U.S. Law - Directory of Online Resources

Law > U.S. > Gov Agencies & Publications

See also

Start with USA.gov
The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal.
January 2007 switched name from FirstGov to USA.gov.

Law Library of Congress

CNN.com - LawCenter
Sections include: News ; Supreme Court ; Analysis ; Court TV ;
Trials and Cases

  • Law Library - (dead link)
    Includes: For the Record [archive of full-text documents] ; Featured Documents ; Research and Reference Tools.

Legal Information Institute (LII)
- Cornell University Law School Library
"The server offers the LII's collection of recent and historic Supreme Court decisions, its hypertext versions of the full U.S. Code, U.S. Constitution, Federal Rules of Evidence and Civil Procedure, recent
opinions of the New York Court of Appeals and commentary on themfrom the liibulletin-ny and other important legal materials -- federal, state, foreign and international. It holds the LII's e-mail address directory of faculty and staff at U.S. law schools as well as contact information on other people and organizations in the field of law. "

Cornell University Law Library - Research Guides
Sections include: New Student Survival Guide ; Legal Research Fundamentals ; U.S. Research Guides by Topic ; Legal Research Engine ; Foreign & International Research Guides.

Internet Legal Resource Guide
A categorized index of 3100 select web sites in 238 nations, islands and territories. A nice mix of both academic and practice listings including a unique forms archive. Includes their powerful LawRunner legal search engine.

U.S. Department of Justice

  • Publications & Documents
  • Office of Legal Counsel
    • Memoranda and Opinions
      "The Attorney General has directed the Office of Legal Counsel to publish selected opinions for the convenience of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government, and of the professional bar and the general public...The opinions on this web site include some that have previously been released to the public, opinions as to which the addressee has agreed to publication, and opinions to Department of Justice officials that the Department has determined may be released."

Resources from the Library of Congress
Law Library of Congress Home Page

Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation
U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates
"...will bring together online the records and acts of Congress from the Continental Congress through the Forty-second Congress."
A wonderful new release from the Library of Congress' American Memory Project and the Law Library of Congress.
Includes Senate Executive Journal, House Journal, Annals of Congress, Maclay's Journal, and Senate Journal.

The Global Legal Information Network (GLIN)
"Provides a database of national laws from contributing countries around the world accessed from a World Wide Web server of the U.S. Library of Congress. The database consists of searchable legal abstracts in English and some full texts of laws in the language of the contributing country. It provides information on national legislation from more than 35 countries, with other countries being added on a continuing basis."

Guide to Law Online: U.S. States and Associated Jurisdictions

THOMAS: Legislative Information on the Internet
This useful Library of Congress page includes current Floor activities, Bill summaries from the current Congress as well from previous Congresses, roll call votes, Public Laws and major legislation, text and index to the Congressional Record, Committee information, and historic documents and links to other Congressional Internet services and directories

Continue on with
AALLNET Web
American Association of Law Libraries Online Information Service. Contains links to a number of specialized areas.

Admiralty and Maritime Law Guide
"...includes over 1,500 annotated links to admiralty law resources on the Internet and a growing database of admiralty case digests and opinions, arbitration award abstracts and international maritime conventions. The emphasis is on the law of the United States and the focus is on Internet resources that can be used in an effective and practical manner by admiralty attorneys and maritime professionals.
By Todd Kenyon, Admiralty Attorney, Betancourt, Van Hemmen, Greco & Kenyon.
- Part of the WWW Virtual Library

All Law
A well organized and extensive collection of legal resources. Sections include Law ; Lawyers ; Schools ; Federal ; State ; Forms ; Experts ; Business.

American Law Sources On-Line (ALSO!)
"...providing a comprehensive, uniform, and useful compilation of links to freely accessible on-line sources of law for the United States and Canada. (See also a link below for Mexico.) This site contains additional links to sources of commentary and practice aids that are available without charge (or available at a reasonable charge from governmental and nonprofit providers)."

[Animal Law] AnimalLaw.com
"...provides access to legislation and legal matters pertaining to the rights and welfare of animals. AnimalLaw.com supports information concerning animal cruelty, laboratory animal welfare, the use of animals in education, product testing and in the laboratory, animal control issues, and general animal welfare.
By the International Institute for Animal Law

[Animal Law] Michigan State University College of Law - Animal Legal & Historical Center
"There are presently over560 full text cases (US, Historical and UK) and 894 U.S.statutes fully available on the site, with Michigan and California being very comprehensive. More importantly, we have over 30 topics that give the viewer directions and comprehensive explanations on some of the more interesting issues of the animal area."

BankruptcyData.com
Free services include: Headlines ; Find A Bankruptcy ; Court Directory ; Courts Links ; Publications ; Research Center.
Access to comprehensive databases requires paid subscription

Brown v. Board of Education - see our separate Brown v. Board of Education page.

BusinessLaw.gov - (dead link)
"Legal and Regulatory Information for America's Small Businesses"
- Small Business Administration

CataLaw: Metaindex of Law and Government
A very well organized for quick reference. The index can be accessed by topic, by search, or by category.

Center for Columbia River History

  • Columbia Basin Native Fisheries
    "...takes you the documents that provide the foundation for Indian fishing rights such as treaties and court cases in both the U.S. and Canada."
    • Boldt Decision (1974)
      Allocated 50 percent of the annual catch to treaty tribes.

CRInfo
The Conflict Resolution Information Source
"Providing Links to Web, Print, and Organizational Resources for: Adversaries, Bystanders, Students, Educators, Practitioners, Researchers.
- University of Colorado - Conflict Research Consortium

Divorce Source
"A legal resource for divorce, custody, alimony, and support."
This popular divorce portal includes laws for each state and Canada, research center, directory, support calculation reports and calculator, chat rooms, dictionary, and much more.

elaws Advisors
Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Business
"...help you understand your rights and responsibilities under the employment laws and regulations administered by the Department of Labor (DOL). Each Advisor imitates the interaction you might have with a DOL employment law expert--it asks questions and provides answers based on your responses."

Federal, State and Commercial Bill Tracking Resources - Updated
By Kathy Biehl
LLRX.com ResearchRoundUp Published November 15, 2001

Fighting Corporate and Government Wrongdoing
A Research Guide to International and U.S. Federal Laws on White-Collar Crime and Corruption
By Kumar Percy
LLRX.com Feature, August 15, 2002

Finding Court Opinions On the Web
"Adapted from the book, The Best (and Worst) Legal Sites on the Web, by Robert J. Ambrogi, published by ALM Publishing."
Sections include: U.S. Supreme Court ; U.S. Circuit Courts ; U.S. District Courts ; U.S. Bankruptcy Courts ; Specialized U.S. Courts ; State Courts.
A National Law Journal Feature

FindLaw: Internet Legal Resources
A well organized and easy to use directory of legal resources. Major sections include a substantial subject index, law schools, professional development, laws, cases & codes, foreign & international resources, and legal organizations.

GigaLaw.com
"...provides legal information for Internet and technology professionals, Internet entrepreneurs and the lawyers who serve them. GigaLaw.com is produced exclusively by lawyers and law professors."

Guide to Locating Executive Orders and Proclamations
Legal Information Center, Levin College of Law, University of Florida

[Update to] A Guide to the U.S. Federal Legal System: Web-Based Publicly Accessible Sources
By Gretchen Feltes, Reference Librarian, New York University School of Law Library
LLRX.com Feature, August 15, 2002

Hispanic Bar Association of D.C. - Legal & Latino Resources - (dead link)
Sections include: Legal Organizations ; Legal Resources ; Government Sites ; General Public Interest/Non-Profits ; Latinos on the Net.

InstaCase.com
"...brings you summaries of the latest decisions as they are released for publication on the internet, which is typically one to two weeks before you read about the case in your local legal newspaper. It is our goal to include in our database the electronic texts from the highest and intermediate appellate courts from each of the 50 states, as well as each of the United States Circuit courts. The advantages of this service are obvious and are provided absolutely free."

Internet Law Library
Goal is to provide free access to the basic documents of U.S. law as well as to provide access to the other law resources on the Internet

Jenkins Law Library
"Jenkins Law Library has been providing information and legal research for the Pennsylvania legal community for almost 200 years. Our mission is to continue to make legal information easy to find and affordable. Jenkins offers legal & nonlegal research links, legal research guides, links to legal materials in all states (as well as some foreign governments), over 450 PA legislative histories, and much more all free on our Web site."

JURIST: The Legal Education Network
"...the Internet's legal education portal, the university-based academic gateway to authoritative legal information, instruction and scholarship online. Edited and quality-controlled by a select team of Net-savvy law professors from law schools across the United States and around the world, JURIST is especially designed for individuals learning, teaching or researching law - legal scholars, law students, law librarians, lawyers and judges, journalists, and interested citizens."
University of Pittsburgh School of Law

  • JURIST - Terrorism Law and Policy
    Sections include: Terrorism and Terrorists ; Counterterrorism Policy ; U.S. Anti-terrorism Laws ; World Anti-terrorism Laws ; Civil Liberties ; Bioterrorism: Legal Issues ; Commentary ; Bibliography.
    Directed by Bernard J. Hibbitts, University of Pittsburgh School of Law

Justice Learning
"...is an innovative, issue-based approach for engaging high school students in informed political discourse. The web site uses audio from the Justice Talking radio show and articles from The New York Times to teach students about reasoned debate and the often-conflicting values inherent in our democracy. The web site includes articles, editorials and oral debate from the nation's finest journalists and advocates."
- A Collaboration of NPR's Justice Talking and The New York Times Learning Network.

Labor and Employment Law Resources on the Internet
LLRX.com Feature, July 15, 2002
By Alyssa Rosen, Electronic Services and Reference Librarian, Stetson University College of Law

Law and Politics: Internet Guide
"Designed for the legal profession, academia and the public, Law and Politics: Internet Guide is your one-stop source for legal research. Law and Politics is dedicated to finding the most informative and current law related resources on the Internet. Our staff sifts through, evaluates and reviews select sites for you. Each general category leads the user to carefully selected links, each with a brief description. Resources have been selected for their informational value. Inclusion of a resource is predicated on four criteria: quality, accuracy of content, presentation, and utility."

Law Library of Congress

  • Trial of Saddam Hussein
    "This website is intended to provide the viewer with essential information related to the relevant trials. It will also set out a selection of reference materials that will further explain important aspects of the trials."
  • Supreme Court Nominations
    Sections include: Selected Resources ; Nomination Documents ; Web Resources.

Law Library Resource Xchange (LLRX)
Many useful features and extras for librarians and researchers. Includes an annotated listing of Internet resources.

[Law School Rankings] Leiter's Law School Rankings
"By Brian Leiter, Hines H. Baker & Thelma Kelley Baker Chair in Law at the University of Texas School of Law, contains two new quality rankings (of law faculty and of law students), as well as all of the rankings formerly maintained on the University of Texas School of Law site. This site has been expanded and completely redesigned to provide the premier site of law school rankings for prospective, current, and former law students; law school faculty and administrators; and practicing lawyers in law firms, government, and public interest organizations."

Law.com
"...a single, comprehensive destination for legal information, e-law services and legal products on the Web."
Broad sections include: Legal Professionals ; Law Students ; Business ; Public.

LawGuru.com
 An extensive legal resources portal.

LawIDEA.com
"...is an extensive Legal Links Directory with over 15,000 legal related resources."
Sections include: Attorneys and Law Firms ; Consultants ; Education ; Courts ; Directories and Indices ; Employment and Careers ; Law Libraries ; Law Enforcement ; Legal Information ; Legal Products ; Organizations ; Legal Publications ; Reference ; Professional Resources ; Self-Help.

LawInfo.org
Consumer infomation
"Your gateway to information on legal topics that affect your daily life."
Sections include: Your Family ; Your Home ; Your Job ; Your Finances ; Buying and Selling ; The Courts ; Criminal Justice ; Find a Lawyer.
- American Bar Association

Legal Engine.com
A large meta-index of law and legal resources for both practitioner and student. Although the site is a little busy the Site Map is organized well enough to make navigation easy.

Legal Research Encyclopedia - (dead link)
" The law librarians at the Cornell Law Library are creating this compilation of United States and International legal resources to enhance access to and awareness of these materials in their varied formats...The Legal Research Encyclopedia is a topical and jurisdictional arrangement of all available formats, including print, microform, CD-ROM, WESTLAW, LEXIS and the Internet. Citation to research tools and direct links are provided."

Legal Research Tutorials
Created for students at Georgetown University Law School but still very useful for other students and researchers.
Tutorials include: Statutory Research ; Cases and Digests ; Secondary Sources ; International Legal Research ; Administrative Law ; Legislative History Research ; Internet Legal Research.
- Georgetown University Law Library

Legal Resources for Attorneys & Law Firm Marketing
A well organized collection of over 1300 resources for the legal community.

Legal Survival
"...features a quarterly online newsletter, online bookstore, law FAQs, checklists, prepaid legal plans, find a lawyer, attorney marketing services, useful forms, helpful links and an articles forum."

Librarians' Index to the Internet - Law Topics
- A Program of the Library of California

Libraries and the Patriot Legislation
To provide guidance to libraries ALA provides the following materials to offer guidance and suggestions how libraries should respond if law enforcement 'knocks at the door.'"
- American Library Association

Library Records Post-Patriot Act (Federal Law)
By Mary Minow
LLRX.com Feature, September 2002

LLSDC Legislative Source Book
- Law Librarians' Society of Washington, D.C. (LLSDC)

LLRX.com - LawPro Links
"A to Z Directory of Web Resources"
Edited & Compiled by Sabrina I. Pacifici.

LLRX.com Resource Center - Federal & State Legislation
Edited & Compiled by Sabrina I. Pacifici.

Mary Minow's Map to Library Law
Sections include: News ; Search Engines & Directories ; Court Cases Relevant to Libraries ; General Compilations of Legislation and Libraries ; Specific Issues ; Relevant Academic and Online Courses.

Psychology & Law Links
Sections include: Organizations & E-Mail Discussion Lists ; General Psychology/Law Resources ; Forensic Psychology/Psychiatry ; General Psychology ; Fox on Psychology & Law.
By Dennis Fox, Legal Studies Dept., University of Illinois, Springfield

Selected Internet Resources in Employment Law and Policy - (dead link) Includes: U.S. Federal Information Sources ; State Information Sources ; Commentary, Newsletters and Databases ; Other Collections of Labor and Employment Law Links.
- St. Louis University School of Law

Selected Laws and Policies Affecting Hispanic / Latino Americans
From the Race and Racism in American Law page
University of Dayton School of Law

Sexual Harassment Resources
Sections include: U.S. Government ; U.S. Military ; N.C. Government ; Important Supreme Court Decisions ; Educational Institutions ; Professional Organizations ; Other Sites
By Bob Gaines, Government Documents, Jackson Library, University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Social Science Information Gateway

  • Law Gateway
    "The SOSIG Law Gateway provides guidance and access to global legal information resources on the Internet. The service aims to identify and evaluate legal resource sites offering primary and secondary materials and other items of legal interest. Descriptive records and links are created for legal service sites and specific documents."

State Legislative History Research Guides on the Web
Compiled by Jennifer Bryan Morgan, Documents Librarian, Indiana University School of Law Library - Bloomington.

stateline.org
"your source for state news"
Search by issues or states. The site includes the full-texts of each governors' state of the state addresses.
Publication of the Pew Center on the States, University of Richmond

Supreme Court - See our separate U.S. Supreme Court page.

U.S. Congressional Bibliographies
Compiled by John A. McGeachy, North Carolina State University
"Senate Bibliographies: Comprehensive Lists of Hearing, Prints, and Publications Printed by the Senate, 1983 to present ; House Hearings: Lists of House Committee Meetings Recorded in the Congressional Record's Daily Digest, 1985 to present."

U.S. Department of Justice

  • Enron Trial Exhibits and Releases
    U.S. v. Jeffrey K. Skilling and Kenneth L. Lay
    "Due to public interest in this case, the Department of Justice is releasing the government exhibits in the format admitted in the court."
  • Publications & Documents
  • Office of Legal Counsel
    • Memoranda and Opinions
      "The Attorney General has directed the Office of Legal Counsel to publish selected opinions for the convenience of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government, and of the professional bar and the general public...The opinions on this web site include some that have previously been released to the public, opinions as to which the addressee has agreed to publication, and opinions to Department of Justice officials that the Department has determined may be released."

University of Michigan - Information on Admissions Lawsuits (English or Spanish)
"The University of Michigan is fighting two lawsuits challenging its admission policies. This web site is provided as a resource for journalists and others who need background information."
Sections include: What's New ; FAQs ; Legal Overview ; Court Filings ; Supporting Research ; News Releases & Articles ; Statements ; Press Kits.

University of Michigan Law Library - Hot Topics

  • Harriet Miers
    "Below are links to information about and writings by Harriet Miers. They are categorized and are arranged in reverse chronological order within each category."
  • John G. Roberts, Jr.
    ""Below are links to information about and writings by John G. Roberts. Jr. They are categorized and are arranged in reverse chronological order within each category."

The Virtual Chase
Legal Research on the Internet
"Since Summer 1996, The Virtual Chase has assisted legal professionals conducting research on the Internet.It began as a means by which to disseminate articles and teaching aids to law librarians and other instructors of Internet research.Now it offers more than 500 pages of information pertaining to resources and research strategies. Designed especially for lawyers and other experienced legal researchers, the site guides visitors through the Internet chaff in an effort to find its grains of wheat."

Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body
"Visible Proofs is about the history of forensic medicine. Over the centuries, physicians, surgeons, and other professionals have struggled to develop scientific methods that translate views of bodies and body parts into 'visible proofs' that can persuade judges, juries, and the public."
Sections include: Exhibition ; Galleries ; Education [K12 Activities] ; Resources.
- U.S. National Library of Medicine

WashLaw WEB
"WashLaw WEB links you to law related resources on the Internet and the World-Wide Web. In addition to specialized subject areas, you may access information about Law Schools and Law Libraries. You can search law library catalogs... Special collections include the Brown vs Board of Education materials, and Kansas Court Decisions."
A mix of local and national resources. A very nice site from the Washburn University School of Law Library.

Women's Legal History Biography Project
"Our primary purpose in building the website is to extend the historiography of women as lawyers in the United States. To date, there are few texts on the aspirations and accomplishments of pioneer women lawyers, and even less on how the profession has changed as a result of their entry...The website grows out of Professor Barbara Babcock's course at Stanford Law School on Women's legal history. The librarians of the Robert Crown Library conceived and maintain the site: Andrew Gurthet, Paul Lomio and Erika Wayne, with special credit to Rita Lomio (Summer 1998) and H. Katharine Lo (Summer 2001)."
Sections include: The Women ; Biographical Chapters ; Articles, Research Leads and Bibliographies ; Obituaries ; Photographs ; Clara Shortridge Foltz ; Links.

WORLDLaw Direct
"Access online legal advice, solutions to over 6000 common problems, free ask-an-attorney options, customized services, and much more."

Yale Law School - LawMeme
"...a law and technology organization focuses on the mutual influence of technological development and legal doctrine, with a particular focus on civil rights online, intellectual property, and the first amendment."

Zimmerman's Research Guide
"An Online Encyclopedia for Legal Researchers"
Part of LLRX.com
By Andrew Zimmerman

Legal Search Engines
Cornell University Law Library - Research Guides
Sections include: New Student Survival Guide ; Legal Research Fundamentals ; U.S. Research Guides by Topic ; Legal Research Engine ; Foreign & International Research Guides.

FindLaw - LawCrawler
Legal information search engine with options to search five additional legal indexes

Law Engine, The
Includes 18 different legal search engines. The site also has sections on Top Law Libraries, Federal Courts, Legal Reference, Dictionaries, California Law, News and Networks, and a unique 'Audio Law' area where you can hear arguments and audio seminars.

Lawfirm.com
The Internet's Lawyer Directory
"Highly targeted geographical listings in 141 practice selections."

Martindale-Hubble Lawyer Locator
"Included here are lawyers and law firms in private practice in the United States, Canada, and more than 150 foreign countries; corporate legal departments and in-house lawyers in the United States; and Federal government lawyers and US Law School Faculty."
Online version similar to their print directory except it lacks the Digest volumes

See also

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