Free UK law study video
Research UK law for free
A practical free-source stack for UK law students using Find Case Law, BAILII, legislation.gov.uk and the UK Supreme Court's own site.
Why this method works
Free services provide many primary sources, but do not cover every reading-list authority. Find Case Law publishes selected judgments and decisions from courts and tribunals in England and Wales, plus the UK Supreme Court and Privy Council. It does not contain judgments or decisions from Scottish, Northern Irish or Irish courts or tribunals. Coverage and dates vary by court; check its coverage page. For Scotland or Northern Ireland, use the relevant courts' own judgment service. BAILII has broader UK and Irish collections, with its own coverage limits.
Use your university library for missing judgments, reports, commentary and citator tools. Check the relevant jurisdiction and later treatment yourself, and record the date. The reel's phrase 'free sources give you the law' should be read subject to these coverage limits.
- Use official and established free sources first.
- Use your university library for missing reports, commentary and citator tools.
- Read every authority before relying on it.
Sources and further reading
Use the original guidance alongside your course instructions. A source collection may have gaps; ask your law librarian if you cannot find an authority.
Accessible transcript
What the video says
UK law students, you can read most core sources without paying for a database. Start with Find Case Law for modern judgments. Use BAILII for older or wider UK and Irish decisions. Check legislation.gov.uk for statutes, amendments and revision warnings. For Supreme Court cases, use the court's own judgment and press summary to get your bearings. Free sources give you the law. Your university databases add commentary and citator tools. Read the authority before you rely on it. Durmah's full free legal research guide is at the link.
See and share the original social post
Responsible-use note: this lesson supports study method, not submission-ready work. Check the original authority, the law applicable to your course and your institution's rules. Visuals and narration are AI-generated.
