Legal encyclopaedias are another source of information that should be consulted in your research. They provide an overview of what the law is in a particular area or jurisdiction, including relevant cases and legislation.
There are two Australian legal encyclopaedias: Halsbury's Laws of Australia and The Laws of Australia. You should look at both products because:
As with any other encyclopaedia or textbook, legal encyclopaedias can become out of date, so always check to see when the text was last updated to ensure your information is current.
It is our experience that legal encyclopedias can provide key facts that may not be found in either textbooks or journal articles. Legal encyclopaedias are an excellent source of information too often dismissed as "optional extras". The worth of legal encyclopaedias in research should never be underestimated.
Halsbury's Laws of Australia (Lexis+ Australia) is a legal encyclopaedia providing a comprehensive overview of Australian law with 89 titles covering both mainstream and little known subject areas.
The Laws of Australia (Westlaw Australia) is a complete library of legal principles covering over 320 topics and every Australian jurisdiction.