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

cadra@law.ucla.educadra@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