Bryn Mawr College Library : Legal Research and Writing



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	Social Work 409: Legal Research and Writing The following databases and internet sites can help you conduct basic legal research. These are only a selection of what is available. Please ask at the Reference Desk in Canaday for further suggestions. Legislative Branch \| Executive Branch \| Judicial Branch Associations, Advocacy Groups, and Policy Research Organizations Tripod: the Tri-College Online Catalog Tripod Provides information on books held in the Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore Libraries and on government publications such as Congressional hearings and reports, U.S. statutes, and government agency reports published since 1976 and held by the Tri-College Libraries. Also includes links to online sources. Legislative Branch Information Sources U.S. GOVERNMENT The legislative branch of the government makes the law. A full explanation of the federal legislative process can be found on LexisNexis Congressional (click on Help, then The Legislative Process) and on THOMAS. In general, the federal legislative process produces far more documentation than the state. These databases can help you track legislation and also provide the full text or citations to the associated documents. LexisNexis Congressional Provides indexing and some full text of Congressional publications from the 18th century to the present. Includes information on congressional reports, hearings, committee prints, bills, public laws, the Congressional Record, the United States Code Service, the Federal Register, and the Code of Federal Regulations. Updated daily or as available; date coverage varies. THOMAS Legislative branch information from the Library of Congress, including information about Congressional bills and amendments, bill summary and status reports for each bill that became public law (1973-date), the full text of the Congressional Record (1989-date), the full text of House and Senate Committe reports (1995-date), and more. PA GOVERNMENT A similar summary for the state process is available from LexisNexis State Capital (click on Help, then Step-by-step Review). LexisNexis State Capital Provides the full text of bills, bill tracking reports, proposed regulations, code of laws and regulations currently in force, legislative directories, and selected state newspapers. Links to Web sites such as that of the Council of State Governments. Updated daily. Pennsylvania General Assembly Session Information Provides the text of bills from the 1969 Pennsylvania regular legislative session through the present. Executive Branch Information Sources U.S. GOVERNMENT Once a bill is signed into law, it must often be implemented by an agency of the Executive branch. An agency may issue administrative regulations explaining how it intends to put the law into effect and/or what a citizen must do to comply with the law. For information on executive branch agencies consult government organization manuals. United States Government Manual Online Online versions of the United States Government Manual from 1995-date are available via GPO Access. The Manual provides comprehensive information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. It also includes information on quasi-official agencies; international organizations in which the United States participates; and boards, commissions, and committees. To find executive branch agency websites: FirstGov.gov "The official U.S. gateway to all government information." Click A-Z Agency Index or Federal Government in the upper left-hand section to get links to executive agencies. Agencies issue proposed, interim, and final rules in the "newspapers" of the executive and administrative branches. See the Federal Register for United States rules and regulations. About the Federal Register A guide to the Federal Register , the "legal newspaper" published every business day by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Federal Register An online version of the Federal Register from 1994-date is available via GPO Access. The Register is also available online 1980-date via LexisNexis Academic and LexisNexis Congressional. Academic lets you search the Register by keyword. Congressional lets you search the Register by keyword, Federal Register citation or Code of Federal Regulations citation. After publication in the Federal Register, rules are gathered in official Codes. These Codes can be updated by notices appearing in the Register or Bulletin. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Online versions of the CFR from 1996-date are available via GPO Access. The current CFR is available online via LexisNexis Academic and LexisNexis Congressional. (Be sure to change the "Source" to CFR.) Academic lets you search the Code by keyword. Congressional lets you search the Code by keyword or USC citation. Regulations.gov Provides public access to the regulatory process. Search for proposed regulations, and learn how to submit comments to the government. The President can issue proclamations and executive orders that have regulatory impact. These may be republished in the Federal Register. This material is also available in separate publications. Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Available via ProQuest Research Library (1992-date). To find specific documents, click the "Search Within Publication" tab. Agency activity also includes administrative decision-making. Some information on adminstrative decisions is available on agency websites. Administrative Decisions and other Actions: By Agency This site, created by the U of Virginia Library, provides links to relevant materials from federal executive agencies. Federal Administrative Decisions and Opinions From the Pace Law School Library, this well-organized site provides links to decisions and opinions from major federal cabinet departments and agencies. PA GOVERNMENT Once a bill is signed into law, it must often be implemented by an agency of the Executive branch. An agency may issue administrative regulations explaining how it intends to put the law into effect and/or what a citizen must do to comply with the law. For information on executive branch agencies consult government organization manuals. Pennsylvania Manual Online The latest editions of the Pennsylvania Manual are available via Pennsylvania Department of General Services. The Manual provides comprehensive information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. It also includes information on local government and elections. To find executive branch agency websites: PA PowerPort The PA State website includes links to all state agencies. Click Government in PA in the left-hand menu, and then "Agencies, Authorities, Boards, Commissions, Councils, Departments, and Offices." Agencies issue proposed, interim, and final rules in the "newspapers" of the executive and administrative branches. See the Pennsylvania Bulletin for Commonwealth rules and regulations. Pennsylvania Bulletin The Pennsylvania Bulletin is the Commonwealth's official gazette for information and rulemaking. The Bulletin is also available online 1994-date via LexisNexis State Capital and is searchable via keyword and Code citation; click Regulations, then State Registers by Keyword or State Registers by Citation . After publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin rules are gathered in official Codes. These Codes can be updated by notices appearing in the Bulletin. Pennsylvania Code An online version of the current Pennsylvania Code. The Code is the Commonwealth's official publication of rules and regulations. Also available via LexisNexis State Capital, searchable via keyword and Code citation. The governor can issue proclamations and executive orders that have regulatory impact. These may be republished in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. This material is also available in separate publications. PA Office of Administration Official website of the state government. Click Policies and Procedures in the left-hand column, then Executive Orders. Judicial Branch Information Sources The Judicial branch applies the laws enacted by the Legislative branch and the regulations issued by the Executive branch. At Bryn Mawr, Federal Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and District Court decisions are available online via LexisNexis Academic. Click on Legal Research, Federal Case Law, and the name of the Court. U.S. Supreme Court websites: The Oyez Project - audio files for oral arguments (1995 - present) and written files Supreme Court website - written transcripts of oral arguments (2000 - present), much more. FindLaw - full text opinions since 1893 Federal Appeals Courts resources: U.S. Courts - map and links to all circuit courts Third Judicial Circuit - Court of Appeals website Federal Trial Courts : Pennsylvania Eastern District Court website Pennsylvania State Supreme Court, Superior Court, Commonwealth Court, and Common Pleas Court decisions are also available online via LexisNexis Academic. Click on Legal Research, State Case Law, and the name of the Court. The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System website also offers full text of more recent opinions from courts on several levels. Associations, Advocacy Groups, and Policy Research Organizations Moving Ideas Network This consortium of "public policy organizations and advocacy groups" seeks to "provide trenchant policy analysis to the general public, so that students, legislators, advocacy groups, educators, and citizens can easily keep pace with the latest research and goings-on in Washington and beyond." HandsNet HandsNet, a network of the national human services community, is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Cupertino, California. PolicyFile Provides abstracts and links to full-text research reports and studies from think tanks, university research programs, research organizations and policy publishers. 1990 to the present. Updated weekly. Getting human help If you need help: ASK A LIBRARIAN!!! Please come see us and we will walk you through your search. Canaday Library Reference Desk Hours Monday - Wednesday, 10 - 12n, 1 - 5pm, 7 - 10pm Thursday - Friday, 10 - 12n, 1 - 5pm Saturday - Sunday, 1 - 5pm Reference Desk phone: (610) 526-5279 Ask a Librarian - Fill in the form, give us your email address, and we'll write back within 24 hours!
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