Google Search Tips for Litigators

• To restrict searches to a particular domain, like university websites, type in your search terms and then add site:.edu.  It looks like this:  masters degree architecture site:.edu.
• To exclude something, use the minus sign.  It looks like this: Newt-Gingrich.  That search would exclude references to Newt Gingrich.
• To restrict searches to the exact words you are looking for, as opposed to Google’s default mode which includes pleurals, synonyms, etc., put the words in quotation marks.  It looks like this: “motion to dismiss” would not return motions to dismiss.
• Use OR.  Google assumes that a space between search terms means “and.”  If you want to search for more than one term at the same time but not necessarily on the same page separate the words with OR.  It looks like this: class action OR lawsuit.
• If you want to restrict your searches to particular dates, click on the “Search Tools” tab that appears above your results and restrict the results to one of the time frames suggested under “Any Time” or put in a date range in the “Custom Range” option at the bottom of that pull down menu.   Your results are then restricted to that time period.

These and other search tips for litigators are discussed in more detail in the ABA Section on Litigation article entitled "Eight Google Skills All Litigators Should Master."