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Legal Research Guides
Updated Jan. 21, 2008.

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.

Many of these guides have been prepared in conjunction with in-class presentations. The online guides will be updated with the same frequency as the class is taught, usually annually. "Posted" indicates the original date the guide was added to the Law Library website; "updated" indicates the date of last revision.

If you are having trouble with words running off the right-hand side of the page when you print one of these research guides, try one of the following solutions:

  • Change the margins of the page. How? Click on the File menu -- click on Page Setup -- in the Margins box change the left and right margins to 0.25 inches -- click "ok" and print.
  • Print the guide in "landscape" rather than "portrait" orientation. How? Click on the File menu -- click on Page Setup -- in the Orientation Box select the "landscape" radio button -- click "ok" and print.

Keyword/Subject List of Legal Research Guides

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

A

Acronyms & Abbreviations

Acronyms & Abbreviations; U.S. Government: Commonly Used

Administrative Law Research--United States (federal)

Administrative Law Research--Washington State

Admiralty & maritime law--United States

Advanced Internet Research PowerPoint

Advanced Internet Research Featured Sites

Articles on Terrorism; Law Review

Australian Legal Research Sources

B

Beginning & End of Life Websites

Biotechnology & Law

Blogs & RSS Feeds

Blogs in Washington State; Law-Related

Bluebook 101

Books Written for Nonlawyers in the Gallagher Law Library

Bridge the Legal Research Gap, 2007

Bridge the Legal Research Gap, 2006

Bridge the Legal Research Gap, 2005

Bridge the Legal Research Gap, 2004

Bridge the Legal Research Gap, 2003

Bridge the Legal Research Gap, 2002

Bridge the Legal Research Gap, 2001

Briefs & Oral Arguments

Brown v. Board of Education Websites

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

C

call numbers / classification numbers

careers & jobs

cases & caselaw research

Chinese Legal Research at the University of Washington

Civil Procedure Research Resources

Clerkship Opportunities; Researching Judicial

Commercial Code Research; Uniform

comparative, foreign & international law

Computer-Assisted Legal Research; Introduction to

Congressional Research Service Reports

constitutions

Consumer Protection Resources

Contracts: Formbooks & Drafting Resources

copyright

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

D

Digests & Reporters

Drafting Contracts: Formbooks & Drafting Resources

E

Economic Development--Legal Problems of

employment law, see Labor & employment law

Entrepreneurial Law Clinic: Resources & Guides

environmental law

ethics

European Union Research

evidence

exams

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

F

Federal Legislative History

Federal Rules of Evidence & Comparable State Evidence Rules

Fellowship Opportunities in Law

Finding Federal Government Publications on the Internet

Finding Government Documents Today

Finding Guide for Federal Tax Materials in the Gallagher Law Library

Fitzpatrick, Joan M.

Foreign & Comparative Law Research (PPT)

Foreign Law Research

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

G

Genetics & the Law

Getting the Scoop on Jobs & Careers

Going Beyond Casebooks

government documents

Grants & Foundations

Guide to Using the Gallagher Law Library for Members of the Public

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

H

health & medicine

Human Rights Research

The Hurricane

I

IGOs, Intergovernmental Organizations

Index to UW Law School Indian Law Symposia & Conferences

Indian Law Research

Indonesia; Health & Human Rights

Information on Obtaining Copyright Permissions

Innocence Project Northwest Clinic; Legal Research Sources for the

Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)

International Cases

International Environmental Law Research

International Law of the Sea Research

International Legal Research

Internet Legal Resources

Introduction to Computer-Assisted Legal Research

Introduction to Legal Research & Government Policy Resources

IRS Regulations & Pronouncements (PPT)

Islamic Law Resources

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

J

Japanese Legal Research at the University of Washington

jobs, see Careers & jobs

Johnson, Ralph

Judgments & Liens; Jury Verdicts, Settlements,

Judicial Branch Publications

Judicial Clerkship Opportunities; Researching

Judicial Humor

Judicial Systems in Countries Around the World; Legal &

Jury Verdicts, Settlements, Judgments & Liens

Justice; Themis, Goddess of

K

Keeping Up & Staying Current; Resources for

Kids & Guns

Kids & Youth; Legal and Law-Related Websites for

Korean Legal Research at the University of Washington

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

L

labor & employment law

Law on TV, Video & Film

Law-Related Blogs in Washington State

law reviews

Law School Exams

Legal & General Writing Resources

Legal & Judicial Systems in Countries Around the World

Legal Career Tips

Legal Dictionaries

Legal Forms

Legal Research But Were Afraid to Ask; What You Always Wanted to Know about

Legal Research Sources for the Innocence Project Northwest Clinic

legislative history

Library of Congress Call Numbers

Library Survival Skills

Liens; Jury Verdicts, Settlements, Judgments &

Low-Cost Legal Research Services on the Web

Luvern Victor Rieke, 1922-2003

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

M

Maritime & Admiralty Law-- U.S.

Medical Malpractice Issues: Research Sources

Most Cited Law Books

movies & television

N

News & Information Sources; September 11 Tragedy [no longer updated]

Nominations; Supreme Court

Nonlawyers in the Gallagher Law Library; Books Written for

Nonlegal Research

Nuremberg Trials

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

O

Ocean & Coastal Law--United States (federal)

Online Citators

Online Citators (PPT)

P

Patent Law Resources

People-Finding

Pharmacy Law; Secondary Sources for

Popular Names of Constitutional Provisions

Practice Materials; Washington

Primary Law Sources on the Web

Procedure Research Resources; Civil

Public Health Law Resources

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

R

Ralph Johnson

Reporters & Digests

Research Assignments; Surviving Summer

Research Guide for U.S. Ocean & Coastal Law

Research in Copyright Law

Research in Employment Law: Resources on the Internet

Research in Foreign & Comparative Law

Research in Health Law

Research in Labor & Employment Law

Research Strategy for Comparative, Foreign &  International Law

Researching Judicial Clerkship Opportunities

Resource Guide to the Gallagher Law Library's Washington State Legal History Collections

Resources for Keeping Up & Staying Current

Rieke, Luvern Victor

RSS Feeds; Blogs &

Rules of Evidence & Comparable State Evidence Rules; Federal

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

S

Sea Research; International Law of the

Seattle Hosts the World Trade Organization

Secondary Sources

Secondary Sources for Pharmacy Law

Selected Sources for Environmental Law Research on the Internet

Selective List of Government Internet Resources

September 11 Tragedy: News and Information Sources [no longer updated]

Settlements, Judgments & Liens; Jury Verdicts

Sources of Free Legal Information on Washington State Law

Sports Law Research

State Law; Call Numbers for

Statutory Research Checklist

Supreme Court Nominations

Surviving Summer Research Assignments

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

T

Taiwan Legal Research at the University of Washington

taxation

terrorism Themis, Goddess of Justice

Trademark Law Resources

Treaties & Other International Agreements

Trial Ad Notes

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

U

Uniform Commercial Code Research

United Nations Research

U.S. (federal) legal research guides

U.S. Government: Commonly Used Acronyms & Abbreviations

Useful Websites for Documents Librarians

Using the Labor Relations Reporter

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

V

Verdicts, Settlements, Judgments & Liens; Jury

W

Washington State legal research guides

What Else Can I Do for a Patron with a Legal Question?

What You Always Wanted to Know about Legal Research But Were Afraid to Ask

Word Tips to Make Your Life Easier

Where Are They Now? A Quick Guide to New Library Locations in Gates Hall

World Trade Organization; Seattle Hosts the

writing

-- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --

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Guides Prepared for UW Classes Outside of the Law School

Communications

English

Health Services

Information School

Law, Societies & Justice / Political Science

Marine Affairs

Pharmacy

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Other Washington State Legal Research Guides

The Washington State Law Library provides a series of informational brochures on legal research topics, including constitutional law, statutory law, administrative law, legislative history, court reports, legal citations, citators, and digests.

The Seattle University Law Library offers a series of Subject Guides to Legal Research on numerous topics.

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Portals to Other Legal Research Guides

Many other law libraries post legal research guides on their websites. Among the sites that attempt to provide access to a number of these subject and jurisdiction guides are:

The Cornell University Law Library provides a searchable Legal Research Engine that links to a variety of legal research guides available from approximately 20 law school libraries (including the Gallagher Law Library).

University of Akron, Law Scout  links to legal research guides posted by U.S. law school libraries. The site is migrating from an older list arranged by law school. When completed the guides will be searchable by keyword and subject.

Law Librarians' Resource Xchange (LLRX) contains a particularly strong collection of legal research guide for various foreign countries.

Pathfinders

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©2007, M.G. Gallagher Law Library, University of Washington