Leaders for the Global Common Good
We offer two ways of searching our catalog: a law library only catalog and OCLC WorldCat. Other catalogs are also available. More
Expand your legal research options with online sources provided by the Gallagher Law Library. More
How do I search for laws on a particular subject? How can I compile a legislative history for a Washington (or federal) law? How can I locate court opinions about a topic? To answer these and other frequently asked questions, the reference librarians have prepared a series of legal research guides. Use these guides to get started on your research project when a reference librarian is not available to assist you or as a reminder as you conduct your research. More
Here, you will find a list of websites that provide legal information and materials (including laws, bills, court opinions, and related documents) and/or links to legal material. Most of these sites are freely available to all users with Internet access. Some sites are UW Restricted, that is, available to University of Washington faculty, students, and staff and visitors to UW Libraries.More
Posted Oct. 8, 2008.
Prepared by Cheryl Nyberg for Prof. Beth Bryant's Intro to Environmental
Law and Process, SMA
476.
Now that you have been introduced to legal research in print sources, this guide provides links to free and commercial online sources for the same legal content. It follows the arrangement of the print sources handout and PowerPoint slideshow. Also included are sources you will find useful in completing your research exercise on Finding the Law Online.
Note: This list is not comprehensive; other free and commercial sites may also contain these sources. Visit the Law Library's Internet Legal Resources page for additional sources.
Commercial databases are UW Restricted. Click on the Off-Campus Access link and sign in with your UW NetID when computing from home.
| Legal Authority | Free Websites | Commercial Databases |
| Bills Proposed laws being considered by the U.S. Congress |
Thomas, 101st Congress, 1989-date GPO Access, 103d Congress, 1993-date |
LexisNexis Congressional, 101st Congress, 1989-date CQ, 1995-date |
| Public laws Bills that have been approved by the U.S. House and Senate and signed into law by the President |
Thomas, 101st Congress, 1989-date GPO Access, 104th Congress, 1995-date |
HeinOnline, U.S. Statutes at Large, 1789-2006+ LexisNexis Congressional, 100th Congress, 1988-date |
| Laws/statutes In-force laws of a general and permanent nature arranged by subject and published in the U.S. Code |
Cornell's Legal
Information Institute, U.S. Code, current ed. GPO Access, U.S. Code, current and 1994 eds. |
LexisNexis Academic, U.S. Code Service, current ed. (includes
references to court opinions and law review articles) LexisNexis Congressional, U.S. Code Service, current ed. |
| Proposed regulations Regulations proposed by government agencies under authority delegated to them by law and published in the Federal Register |
GPO
Access, Federal Register, vol. 59, 1994-date Regulations.gov, Proposed and final regulations, agency guidance, and public comments, 1997-date |
HeinOnline, Federal Register, vol. 1, 1936-date LexisNexis Congressional, Federal Register, 1981-date |
| Regulations Final regulation published in the Code of Federal Regulations |
Cornell's
Legal Information Institute, current ed. GPO Access, Electronic CFR, curent |
HeinOnline,
1938-date LexisNexis Congressional, 1981-date |
Government agency websites provide a wealth of information. Agencies are given specific responsibility for enforcing certain laws and their websites often contain or link to relevant laws and regulations.
The main portal for federal government information.
Browse the
A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies or use the
search feature to locate pages dealing with a particular law or subject.
Other sites that provide information about and links to federal agency
websites include:
Washington and all other state governments produce legal authorities. Visit the Law Library's Internet Legal Resources page for links to online sources for bills, laws, and regulations.
The main portal for Washington State government information.
Browse the State
Websites list or use the search feature to locate pages dealing with
a particular law or subject.
Secondary sources describe, discuss, analyze, and/or criticize the law. Law review articles are one type of secondary source that can be helpful in understanding how the law has been applied and interpreted.
Contains law review articles from the mid-1980s to date.
Search by the popular name of a law or by subject.
Specify date (Previous 5 years) to get most recent articles.
Sort results by relevance so that articles that use your search terms the
most often appear at the top.
You can also find articles that focus on particular sections of a law. Find the law in the U.S. Code Service on LexisNexis Academic and then scroll down to the Law Review Articles heading. Click on the links provided to get the articles.
Remember to browse the footnotes for leads to other great secondary sources, such as books, government reports, newspaper and magazine stories, studies, and other articles.
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