After performing keyword searches on Westlaw and Lexis, what is the next step?

Finding relevant statutes is a crucial next step after conducting keyword searches on legal research platforms like Westlaw and Lexis. This is because the keyword searches provide a broad overview of relevant case law and secondary sources, but statutes are essential for understanding the specific legal framework that applies to a given issue.

Statutes serve as the foundational laws enacted by legislative bodies, and they can clarify the legal standards that courts must follow. Identifying and considering relevant statutes helps ensure that the research is comprehensive and grounded in the applicable legal authority. Additionally, statutes may provide essential definitions, procedural rules, or contexts that can significantly impact the interpretation and application of case law derived from the keyword searches.

In this context, the other options do not facilitate advancing the legal research process effectively. Ignoring the results would forfeit the valuable insights gained from the keyword searches. Performing additional general searches might yield more information, but without focusing on statutes, this could lead to tangential results. Limiting the search to only checking the index would restrict the breadth of information available, as it may overlook pertinent cases, statutes, or commentary that could enhance understanding of the legal issue at hand.