Finding Precedents Using O'Brien's Encyclopedia of Forms

- Welcome to the Courthouse Libraries BC Screencast Series.

In this segment we will be learning how to find forms and precedents using the O'Brien's encyclopedia of forms.

A comprehensive set of precedents available in print volumes in several of our courthouse library locations.

To demonstrate how one can locate precedents in the O'Brien's series, we will be using the example of finding a shareholder's agreement, but the same steps can be followed to locate many other forms and precedents.

In our last video we learned how to find the call numbers for a book so that we can locate it in the library collection. Now that we have the call number, we can move to the library shelves.

Here we have the O'Brien's series. We'll first pull the master subject index volume. The subject index is quite detailed, so it's always worth starting with a specific term. If that strategy doesn't work, you can try opening up your search to broader terms.

In this example, shareholders' agreement, is a heading in itself. Note the form number beside the entry, the form number is made up of three parts, a division number, a chapter number and a form number.

In this case we want to locate division II, chapter 13, form one. The division number can be found on the spine of the volumes, and we can see that division II deals with corporations.

Since division II consists of several volumes, we first need to find what volume contains chapter 13. Check the table of contents for each volume to find out which chapters are included, and as we can see chapter 13, is in volume II.

Having now found the division and volume number, we can turn to form one. Our shareholders agreement precedent.

O'Brien's provide some commentary followed by the full text of the shareholders agreement itself.

Thank you for viewing this Courthouse Libraries BC Screencast on finding precedents using O'Brien's Encyclopedia of Forms.