This is also an example of the dangers of the
"formatted searches, user friendly searches, search in a box, fill in
the blanks and we'll do the rest, it's easy you don't need to ask a
librarian cause we created a search program which will do the search
for you even if you don't know what you are doing"
mentality of the "enhancements" designed to make end users think its
easy to search we've been seeing in our online resources. The search
in the Texas SoS database on the InfoAmerica gateway on Westlaw is
done through a template which searches letters left to right on the
company name, only in the field that you designate. Lexis allows you
to do a full text search throughout all fields. It's the search
template that is rancid, not necessarily the database.
Don't construe this to mean that Charles doesn't know how to do a
search, HE DOES!, but not only can't you trust the database but you
also can't trust the way they are making you do the search.
Richard Pravata
Reference Librarian
Baker & Botts
These opinions are mine
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: big heads up when doing texas dba searches on westlaw
Author: <tyburski@virtualchase.com > at internet
Date: 11/12/98 1:58 PM
I think the lesson illustrated below speaks to the importance of
verification. Sometimes we overlook verifying information when we're
pressed for time, or when money is tight. As good as Westlaw is,
neither it nor any resource is perfect.
Genie
--
Genie Tyburski PH: 215-864-8151
Research Librarian FX: 215-864-8999
Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP tyburski@virtualchase.com
1735 Market St. Philadelphia, PA 19103
Web Manager: The Virtual Chase at http://www.virtualchase.com/
SLA, Legal Division at http://www.slalegal.org/
gibsonc@liddellsapp.com wrote:
>
> The following is msg I sent to the Houston area law lib list on 10/8/98.
> I wanted to get further clarification from Westlaw before submitting it
> nationally and to date have heard nothing from them in the way of an
> explanation. I know that the complaint has been heard because I
> mentioned to more than one Westlaw person in Minneapolis during the
> advisory board meeting in oct.
>
> I wanted to pass this warning along to the rest of you. I do not want
> anyone to get burned if your state records on Westlaw are as
> incomplete and inaccurate as Texas's appear to be.
>
> Msg was:
>
> Last week did 2 dba's on Westlaw. One on company and one on owner.
> Found nothing, zippo, none. Reported same to requestor. He was
> perplexed and asked me to double check.
>
> I did using Lexis. to my great horror and surprise I found 19 records
> under owner, 18 of them were my guy. Found 31 similar names of
> which 5 were exact and 24 had first 2 words. So now I had even more
> than bargained for.
>
> Atty was delighted. I was upset. It was big deal because it could have
> gotten me, the atty and possibly the firm in a mess.
>
> I double checked on Westlaw and found nothing. Double checked on
> Info Am and found nothing. Called Westlaw ref atty and he found
> nothing. He tried couple of other databases like TX-corp and business
> finder etc and still did not find any.
>
> I turned this over to my excellent Westlaw rep who forwarded stuff to
> HQ and have been told it has rapidly moved up the ladder.
>
> I wanted to warn you guys about this, but was too mad to do so last
> week. I do not plan to use Westlaw as my database of first choice again
> when doing ANY public records searches. I may even have to forgive
> CDB and resubscribe. I cannot believe that I was paying over $6 a
> minute for an obviously corrupted and incomplete database and worse
> trusted its negative results and believed they were accurate. It was a
> big enough deal to my atty for him to question me and ask me if there
> was anything else I could check. was lucky this time because I did
> double check.
>
> Unfortunately, I did not have any other examples to check and see if this
> was just a fluke. If anyone else does would be interested in hearing
> about it.
>
> Charles Gibson
> Liddell Sapp
> 600 Travis, Ste 2500
> Houston, TX 77002
> 713-226-1442, fax = 713-223-3717
>
>
>
>
> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail transmission (and/or the
> attachments accompanying it) may contain confidential information
> belonging to the sender which is protected by the attorney-client
> privilege. The information is intended only for the use of the intended
> recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified
> that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in
> reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. Any
> unauthorized interception of this transmission is illegal under the law.
> If you have received this transmission in error, please promptly notify
> the sender by reply e-mail, and then destroy all copies of the
> transmission.
>
>
>
>
> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail transmission (and/or the
> attachments accompanying it) may contain confidential information
> belonging to the sender which is protected by the attorney-client
> privilege. The information is intended only for the use of the intended
> recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified
> that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in
> reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. Any
> unauthorized interception of this transmission is illegal under the law. If
> you have received this transmission in error, please promptly notify the
> sender by reply e-mail, and then destroy all copies of the transmission.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Nov 14 2007 - 20:49:59 PST