Government Information
Publications by Subject - Law

Basics of Legal Research on the Web:

• Finding What You're Looking For Online: A Primer Geared Toward Legal Research by Stacy Stern, Esq.
• Legal Research on the Web
• A Guide to the U.S. Federal Legal System:  Web-Based Publicly Accessible Sources by Gretchen Feltes
   

Citation:

• Introduction to Basic Legal Citation

Law:

Federal Law:

California Law:

Proposed U.S. Legislation
How Our Laws Are Made
Legislative Process Flowchart   (plain text version)

• Bills (available via Thomas, from 1989-current)

Other information on proposed U.S. legislation is in may places on the web, here is a table of selected links:

How to Comment on Proposed U.S. Legislation:
Write or call your Representative and express your views.  Communicate clearly and effectively by stating exactly what you would like your Representative to do (i.e. "vote yes on Bill #___") and give your reasoning; include specific examples of the consequences of this vote to your Representative's constituents.

• To find your Representatives use Project Vote Smart, information on elected officials includes email, phone, and snail-mail addresses.  (Different types of communications are given different weights by officials and by staff.  Letters [snail-mail] are often treated as the most serious type of communication, followed by phone calls, then by emails.)

Current U.S. Law: U.S. Code:

• U.S. Code

  Judicial Review - U.S. Law

• Findlaw's Cases and Codes includes U.S. Supreme Court opinions from 1893-current as well as recent decisions from other Federal Courts.

Proposed Federal Regulations:

• Federal Register (1994-current) (Includes proposed as well as final rules.)

How to Comment on Proposed Federal Regulations:
The proposed rules sections within the Federal Register include advanced notices of proposed rulemaking.  These notices include a description of the problem, the proposed regulatory solution, and a request for public comment concerning the necessity for regulation and the adequacy of the agency's proposed regulation (this includes where to send the comments and who to contact for further information).

Current Federal Regulation: CFR:Code of Federal Regulations

• CFR: Code of Federal Regulations

Judicial Review - Federal Regulation

• Administrative Law Decisions (via GPO Access)

Proposed California Legislation:
How a Bill Becomes a Law - California

• California Bills (file can search bills from 1993-current, only bills from the current session will be voted on in the current session.)  File includes Bill text, legislative analysis of the impact of proposed bills, votes (both committee and floor), current Bill status, and Bill history.
• California Ballot Propositions Database (Hastings College of Law)

How to Comment on Proposed California Legislation
Write or call your legislator and express your views.  Remember to make absolutely clear which bill you are talking about (have a bill# if possible) and how you would like your legislator to vote ("aye" or "nay") and two or three compelling reasons (specifics on how the proposed legislation would affect your community are effective) that your legislator should vote as you request.

• How to find your legislator (Page includes a directory, providing contact information for members of the California Legislature.)

Current California Law

• California Code
• American Law Sources OnLine - California (Made available through LawSource, Inc.)

Judicial Review - California Law

• California Supreme Court (includes opinions published in the last 60 days)
• California Case Law  (1934-current, from FindLaw, includes California Supreme Court as well as other California Appellate Court Opinions)

Proposed California Regulations:

• California Regulatory Notice Register

How to Comment on Proposed California Regulations
The California Regulatory Notice Register published proposed rules.  This includes information on how members of the public can comment on the proposed regulations, as well as information on the time and location of any scheduled hearings.  Further, the California Code of Regulations includes an agency list and provides the means to search it by CCR Title.  Once you know the agency responsible for the regulation in any area, you may write to ask that agency to repeal or amend regulations [see California Government Code sections 11340.6 and 11340.7].
 

Current Federal Regulation: California Code of Regulations

• California Code of Regulations

Judicial Review - California Regulation
State agencies conduct quasi-judicial hearings.  Some agencies publish their decisions on the internet.
The California State Assembly Republican Caucus provides a list of Informational Links which includes
links to California Agencies, Departments, Divisions, Boards, Commissions, and other state entities.

Legal Information for other States

• Other State's Laws
• Other State's Administrative Codes
• State Administrative Law on the Web Compiled by Cheryl Rae Nyberg

 
Help: For help finding government information, or if you would like to recommend a resource
contact  Jill Vassilakos-Long
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