Does anyone know how to properly cite from online searches like Lexis and Westlaw. I citing a statute in the Government Code but didn't know whether to cite to "Vernon's 20XX" or not.
And if I do cite to Vernon's, which volume? Westlaw refers to a "2009 Electronic Update", but also to the "2005 main volume". Any ideas?
I decided long ago that fooling around with Vernon's is a big waste of time. (I think to do it right you need to track down a hardcopy of Vernon's and check whether the text is in the pocketpart.)
I just cite to the statute if it's current. FWIW, the Solicitor General's Office has apparently reached the same conclusion.
The Solicitor General's approach makes a lot more sense, since there are now available many print and electronic sources of statutes other than the "black statutes." Plus, sooner or later, many of us will not have access to Vernon's, at least not the hardbound versions. Plus, who really cares where in Vernon's you find what you were citing, everyone always double-checks the pocket part anyway. The Texas Rules of Form should definitely be modified, and maybe if enough of us start ignoring the suggested citation form on this issue, they will be.
