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Pennsylvania Criminal Law Practice Resources: Legal Encyclopedias

This guide reviews the primary and secondary resources available in the Legal Research Center's collection that deal with Pennsylvania Criminal Law.

Description of Resources

There are two Pennsylvania legal encyclopedias: Pennsylvania Law Encylopedia (published by LexisNexis) and Summary of Pennsylvania Jurisprudence 2d (published by West Group.) Both provide general coverage of Pennsylvania criminal law. The Pennsylvania Law Encyclopedia also covers Pennsylvania criminal procedure.

Legal Encyclopedias usually aren't detailed enough to be the final destination on an attorney's research trial, but they are often a good first stop for a researcher working with an unfamiliar area.

Pennsylvania Law Encyclopedia 2d: Criminal Law

  • Topic "Criminal Law."
  • Reviews specific crimes.
  • Reviews criminal court pretrial procedure, trial procedure, posttrial procedure, and appellate procedure.
  • Provides references to statutes and cases. Not a comprehensive source for case research.
  • Published by Lexis, available on Lexis Advance.
  • Call number for print version: KFP .P415 1988.
  • Print version includes index. Lexis version allows keyword searching and browsing table of contents.

Summary of Pennsylvania Jurisprudence 2d: Criminal Law

 

  • Topic: "Criminal Law."
  • Looks at elements of crime.
  • Reviews specific crimes.
  • Does not review Pennsylvania criminal procedure.
  • Published by West Group, available on WestlawNext.
  • Call number for print version:KFP65 .S86 1991.
  • WestlawNext version includes searchable index.
  • Print version includes index.