or print the documents or Shepard's® reports for them, when you know the citations:

1. Select Research at the top of the page.
2. Select Get & Print.
3. Complete the form that displays.
4. Select Go.

To display a form you can use to construct your search to include or exclude specific words or phrases:

1. Select Filters.
2. Select Advanced Search.
3. Complete the Advanced Search form.
4. Select Search.