The old poll that I posted had surprising results. The poll asked this question: Would you cite the Wikipedia for a non-legal point in a legal document such as a motion submission or appellate brief?
75% stated that he or she would not, and 25% stated that he or she would. This might come as a surprise to you; there are over 100 reported cases in 2007 that cite to the Wikipedia. Food for thought.
In any event, please vote in NYCL's new poll about the Court of Appeals.
It would depend on what the nature of the material was, for me. Some Wikipedia articles are very well done, others, not so. And I am no stranger to the process, hsving contributed myself. Although I do confess that any information I do get from Wikipedia is carefully checked, and, mainly, I use it as a starting point for links that can point me to better sources.
But hey...Wikipedia is open to the entire world! What greater peer review is there?
Chuck Wolff
Trumansburg, NY
Posted by: Charles Oliver Wolff, Esq. | September 17, 2008 at 01:31 PM
I wouldn't, but mostly because citing to dictionaries or encyclopedias is crummy writing. You just know you are in for poorly reasoned argument when someone starts off, "Websters defines...."
Posted by: Bill Altreuter | September 23, 2008 at 01:29 PM