Finding the Law: Cases, Statutes, Regulations and Secondary Sources Ann Hemmens University of Washington Gallagher Law Library September 11,

Goals Basic introduction to U.S. legal research and U.S. legal citation format Tour of Gallagher Law Library

Primary & Secondary Authority Primary Authority Statement of "the law" from bodies with law- making authority Secondary Authority Explain, interpret, and help you locate the primary law Includes: Treatises, Hornbooks, law review articles, legal encyclopedias, Restatements, Nutshells etc.

Organization of Federal & State Governments Constitution Legislative Statutes Stat., USC RCW Judicial Cases US, Fed 3d P3d, Wash. Executive Regulations Administrative Decisions FR, CFR WAC

How do Sources of Law Interact? Court interprets a statute An earlier court decision is overruled by same court Statute held unconstitutional by a court Legislature writes statute in response to a case Agency proposed rules in response to statute.

Issues in Legal Research What type of law might govern your question? statutes? regulations? cases? Which jurisdiction? federal or state or both? Did you update your research?

Court Structure – Federal & State FederalState Court of Last Resort U.S. Supreme Court WA Supreme Court Intermediate Appellate Court ↑ Ninth Circuit* Ninth Circuit* Court of Appeals * = Circuit map WA Court of Appeals Trial Court ↑ U.S. District Court for Western District of WA King County Superior Court

U.S. Legal Citation Format The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (KF245.U th ed. in Reference Area) Bluebook 101, (short presentations with examples of how to cite legal documents)

Legal Citation format for CASES Pate v. ThrelkelPate v. Threlkel, 661 So.2d 278 (Fla. 1995) Party 1 v. Party 2, [volume number] [reporter name] [page number] ([jurisdiction sometimes] [year]).

Tools for finding cases on particular subjects 1. Digests a. Index to National Reporter System. Find federal and state cases by legal issue or subject. Topic and Key Numbers. Examples: Federal Practice Digest, Pacific Digest. 2. American Law Reports (ALR) and law review articles (secondary sources) a. Provide in-depth analysis of legal topic or case. b. Examples: a. Marjorie A. Shields, Annotation, Liability for Conversion and Misappropriation of Genetic Material, 121 A.L.R.5th 315 (2004). b. Edward J. Janger, 3 Genetic Information, Privacy and Insolvency, 3 J.L. Med. & Ethics 79 (2005). 3. LexisNexis Academic (

Lexis Nexis Academic Available from Law Library “Find Legal Databases” list, INCLUDES: Cases, statutes, regulations and law review articles

Statutes Organized chronologically Organized chronologically Session laws Session laws U.S. Statutes at Large (Stat.) U.S. Statutes at Large (Stat.) Laws of Washington Laws of Washington Organized by subject (the current laws in force) Organized by subject (the current laws in force) Code Code U.S. Code U.S. Code Revised Code of Washington Revised Code of Washington

Legal Citation Format – U.S. laws Public Law Pub.L. No Statutes at Large 115 Stat. 276 Codes 42 U.S.C. § § (2004) Title – United States Code – Sections – (year)

Image of U.S. Public Law Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. No List of the 50 titles in U.S. Code, U.S.C. § Unauthorized fixation and trafficking in sound recordings and music videos

Annotated Codes Commercially published Includes the text of law & history Provides citations to cases, regulations, law review articles, encyclopedias, forms which have applied that law. Updated promptly United States Code Annotated (USCA) United States Code Service (USCS)* *on LexisNexis Academic

How to Find Statutes ? Popular Names Table USA Patriot Act (Pub. L , 115 Stat. 276)(Oct. 26, 2001) Patent Law Amendments Act of 1984 (Pub. L , Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3383,Short title, see 35 U.S.C. 1 note) Look up subject in Index volume of USCS or USCA Statute cited in a case Secondary sources (law review articles about that statute or topic)

Finding Statutes - online LexisNexis Academic ( Thomas ( Washington State Laws = Revised Code of Washington (

Constitutions The fundamental law of a nation or state, establishing the organization of government and prescribing the extent of its’ sovereign power. CITATION U.S. CONST. art. I, § 9. W.A. CONST. art. IV, § 4.

Finding Constitutions ? Federal Constitution United States Code Annotated (USCA) United States Code Service (USCS) [on LexisNexis Academic] GPO Access, Popular Names of Constitutional Provisions, State Constitutions Revised Code of Washington (RCW) All 50 state statutes on LexisNexis Academic Cornell’s Legal Information Institute,

Administrative Law Rules, regulations, and decisions created by administrative agencies (federal and state). Authorized by Statute Power to issue regulations & adjudicate disputes delegated to executive agencies by Congress via an enabling statute. Procedural Standards? YES = Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 USC §551 et seq.). Notice of proposed rule Comment period Final rule & response to comments

U.S. Regulations Federal Register Published daily Includes: proposed regulations & new regulations Presidential documents: Executive Orders & Proclamations Code of Federal Regulations Published annually Includes: all current rules & regulations in force Index & finding tables

Citation Format: Regulations 65 Fed. Reg (Jan. 21, 2000) Volume – Federal Register – Page (date) 7 CFR § (2003) Title–Code of Federal Regulations–Section (year)

Sample Regulation Title 37 of the CFR: Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights x_08/37cfrv1_08.html#201 x_08/37cfrv1_08.html# CFR § Material not subject to copyright (2008)

Finding Regulations ? Index to the Code of Federal Regulations CFR Index volume (KF70 at Ref Area) USCS Index to the CFR (KF 62 at Ref Area) West’s CFR Index (KF70.A34 at Ref Area) Federal Register Index “Unified Agenda” (published in April & October) Annotated Codes United States Code Annotated (USCA) United States Code Service (USCS) Secondary Sources (treatises, law review articles)

Regulations Online LexisNexis Academic GPO Access,

Secondary Sources Law Reviews ( Full-Text on LexisNexis Academic Use an index to find articles, LegalTrac Treatises and Books Law Library Catalog Browser’s Guide to Reference Area (by subject) UW Libraries Catalog

Update Your Research Cases – use online citator (Shepard’s or Keycite) Statutes – check pocket parts & supplements (print) Regulations – use List of Sections Affected (LSA) & Federal Register (print)

Free Websites with U.S. Legal Information Internet Legal Research Cornell’s Legal Information Institute GPO Access Thomas U.S. Supreme Court

Conclusion Questions? Ask a Librarian