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Library LawReference Service

Welcome to LawReference@seattleu.edu. This is Seattle University Law Library’s e-mail reference service. With this service, you may e-mail a question and a reference librarian will answer it. This service is limited to Seattle University Law students, faculty, and alumni only.

LawReference@seattleu.edu will respond within one business day. Responses requiring special attention may take up to 3 business days. If you need help immediately, call the reference desk during business hours at 206.398.4225.

The reference librarians are willing to offer advice on research strategies but are strictly prohibited from interpreting law, offering legal advice or opinions, or providing advice on how to fill out legal forms or take legal action.

In order to ensure a prompt and useful response, please include the following elements in the body of your e-mail:

• First name, last name (both are required).
• E-Mail address (required).
• Subject of your question (required).
• Jurisdiction (federal, state or foreign, if applicable).
• Are you looking for cases, statues, regulations, treatises, law reviews?
• Write out your question. Include any significant terms that describe your subject.
• List any sources you may have already checked.

LawReference@seattleu.edu does not provide document delivery services (finding, copying and delivering articles or books). Information on interlibrary loans can be found under the Catalog tab.

WARNING: Electronic mail messages on the Internet may not be secure. If confidentiality is a concern, call or visit the reference desk during business hours, or read our privacy policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Anyone Use This Service?

This service is provided to support the information and research needs of students, faculty, and alumni of Seattle University School of Law only.

What Kinds of Things Can I Ask?

We are glad to provide brief answers to factual questions (what's the address for..., does the library have a treatise entitled...?); offer assistance with search strategies (I'm working on... where should I begin my research? I'm having trouble finding anything on..., Does Lexis have file on ...?); and, information on library resources and services (how do I request a book for the collection? Westlaw doesn't seem to have updated information for...). Visit the reference librarian or arrange for a research consultation when you have a question that involves in-depth research such as independent study, law review projects or advanced seminar papers. This allows us to spend more time making sure that you get off to a good start on your research.

How Do I Ask a Question?

E-mail the reference librarians at LawReference@seattleu.edu

How Are Questions Answered?

The Reference Librarians monitor incoming requests during regular reference service hours. Depending on the information you require, you will get a response from us within one business day. We will keep you apprised of our progress in the event that our response requires more than a business day. If information is needed immediately, call or visit the reference desk during our regular hours.

Any Additional Places I Can Look For Information Before I Ask?

The librarians have prepared a series of guides to various topics that are keyed to our collection and Web resources. You can get to the Starting Points series through the Library's Research Guides page.