Research Guides

Form Books

Attorneys often rely on the use of standard forms to avoid wasting valuable time drafting a form from scratch each time a given situation arises. You should always carefully examine a standard form to make sure it suits your needs and is still up to date.

There are two types of forms - transactional and practice/procedural. Transactional forms are those used in legal transactions such as contracts, wills, deeds, and mortgages. Practice/procedural forms are used in lawsuits and court proceedings.

Many legal publishers produce multivolume sets of standard forms, some which are located in the Law Library. Except for the sets of Pennsylvania forms listed that are located on Reserve, the major sets of forms listed are located in the form books section in the Upper Stacks on the last row of shelves in the left hand section of shelves facing the carrels on the Spring Mill Road side of the building.

Links to Lexis and Westlaw are to the specific databases referenced. A password is needed to access these services.

Transactional Forms

American Jurisprudence Legal Forms 2d (print) (US-Forms KF 170 A542); also on Westlaw.  

This set gives annotations to state and federal cases and statutes, notes on tax consequences and references to other Lawyers' Co-op publications. The 20 volumes are arranged alphabetically by subject. In addition there is a two volume index and two looseleaf volumes called Federal Guide to Legal Forms, which give an analysis of tax problems.

Current Legal Forms (Rabkin & Johnson) (print) (US-Forms KF 170 A6G12); also on Lexis.

Proclaiming itself the "tax-conscious form book," this set includes a section entitled "The Tax Background" at the beginning of each chapter. The chapters are arranged by area of law. There are 22 looseleaf volumes plus a one volume index.

West's Legal Forms 2d (print) (US-Forms KF 170 W4); also on Westlaw.

This set is organized by area of practice and updated by pocket parts. There are 32 volumes plus an index volume that also includes contents of all volumes, tables index, and subject index.

Practice/Procedural Forms

American Jurisprudence Pleading and Practice Forms (print) (US-Forms KF 8836 Am36); also on Westlaw.

This set includes state and federal forms as well as explanatory text and references to other Lawyers' Co-op publications. Tables provide statute and rules references for each jurisdiction. There are 47 volumes alphabetically arranged by subject and updated by pocket parts plus a two volume index.

Federal Procedural Forms, Lawyers' Edition (print) (US-Forms KF 8836 F31)

This 26 volume set is arranged alphabetically by subject and contains cross references to CFR, USCS, and other Lawyers' Co-op publications. It is updated by pocket parts and also has a two volume index which have tables to the Constitution, statutes, and regulations. A Litigation Management Manual is also included with the set.

West's Federal Forms (print) (US-Forms KF 8836 W52); also on Westlaw.

Arranged by rule of practice, there are separate volumes for U.S. District Courts, U. S. Appellate Courts, U. S. Supreme Court, bankruptcy, and admiralty. The 17 volumes are updated by pocket parts and there is also a one volume index which includes tables of statutes and court rules.

Pennsylvania Forms

Dunlap-Hanna Pennsylvania Forms (print) (Res KFP 68 A6D92); also on Lexis.

Dunlap-Hanna's annotations contain primarily procedural but also transactional references to both Purdon's and the Pennsylvania rules of civil procedure. It is organized by area of practice. Each of the 13 looseleaf volumes has its own index and there is a general index in the last volume as well.

Goodrich-Amran 2d Procedural Rules Service with Forms (print) (Res KFP 529 A1G62); also on Westlaw.

This set contains nine volumes of annotated Pennsylvania rules of civil procedure with forms organized by rule number. It also includes references to other Lawyers' Co-op publications. In addition there is a two volume general index, as well as a volume containing the full text of the rules, table of statutes, and index. It is updated by pocket parts.

Pennsylvania Transaction Guide Legal Forms (Bongiovanni) (print) (Res KFP 68 T68); also on Lexis.

Organized by area of practice, the annotations in this set also include references to Purdon's. It is especially useful in the area of business and corporations. There are 15 looseleaf volumes plus an general index which includes tables of cases and statutes.

West's Pennsylvania Legal Forms (print) (Res KFP 68 .W47); also on Westlaw.

This set includes separate volumes for each topic of law covered. Indexes are at the end of the last volume for each topic. It is kept up-to-date by pocket parts.

Specialized Forms

Some treatises may also contain forms. Search INNOPAC using the subject "Forms (Law)" or do a keyword search using the word "forms" as one of your search terms.

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