Methodology
Methodology
This document sets out how research is actually conducted at First Precedent — the sources consulted, the order in which they are consulted, and the way conflicting material is handled. It is intended to be useful to clients evaluating the work product, and to practitioners thinking about their own research practice.
I. Primary Source Hierarchy
Research begins with the controlling primary source for the question. For a constitutional question, that is the Constitution of India and the controlling judgments interpreting it. For a statutory question, that is the relevant Act, its rules and regulations, and the leading judgments interpreting the operative provisions. For a regulatory question, that includes the parent statute, the subordinate legislation, the official notifications and circulars, and the controlling judicial pronouncements.
II. Treatment of Secondary Sources
Secondary sources — commentaries, treatises, journal articles, news reporting — are referenced only where they illuminate the primary material, and are always identified as secondary. They are never cited as authority in their own right, and they do not displace primary sources where primary sources are available.
III. Handling of Conflicting Authority
Where the line of authority on a question is split — by jurisdiction, by bench composition, or over time — every relevant strand is presented, with analysis of the strength and reach of each. The strongest position is identified; the weaker position is not omitted. The client is entitled to know the full doctrinal landscape, not a curated subset of it.
IV. Currency Verification
Every cited judgment is verified for current treatment at the point of delivery, against SCC Online and Manupatra. Subsequent reversals, distinctions, and limitations are noted explicitly. Where a legislative amendment has affected the standing of an authority, that is noted. Where an authority has been doubted but not overruled, that is also noted, with the relevant subsequent observations.
V. Delivery Standards
Every research deliverable is structured for the use to which it will be put. A memorandum addresses a question and gives an answer; a brief identifies authorities and arranges them for advocacy; a literature review surveys a field. The structure follows the use; the citation standards do not vary.
How to cite this statement
First Precedent, 'Methodology Statement', First Precedent (2025), available at https://fp.iura.in/methodology