In keeping with the theme of legal research I thought it fitting to mention my latest "favorite iPhone app". Fastcase for iPhone. Fastcase is an online legal research tool, not quite as robust and extensive as Westlaw or LexisNexis, but not nearly as costly. Pricing plans come in at under $100 per month. But Fastcase has upped the ante' with their free iPhone legal research app. Thats right folks, its free. Registration is necessary to use the app.
I don't see this as a replacement for Fastcase's standard pay offering, or any standard subscription based legal research tool, but for the iPhone user, this is a fantastic supplement for on the go research. Have some downtime in court and need to lookup a case? Need to browse a statute for the exact wording prior to making a motion? Fastcase allows you to do natural language searches, choose jurisdictions to limit your search, limit search by date, basic authority checking and search / browse statues.
Its a great on the go tool for quick research and rumor has it that Fastcase is working on a Blackberry version of this tool. This seems to be the first true legal research app for a mobile device, but with the growth of the mobile computing market, it surely wont be the last.
John McCarron
Some screenshots to get you acquainted...
