Law on the ‘Net: A Law on the ‘Net: A Workshop for Non-Law Workshop for Non-Law LibrariansLibrariansAn Infopeople WorkshopAn Infopeople Workshop
April 2004April 2004
Laura A. CadraLaura A. Cadra
[email protected]@law.ucla.edu
AgendaAgenda Sources of LawSources of Law California LawCalifornia Law Federal LawFederal Law Finding AttorneysFinding Attorneys Legal FormsLegal Forms Where to Start When You Have No Where to Start When You Have No
Idea Idea Where to StartWhere to Start
What is What is LawLaw?? The entire body of principles, The entire body of principles,
precedents, rules, and procedures precedents, rules, and procedures intended to assure order and justice intended to assure order and justice in a civilized society. It includes in a civilized society. It includes constitutions, legislation, decisions – constitutions, legislation, decisions – federal, state, and local, civil and federal, state, and local, civil and criminal (criminal (Mellinkoff’s Dictionary of American Mellinkoff’s Dictionary of American
Legal Usage Legal Usage ))
And don’t forget regulations! And don’t forget regulations!
Reference InquiriesReference Inquiries
Are you looking for general information Are you looking for general information about a legal issue?about a legal issue?
Is your issue federal? State? Local?Is your issue federal? State? Local? Are you looking for a specific piece of Are you looking for a specific piece of
law?law? a Vehicle Code section?a Vehicle Code section? a local ordinance?a local ordinance?
Are you looking for a form?Are you looking for a form? Are you looking for an attorney?Are you looking for an attorney?
Sources of LawSources of Law
Primary SourcesPrimary Sources Produced by governmental bodiesProduced by governmental bodies Binding!!Binding!! Unofficial and official versionsUnofficial and official versions
Secondary SourcesSecondary Sources Information Information aboutabout the law the law Best place to start most legal researchBest place to start most legal research
Secondary Sources on the ‘NetSecondary Sources on the ‘Net
Nolo Press – Our friends in any formatNolo Press – Our friends in any format
Cornell Legal Information Institute (LII) Cornell Legal Information Institute (LII) Law AboutLaw About Series Series
California Courts Self-Help CenterCalifornia Courts Self-Help Center ¡Se habla español!¡Se habla español! Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese
tambien! tambien!
Legal CitationLegal Citation
The formalized legal reference to The formalized legal reference to an authority and the place an authority and the place where it can be found where it can be found (Mellinkoff’s Dictionary of (Mellinkoff’s Dictionary of American Legal Usage)American Legal Usage)
Citation FormatsCitation Formats
Cases: Cases: Vol. no./Reporter Set/Page no. Vol. no./Reporter Set/Page no. (date)(date) U.S. ex rel. Mayo v. Satan and his Staff, 54 U.S. ex rel. Mayo v. Satan and his Staff, 54
F.R.D. 282 (1971)F.R.D. 282 (1971) Bush v. Gore, 531 U.S. 98 (2000)Bush v. Gore, 531 U.S. 98 (2000) Lugosi v. Universal Pictures, 25 Cal.3d 813 Lugosi v. Universal Pictures, 25 Cal.3d 813
(1979)(1979)
Statutes/CodesStatutes/Codes 42 U.S.C. §194242 U.S.C. §1942 CA Penal Code §187CA Penal Code §187
Common Case AbbreviationsCommon Case Abbreviations CA CasesCA Cases
Cal. (Cal. 2Cal. (Cal. 2dd , 3 , 3d,d, 4 4thth): ): California ReportsCalifornia Reports Cal. App. (C.A. 2Cal. App. (C.A. 2dd, 3, 3dd, 4, 4thth): ): California California
Appellate ReportsAppellate Reports Cal. Rptr. (C.R. 2Cal. Rptr. (C.R. 2dd): ): California ReporterCalifornia Reporter
Federal CasesFederal Cases U.S.: U.S.: United States Supreme Court United States Supreme Court
ReportsReports F. (F.2F. (F.2dd, F.3, F.3dd): ): Federal ReporterFederal Reporter F.Supp. (F.Supp.2F.Supp. (F.Supp.2dd): ): Federal SupplementFederal Supplement
Primary Sources of LawPrimary Sources of Law
ConstitutionsConstitutions Statutes/CodesStatutes/Codes Judicial Opinions (case decisions)Judicial Opinions (case decisions) Regulations & Regulatory DecisionsRegulations & Regulatory Decisions Local Ordinances (cities and counties)Local Ordinances (cities and counties)
All of these work together to form All of these work together to form The The LawLaw
California LawCalifornia Law
ConstitutionConstitution Statutes/CodesStatutes/Codes
Pending legislation (bills)Pending legislation (bills) CasesCases RegulationsRegulations
California Bills on the ‘NetCalifornia Bills on the ‘Net
1993-94 legislative session to the 1993-94 legislative session to the presentpresent
Searchable by bill number, author, or Searchable by bill number, author, or keywordkeyword
Lots of information about the billsLots of information about the bills Status and historyStatus and history Committee analysesCommittee analyses VotesVotes Great for students!Great for students!
Legislative ProcessLegislative Process
Bills = pending lawBills = pending law
Statutes = permanent recordStatutes = permanent record
Codes = current version Codes = current version
California Statutes and Codes on California Statutes and Codes on the ‘Netthe ‘Net Statutes are available from the 1993-94 Statutes are available from the 1993-94
Legislative session forwardLegislative session forward Searchable by chapter number or keywordSearchable by chapter number or keyword No indication whether it’s currentNo indication whether it’s current
Current California Code Current California Code onlyonly Updated nightlyUpdated nightly NOT annotated (like West’s and Deering’s)NOT annotated (like West’s and Deering’s)
California Ballot Propositions on California Ballot Propositions on the ‘Netthe ‘Net Passed propositions are incorporated Passed propositions are incorporated
into the California Codesinto the California Codes Failed propositions can be difficult to Failed propositions can be difficult to
findfind California Secretary of State Voter California Secretary of State Voter
Information has propositions from Information has propositions from 1996 to the present1996 to the present
Hastings College of the Law has a Hastings College of the Law has a ballot proposition database from 1911 ballot proposition database from 1911 to the presentto the present
California CasesCalifornia Cases
Published DecisionsPublished Decisions California Supreme Court casesCalifornia Supreme Court cases Most California Courts of Appeal casesMost California Courts of Appeal cases
Unpublished DecisionsUnpublished Decisions Trial Courts (Superior Court cases)Trial Courts (Superior Court cases)
California Cases on the ‘NetCalifornia Cases on the ‘Net California Judicial CouncilCalifornia Judicial Council
Opinions from 1850 to Sept. 30, 2003 Opinions from 1850 to Sept. 30, 2003 (searchable)(searchable)
Slip opinions – October 1, 2003 to the present Slip opinions – October 1, 2003 to the present (not searchable)(not searchable)
FindlawFindlaw Opinions 1934 to the presentOpinions 1934 to the present Must register to view the casesMust register to view the cases
CourtTVCourtTV Sensational trial court casesSensational trial court cases
California Agency MaterialsCalifornia Agency Materials
LicensesLicenses RegulationsRegulations Regulatory DecisionsRegulatory Decisions
California Agencies on the ‘NetCalifornia Agencies on the ‘Net
California State web page contains a California State web page contains a list of agencieslist of agencies
Materials available vary by agencyMaterials available vary by agency FormsForms License requirementsLicense requirements
California Code of Regulations California Code of Regulations on the ‘Neton the ‘Net Includes the regulations of all Includes the regulations of all
California agenciesCalifornia agencies
Current version onlyCurrent version only
Title 24 (California Building Title 24 (California Building Standards Code) is Standards Code) is NOTNOT available for available for free on the ‘Netfree on the ‘Net
Municipal Law on the ‘NetMunicipal Law on the ‘Net
City and county charters = structure City and county charters = structure of local governmentsof local governments
Municipal and county ordinances = Municipal and county ordinances = local lawslocal laws Parking regulationsParking regulations Leash lawsLeash laws Rent controlRent control
Municipal Codes on the ‘NetMunicipal Codes on the ‘Net
Check with the city or county web site Check with the city or county web site firstfirst
Institute of Governmental Studies at Institute of Governmental Studies at U.C. BerkeleyU.C. Berkeley
Seattle Public Library government info Seattle Public Library government info for non-California cities and countiesfor non-California cities and counties
Federal Law on the ‘NetFederal Law on the ‘Net
U.S. ConstitutionU.S. Constitution U.S. CodeU.S. Code
Pending legislationPending legislation CasesCases RegulationsRegulations
Federal Legislation on the ‘NetFederal Legislation on the ‘Net
Bills – Think ThomasBills – Think Thomas Full-text available from 1989-90 (101Full-text available from 1989-90 (101stst
Congress forward)Congress forward) Summaries available from 1973-74 (93Summaries available from 1973-74 (93rdrd
Congress forward)Congress forward)
United States CodeUnited States Code Not current! Beware! Danger! Not current! Beware! Danger!
Federal Cases on the ‘NetFederal Cases on the ‘Net
No comprehensive web siteNo comprehensive web site U.S. Supreme CourtU.S. Supreme Court
Official Supreme Court web site: 1990 Official Supreme Court web site: 1990 forwardforward
Cornell’s LII: 1990 forwardCornell’s LII: 1990 forward Courts of AppealsCourts of Appeals
99thth Circuit web site: 1995 forward Circuit web site: 1995 forward District Courts (trial courts)District Courts (trial courts)
Federal Agency MaterialsFederal Agency Materials
Agency web sitesAgency web sites Some are filled with good information Some are filled with good information
including formsincluding forms Some are notSome are not
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
Finding a LawyerFinding a Lawyer
Directories and RegulationDirectories and Regulation
Attorney Information on the ‘NetAttorney Information on the ‘Net
Find an Attorney by SpecialtyFind an Attorney by Specialty Martindale Hubbell Law DirectoryMartindale Hubbell Law Directory California State Bar Certified SpecialistsCalifornia State Bar Certified Specialists
Check Out the Credentials of a Check Out the Credentials of a LawyerLawyer California State Bar Attorney SearchCalifornia State Bar Attorney Search
Legal FormsLegal Forms
Litigation FormsLitigation Forms Business FormsBusiness Forms
Litigation Forms on the ‘NetLitigation Forms on the ‘Net
California Judicial CouncilCalifornia Judicial Council Mandatory formsMandatory forms Suggested formsSuggested forms
Local CourtsLocal Courts Check the court web siteCheck the court web site
Findlaw Findlaw Links to forms of varying qualityLinks to forms of varying quality
Business Forms on the ‘NetBusiness Forms on the ‘Net
Fedforms.govFedforms.gov
Primarily fee-based but some are freePrimarily fee-based but some are free Legaldocs.comLegaldocs.com Uscourtforms.comUscourtforms.com Lexisone.comLexisone.com Lawcommerce.comLawcommerce.com
Where to Start When You Don’t Where to Start When You Don’t Know Where to StartKnow Where to Start California Courts Self-Help CenterCalifornia Courts Self-Help Center
Lots of information on common legal Lots of information on common legal issuesissues
Where to go for free and low-cost legal Where to go for free and low-cost legal informationinformation
24/7 Reference includes law librarians24/7 Reference includes law librarians Your local county law libraryYour local county law library Locating the Law, 4Locating the Law, 4thth ed ed. .
Mega-sitesMega-sites
Hieros Gamos: If you can only have Hieros Gamos: If you can only have oneone
Jurist Jurist Internet Legal Resource GuideInternet Legal Resource Guide CatalawCatalaw FindlawFindlaw