U. S. Law U. S. Law and Legal Researchand Legal Research

Pat CourtPat Court

Starr Foundation WorkshopStarr Foundation Workshop

October 8, 2007October 8, 2007

Excellent Overview Excellent Overview

““A Guide to the U. S. Federal Legal A Guide to the U. S. Federal Legal System: Web-based Public Accessible System: Web-based Public Accessible Sources”Sources”

By Gretchen Feltes, at NYU Law LibraryBy Gretchen Feltes, at NYU Law Library

http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/

United_States.htm United_States.htm

Three Branches of GovernmentThree Branches of Government

Legislative – Congress Legislative – Congress

Judicial – Supreme Court, Circuit Judicial – Supreme Court, Circuit Courts of Appeal, District Courts Courts of Appeal, District Courts (trials)(trials)

Executive – President, AgenciesExecutive – President, Agencies

U.S. LegislationU.S. Legislation

U.S. CodeU.S. Code is the subject compilation of all is the subject compilation of all federal laws currently in effect, arranged federal laws currently in effect, arranged by 50 titles (broad subjects)by 50 titles (broad subjects)Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1201 et seq. § 1201 et seq. (2000).(2000).

Statutes at LargeStatutes at Large is the chronological is the chronological compilation of compilation of Public LawsPublic Laws as they are as they are enactedenactedPub. L. 101-336, 104 Stat. 327 (1990).Pub. L. 101-336, 104 Stat. 327 (1990).

Official v. Unofficial CodesOfficial v. Unofficial Codes

U.S. CodeU.S. Code is the official code that is the official code that comes from the U.S. governmentcomes from the U.S. government

Most researchers actually work in the Most researchers actually work in the unofficial codes, which use the same unofficial codes, which use the same numbering and add valuable extras numbering and add valuable extras (citations to cases, journals, history, (citations to cases, journals, history, etc.):etc.): U.S. Code AnnotatedU.S. Code Annotated, from West, from West U.S. Code ServiceU.S. Code Service, from Lexis, from Lexis

Federal CourtsFederal Courts

Supreme Court – highestSupreme Court – highestOfficial Reporter: US; Unofficial: SCt, LEd Official Reporter: US; Unofficial: SCt, LEd 2d2d

Circuit Courts of Appeal – intermediateCircuit Courts of Appeal – intermediate1-11 + DC + Federal1-11 + DC + FederalFederal Reporter: F3dFederal Reporter: F3d

District Courts – trialsDistrict Courts – trialsFederal Supplement: F. Supp. 2dFederal Supplement: F. Supp. 2d

FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURTSFEDERAL CIRCUIT COURTS

Circuit Court Citation Circuit Court Citation in Federal Reporterin Federal Reporter

Jirau-Bernal v. AgraitJirau-Bernal v. Agrait, ,

37 F.3d 1 (137 F.3d 1 (1stst Cir. 1994) Cir. 1994)

Volume 37 of the Volume 37 of the Federal Reporter, third Federal Reporter, third series. Case starts on series. Case starts on page 1page 1

Decided by First Circuit Decided by First Circuit in 1994in 1994

Federal Circuits and District CourtsFederal Circuits and District Courts

Free Web Sites for U.S. CasesFree Web Sites for U.S. Cases

Legal Information Institute at Cornell Legal Information Institute at Cornell is is the world leader in providing U.S., states, foreign and the world leader in providing U.S., states, foreign and international cases, codes, regulations, and Wex legal international cases, codes, regulations, and Wex legal encyclopediaencyclopediahttp://www.law.cornell.edu/http://www.law.cornell.edu/

Justia Justia provides Internet users with free case law, codes, provides Internet users with free case law, codes, regulations, legal articles and legal blogsregulations, legal articles and legal blogshttp://http://www.justia.comwww.justia.com//

Supreme Court of the United StatesSupreme Court of the United States is the is the official web site for the US Supreme Court, but “unofficial” official web site for the US Supreme Court, but “unofficial” opinionsopinionshttp://http://www.supremecourtus.govwww.supremecourtus.gov//

Cases from 50 StatesCases from 50 States

Regional ReportersRegional Reporters

Appellate cases from all Appellate cases from all states, divided in 7 regions: states, divided in 7 regions: Atlantic, North East, North Atlantic, North East, North West, Pacific, South East, West, Pacific, South East,

South West, and SouthernSouth West, and Southern

Official ReportsOfficial Reports

Some states publish their own Some states publish their own

casescases

RegulationsRegulations

Code of Federal Regulations Code of Federal Regulations is the subject is the subject compilation of all federal regulations currently in effect, in compilation of all federal regulations currently in effect, in 50 titles (broad subjects)50 titles (broad subjects) 16 C.F.R. 16 C.F.R. § 444 (2006)§ 444 (2006)

Federal Register Federal Register is the daily announcement of is the daily announcement of proposed & final regulationsproposed & final regulations 60 Fed. Reg. 50,379 (Sept.29, 1995)60 Fed. Reg. 50,379 (Sept.29, 1995)

Regulations and AgenciesRegulations and Agencieson the Webon the Web

GPO Access GPO Access is the government’s official web site for is the government’s official web site for regulations, legislation, etc.regulations, legislation, etc.

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/http://www.gpoaccess.gov/

Federal Agencies DirectoryFederal Agencies Directory from Louisiana from Louisiana State UniversityState University

http://www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.htmlhttp://www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html

Fee Based DatabasesFee Based Databases

WestlawWestlaw

LexisLexis

PACER – PACER – PPublic ublic AAccess to ccess to CCourt ourt EElectronic lectronic RRecordsecords

WestlawWestlaw A leading legal information service, A leading legal information service,

providing laws, cases, regulations, articles, providing laws, cases, regulations, articles, news, corporate information, and morenews, corporate information, and more

Integrates information requested with Integrates information requested with related documentsrelated documents

Expensive for law firms, low rates for law Expensive for law firms, low rates for law schools, and priced by the piece for the schools, and priced by the piece for the publicpublic

http://westlaw.com http://westlaw.com

LexisLexis A leading legal information service, A leading legal information service,

providing laws, cases, regulations, articles, providing laws, cases, regulations, articles, news, corporate information, and morenews, corporate information, and more

Integrates information requested with Integrates information requested with related documentsrelated documents

Expensive for law firms, low rates for law Expensive for law firms, low rates for law schools, and priced by the piece for the schools, and priced by the piece for the publicpublic

http://lexis.comhttp://lexis.com

P A C E R P A C E R

Public Access to Court Electronic Public Access to Court Electronic RecordsRecords

Dockets, transcripts, complaints, Dockets, transcripts, complaints, motions, and more for federal courtsmotions, and more for federal courts

8 cents per page8 cents per page

http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/ http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/

U.S. Law OnlineU.S. Law Online

The web has made it possible for The web has made it possible for governments, universities, courts, governments, universities, courts, and private companies to put user-and private companies to put user-friendly law on the web, for free.friendly law on the web, for free.

The most extensive databases and The most extensive databases and most sophisticated searching are still most sophisticated searching are still from companies that charge for their from companies that charge for their services, such as Westlaw and Lexis. services, such as Westlaw and Lexis.

This presentation is available on the This presentation is available on the Starr Workshop web page at Starr Workshop web page at http://library.lawschool.cornell.edu/Whttp://library.lawschool.cornell.edu/Who ho WeAre/Partners/Starr/Presentations.cWeAre/Partners/Starr/Presentations.cfm fm