Legal Research on the Web
To find our web research links, choose from the list below:
Federal Law
| Legislative Websites |
| Congress Pictorial Directory Directory of Senators and Representatives, with pictures |
| Congressional Record The official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress |
| United States Code (USC) The official statutes of the United States |
| U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights Declaration of Independence Historical U.S. documents |
| Thomas Federal legislative information, from the Library of Congress. Provides access to congressional bills, committee reports, treaties, and congressional record |
| House of Representatives The official site of the U.S. House of Representatives, including voting records and committee memberships |
| Senate The official site of the U.S. Senate, including the Senate’s activities for the day and “Roll Call Vote” results |
| Judicial Websites |
| Federal Courts Homepage Links to federal courts and information about the courts |
| Map of the Federal Courts A map of the federal circuit courts, with links to the courts’ web sites |
| Federal Judicial Center The web site of the education and research agency for the federal courts, including publications and educational materials |
| Federal Judicial Center Judges’ Biographies The service record and biographical information for all judges who have served on the U.S. District Courts, U.S. Circuit Courts, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court since 1789 |
| Justia’s Supreme Court Opinions The full text of all Supreme Court opinions from 1 U.S. 1 (1700s) to the present |
| U.S. Supreme Court Information about the U.S. Supreme Court. Official page, info, docket, slip opinions, and term opinions from 2005 on |
| U.S. Supreme Court Docket Information Information regarding the status of cases for the current Term and the prior Term |
| U.S. Supreme Court Oral Argument Oyez Link Information on cases and justices, and a virtual tour, from Northwestern University. Audio of Supreme Court oral arguments from 1955, summaries of opinions from 1792 (with links to full text of opinions at “Justia” ) |
| Justia’s Appellate Court Opinions The full text of all Federal Appellate Circuit Court opinions from the 1950s to the present |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (MA, NH, RI, ME, PR) Includes opinions, local rules and forms |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (NY, VT, CT) Includes opinions and court rules |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (DE, PA, NJ, USVI) Includes opinions, rules and procedures and forms |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (VA, MD, WV, NC, SC) Includes opinions, rules and procedures and forms |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (TX, LA, MS) Includes opinions and judges’ biographies |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit(OH, MI, KY, TN) Includes opinions, local rules and forms |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (IL, IN, WI) Includes opinions, rules and forms |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (AR, MO, IA, MN, NE, ND, SD) Includes opinions, rules and forms |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, ID, MT, AK, HI, MP, GU) Includes opinions and rules |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (UT, WY, CO, KS, OK, NM) Includes opinions, rules and forms |
| Justia’s District Ct. Opinions The full text of all Federal District Court opinions from 2004 to the present |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (FL, GA, AL) Includes opinions and rules |
| Civil and Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions of the Eleventh Circuit (FL, GA, AL) |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Includes opinions, rules and forms |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Includes opinions and rules |
| LII’s Eye on the Courts Provides quick access to appellate decisions that are in the news, from Cornell University, information on recent, newsworthy Circuit Court opinions |
| Administrative Websites |
| Federal Register The Federal Register from 1994-2003, searchable by subject or date, the official daily publication for administrative agency rules, rule changes, and rule proposals. |
| Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Retrieve CFR sections by key word or citation, the codified administrative agency rules arranged by title number |
| The White House Includes major speeches of the President and news |
| Justia’s Regulation Tracker Information on regulations from all departments and agencies from 2005 to the present; search for rules, proposed rules, administrative orders, executive orders, notices, and proclamations;can search by agency and/or keyword |
| White House’s list of all Federal Agencies and Commissions White House List of Agencies and Commissions: a comprehensive, alphabetical, hypertext list to each federal agency and commission |
| Executive Branch Departments and Agencies |
| Department of Agriculture Top stories, policies and events related to agriculture |
| Department of Commerce Top stories, economic indicators and other information |
| Copyright Office Search records of copyright registrations and ownership documents since 1978 |
| Department of Defense News and publications |
| Department of Education News, statistics, policy and resources |
| Department of Energy Energy science and technology information |
| Department of Health and Human Services Health information and news |
| Department of Housing and Urban Development News and information |
| Department of Homeland Security Links to offices within the Department of Homeland Security |
| Department of the Interior News and resources |
| Department of Justice News, publications and speeches |
| Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services Forms and information |
| Bureau of Justice Statistics Statistics dealing with crime and related subjects |
| Department of Labor Top stories, statistics and publications |
| Patent and Trademark Office Search patents since 1790 and patent applications since March 15, 2001 |
| United States Sentencing Commission Statistics, publications and other information |
| Social Security Administration Forms, publications and other information |
| Department of State Top stories, testimony and other information |
| Department of Transportation News, safety and other information |
| Treasury Department News and other information |
| Internal Revenue Service Tax forms, private letter rulings and other information |
| Department of Veterans Affairs Special programs and information |
| Major Commissions |
| Center for Disease Control and Prevention News and publications |
| Federal Trade Commission News and Information |
| Food and Drug Administration News about particular products |
| National Endowment for the Arts News and publications |
| Office of Management and Budget Budget documents, news and legislative information |
| Postal Service Zip codes, post office locations, and other information |
| Securities and Exchange Commission Forms, regulatory actions and staff interpretations |
| Government Accounting Office Reports, decisions and publications |
| Edgar The Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system, performs automated collection, validation, indexing, acceptance, and forwarding of submissions by companies and others who are required by law to file forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). All companies, foreign and domestic, are required to file registration statements, periodic reports, and other forms electronically through EDGAR. Anyone can access and download this information for free. |
| General Web Sites |
| FirstGov en Espanol The official U.S. gateway to all government information in Spanish |
| FirstGov The official U.S. gateway to all government information |
| GPO U.S. Government Printing Office’s Federal Digital System |
| FindLaw Legal information, including the full text of some laws |
| The Center for Responsive Politics The Web Site of the CRP, covering the financing of U.S. Elections |
| Justia Searchable full text databases of federal laws and cases; very easy to use. |
Florida Law
| State Legislative Websites |
| Florida Statutes Official Statutes |
| Official Site of the Florida Legislature Online Sunshine |
| The Laws of Florida Session Laws from the Florida Department of State |
| Digest of General Laws Recent Changes to the General Law |
| Florida Legislators Bios of Florida Legislators, from Online Sunshine. This page loads slowly. |
| Florida State Archives The Central Repository for the Archives of Florida’s State Government |
| Florida Historical Legal Documents Primary source materials from 1822 to 1845 |
| The Florida Constitution Revised 1968 Constitution, from Online Sunshine |
| Florida Constitutional Revision Commission The Revision Commission Reviews Florida’s Constitution and Proposes Changes |
| State Judicial Websites |
| Florida State Courts Home Page of the Florida Administrator of State Courts |
| Florida Supreme Court Official Web Site which includes Supreme Court Briefs and Opinions, Court Rules and other documents. Audio and video of oral arguments are available |
| Florida Supreme Court Justices List of current members of the Court along with short biographies |
| Oral Argument Calendar, Press Summaries, and Briefs Current oral arguments calendar and briefs. |
| Archival Oral Argument Calendar and Briefs Coverage begins in April 1998 |
| Court Arguments in Video and Audio Live oral argument archive files, 1997 to date |
| Florida District Courts of Appeal Web Sites of Florida District Courts of Appeal. Miami-Dade County is in the 3 DCA, Broward and Palm Beach. Counties are in the 4th DCA |
| Florida Rules of Court Court Rules, Including Amendments to Rules, Proposed and Adopted. The rules available here include civil procedure, criminal procedure, appellate procedure, judicial administration, probate, family, juvenile, traffic, and small claims courts. |
| Rules Regulating the Florida Bar From the Florida Bar Web Site |
| Florida Code of Judicial Conduct Code of Judicial Conduct, from the Florida State Courts Web Site |
| The Florida Law Weekly Online Access to Opinions Published in The Florida Law Weekly, FLW Federal, and FLW Supplement, Subscription Required |
| State Administrative Websites |
| Directory of Florida Agencies Search by Name, Gives Contact Information Only. Links to each website are included, as are links to commissions and water management districts |
| Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) Includes Cases and Rules |
| Florida Administrative Code FAC from Florida Department of State |
| Florida Administrative Weekly FAW from Florida Department of State. Notices of proposed rules, public meetings, bid proposals and other items. |
| Opinions of the Florida Attorney General Includes Opinions from 1974 to the Present |
| Florida Government Locator Government Information Available on the Internet and Beyond |
| Florida Department of State Official Department of State Site |
| Florida Division of Corporations Corporate Information and Online Filing |
| Office of the Governor Includes Laws, Executive Orders and Legislative Actions |
| General (Florida) |
| Florida Legal Aid Phone Numbers |
| The Florida Board of Bar Examiners Includes Electronic Application Program |
| The Florida Bar Association The Florida Bar Web Site, with a List of Florida Lawyers, Bar Forms and Applications |
| Florida Statistics (University of Florida) Various Florida Statistics, from the Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) |
| Florida Health Statistics Florida Health Data from the Agency for Health Care Administration |
| Florida Law Help A guide to free legal information and legal services in Florida |
| Florida Bar EASL A forum for the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Section of the Florida Bar. This page loads very slowly. |
| County and City |
| Florida Association of Counties Information about the FAC, and Florida Counties |
| Florida League of Cities Links to Florida Municipal and Charter County Government Home Pages |
| Florida Municipal Codes Searchable Codes and Ordinances of over 100 Florida Counties, Cities, and Governmental Entities |
| Miami-Dade County Public Records Public Information from the Miami-Dade Clerk. Includes Official Record checks, criminal and civil infractions, traffic and parking citations, property records, and marriage licenses. |
| Broward County Public Records |
| Palm Beach County Public Records |
General Law
| Avalon Project at Yale Law School Legal Documents of Historical Importance |
| Cornell Legal Information Institute The Most-Accessed Legal Web Site, which Includes Law and Legal Information Geared toward a Wide Range of Users |
| Electronic Frontier Foundation Information about Civil Rights and Technology |
| FindLaw The most comprehensive set of legal resources on the Internet |
| JurisPro Expert Witness Directory Free online directory of expert witnesses in different fields. Search by name or area of expertise. |
| LLRX A Web Journal with Up-to-Date Information on Internet Research and Technology-Related Issues |
| Martindale-Hubbell An extensive directory of lawyers that includes other information |
| The Anglo-American Legal Tradition Documents from medieval and early modern England from the National Archives in London |
| The Writ of Prohibition An online book on the subject of jurisdiction in early modern English law. |
| University of Minnesota Human Rights Library A Collection of Materials (Such as Treaties and UN Documents) Dealing with Human Rights |
International Resources
| General |
| ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources The American Society for International Law provides links to information about human rights, criminal, environmental and economic law, plus organizations and treaties. |
| Country Studies A Library of Congress web site providing the historical setting, the social, economic, political, and national security systems, and institutions of countries throughout the world. |
| EISIL The Electronic Information System for International Law is put out by the American Society of international Law, and it contains primary materials, web sites and research guides across the breadth of international law. |
| Hein Foreign & International Law Resources Database Includes international yearbooks, periodicals, digests of international law and cases involving international law. |
| GATT Digital Library Documents of, and information about, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, from Stanford University and the World Trade Organization. |
| The Global Legal Information Network (GLIN) A Library of Congress web site providing a database of laws, regulations, and other complementary legal sources. |
| Human Rights Library Univ. of Minnesota Human Rights Center developed and maintains this site to provide full text access to major international human rights treaties and declarations, along with authoritative citations. |
| Human Rights Watch World Reports Prepared by an independent organization dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. Includes documents about individual countries. |
| MapMachine Set up by National Geographic. Similar to Mapquest |
| Project Diana An online human rights legal documentation archive set up and maintained by Yale Law School. |
| CIA World Factbook Prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency for the use of US Government officials, and the style, format, coverage, and content are designed to meet their specific requirements. |
| The WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources A directory of over 2600 annotated links |
| International Organizations |
| Council of the European Union (European Council) This is the official site of the council of the member states of the European Union and the president of the European Commission. |
| European Commission (same as European Union, site name EUROPA) Offers news, institutions, documents, publications, policies, and basic information about the European Union. |
| Free Trade Area of the Americas process (FTAA) This process was initiated in the 1994 Summit of the Americas to integrate the economies of the Western Hemisphere into a single free trade arrangement. |
| Global Policy Forum An organization formed in 1993 to monitor global policy making at the United Nations. This site is divided into the following subsections: UN Financial Crisis, Security Council, Social/ Economic Policy, NGOs, Nations and States, and UN Reform. |
| IANSA The International Action Network on Small Arms provides the full text of their country and regional reports plus statistics on occurrences of crimes using small arms. They report on approved regional and national firearms laws worldwide. |
| International Monetary Fund (IMF) This IMF official site includes articles of agreement, by-laws, regulations, selected decisions and selected documents. |
| NATO This North Atlantic Treaty Organization official web site provides many NATO documents. Just follow the link to Publications. |
| Researching WTO and GATT By Jeanne Rehberg, Reference Librarian for International and Foreign Law at New York University School of Law Library. This is a guide to WTO and GATT sources from the United States. |
| United Nations Official Web site of the U.N. |
| United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute Coordinates and supports international comparative research; site includes news, publications, and searchable databases related to criminology. |
| United Nations System Locator The official web site locator of the United Nations system of organizations, providing links to all UN organizations. |
| World Bank This official site provides documents, reports, and statistical data. However, its World Development Indicators and Global Development Finance databases are fee-based. |
| World Intellectual Property Organization This official WIPO site provides the text of its treaties, documents and other intellectual property information. |
| World Trade Organization Here you can find most of the WTO’s public documents. |
| Courts |
| Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance Judgments and opinions since June 1997 from the Court of Justice of the European Communities. |
| International Court of Justice (ICJ) Official web site of the International Court of Justice with basic documents, dockets, and decisions. |
Journals Online
| Asian-Pacific Law & Policy Journal A fully functional, web-based, American legal journal dedicated to issues facing Asia and the Pacific Rim. |
| Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) This web site gives access to hundreds of free, full-text scientific and scholarly journals. |
| Electronic Journals Library (Electonische Zeitschriftenbibliothek) This is a site in Germany which lists thousands of articles and indicates those that are free. |
| Global Jurist The full text of articles about law from a global perspective |
| Hein-On-Line The full text of older issues of more than 200 law journals. |
| Issues in Legal Scholarship Full text of articles from symposia that often begin by republishing a seminal article |
| Oxford Journals A large collection of online journals, some dealing with law. Includes the International & Comparative Law Quarterly (full text back to 2001) and the Oxford Journal of Legal Studies (full text back to 1999). |
| Theoretical Inquiries in Law Full text of articles on theoretical subjects. |
| University Law Review Project Full text search of law journals on the Internet. |
| Yale Human Rights & Development Law Journal Abstracts and some articles from this journal |
States (Other Than Florida)
| General Information |
| American Law Sources Online Sources of Law for Canada, the U.S. and Mexico |
| LLSDC Legislative Sourcebook Listing of Resources by State |
| National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) Drafts of Uniform and Model Acts |
| National Conference of State Legislatures A Forum for Ideas from the States |
| Stateline State News Politics and Policy News, Sate by State |
| State and Local Government on the Net A Directory of Official State, County and City Government Web Sites |
| Municipal Codes (Municode) Online municipal codes, organized by state |
WorldCat