most updated source for USA federal law and state law
What's the most updated source for USA federal law and state law?
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Answer: A good library
Laws change near daily, can't beat the good filing system of uneditable hard-copy, and associated commentaries on meanings and applications
In addition to federal and state you should include cites, which may heave their own or even be perimitted home rule
Laws change near daily, can't beat the good filing system of uneditable hard-copy, and associated commentaries on meanings and applications
In addition to federal and state you should include cites, which may heave their own or even be perimitted home rule
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benhanson: very good link!
SunBow: I'm in Italy. Here libraries have italian laws, and not more updated that the most updated online source...
SunBow: I'm in Italy. Here libraries have italian laws, and not more updated that the most updated online source...
Go to your local county courthouse library and look for the United States Code (U.S.C.) books for federal law. The county courthouse is also the place to look for your particular state's laws, there will probably be several types of books, ranging from the general precedent-type citations (ex.: Missouri v. Jenkins, Brown v. Board of Education, these are U.S.Sup.Ct. but you get the idea) to the codified laws for things such as traffic laws, etc.
As to the updates, the courthouse library is going to have the latest updates because publishers like WestLaw release monthly update circulars to be placed inside the law books as appropriate. Just be sure to check the inserted updates in the backs of the books for your case of interest. Sometimes your local university will have a law library section as well. The online sources get their updates from the publishers but the industry-endorsed services like WestLaw and Lexis/Nexis generally charge by subscription for access.
How do I know all this? I am a former litigation paralegal (member, State Bar of Texas, Paralegal Division) who got tired of the legal field and became a programmer :)
Good Luck!
As to the updates, the courthouse library is going to have the latest updates because publishers like WestLaw release monthly update circulars to be placed inside the law books as appropriate. Just be sure to check the inserted updates in the backs of the books for your case of interest. Sometimes your local university will have a law library section as well. The online sources get their updates from the publishers but the industry-endorsed services like WestLaw and Lexis/Nexis generally charge by subscription for access.
How do I know all this? I am a former litigation paralegal (member, State Bar of Texas, Paralegal Division) who got tired of the legal field and became a programmer :)
Good Luck!
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robyncoffey: very interesting message! thanks! but there's a problem: unfortunately I live in Italy and I'm not sure that here local courthouse have United State Codes :)
Since you seem so informed and I like the law I would like to ask you some things:
- "precedent-type citations" are the "case law"?
Here in Italy we have databases of "massime di giurisprudenza" (literally "maxim of jurisprudence") that are pieces of judgements, usually of the Supreme Court and about 10 lines long, that de facto clarify the interpretation of a section of a law. Here they are not legally binding but they are de facto diffusely respected in posterior judgements of the same specie so they are very useful for legal researchers.
Instead of by name (e.g "Missouri v. Jenkins") they are usually catalogued by section-law. Good juridical DVDs can contain lots of "massime di giurisprudenza" for each section of the main laws, for a total of several hundreds of thousands of "massime di giurisprudenza" on the DVD.
Is there such a thing (case law catalogued by section...) there in USA?
- you mention that WestLaw and Lexis/Nexis charge for access to their database: approx how much do they charge for access to only the updated main laws (constitution, statutes...)?
- what's the relationship between the U.S. code and the state code like 29 codes of California?
and what if the U.S. code rules differently from the Constitution of a state? what of the two wins in that state?
Since you seem so informed and I like the law I would like to ask you some things:
- "precedent-type citations" are the "case law"?
Here in Italy we have databases of "massime di giurisprudenza" (literally "maxim of jurisprudence") that are pieces of judgements, usually of the Supreme Court and about 10 lines long, that de facto clarify the interpretation of a section of a law. Here they are not legally binding but they are de facto diffusely respected in posterior judgements of the same specie so they are very useful for legal researchers.
Instead of by name (e.g "Missouri v. Jenkins") they are usually catalogued by section-law. Good juridical DVDs can contain lots of "massime di giurisprudenza" for each section of the main laws, for a total of several hundreds of thousands of "massime di giurisprudenza" on the DVD.
Is there such a thing (case law catalogued by section...) there in USA?
- you mention that WestLaw and Lexis/Nexis charge for access to their database: approx how much do they charge for access to only the updated main laws (constitution, statutes...)?
- what's the relationship between the U.S. code and the state code like 29 codes of California?
and what if the U.S. code rules differently from the Constitution of a state? what of the two wins in that state?
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Interesting lecture. Thanks.
Suppose I pay $100 for accessing the full-text laws at WestLaw or Lexis/Nexis, would I be allowed to resell them to recover the money? :) or there the copyright is allowed even on text of laws? (!)
Suppose I pay $100 for accessing the full-text laws at WestLaw or Lexis/Nexis, would I be allowed to resell them to recover the money? :) or there the copyright is allowed even on text of laws? (!)
You can quote the citations and excerpts of the citations, e.g., "case law is clear regarding ... blah blah blah", Jones v. Smith, 432 S.W.2d 123 (That is Southwestern Reporter, particular to a region in the U.S. which includes Texas, my home state), but I don't think you are allowed to actually sell the text in its entirety, I believe that's copyrighted.
See, Legal Disputes section:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westlaw
See, Legal Disputes section:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westlaw
I would be willing to check specific cases or photocopy/scan them for you if you have something particular in mind. I have access to the University of Texas at Arlington law library on the weekends and they have U.S.C. books.
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What's your opinion about the quality of these online sources for your state? are they updated?
Texas Constitution http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/txconst/toc.html
Texas Statutes http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/statutes.html
Can they be considered the main laws of your state?
Texas Constitution http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/txconst/toc.html
Texas Statutes http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/statutes.html
Can they be considered the main laws of your state?
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