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Annotation, noun,. 1. A brief summary of the facts and decision in a case, especially one involving statutory interpretation. 2. A note that explains or criticizes a source of law, usually a case. 3. A volume containing such explanatory or critical notes. -- Blacks Law Dictionary, 8th ed..
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1. Real World ResearchDean Rowan and Teresa StantonUC-Berkeley Law LibraryMarch 5, 2008 Annotated Codes
2. Annotation, noun,
1. A brief summary of the facts and decision in a case, especially one involving statutory interpretation.
2. A note that explains or criticizes a source of law, usually a case.
3. A volume containing such explanatory or critical notes.
-- Blacks Law Dictionary, 8th ed.
3. United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation
analysis of U.S. Supreme Court cases to June 28, 2002
prepared by
the Congressional Research Service and
Library of Congress
Reference Desk; call # KF4527 .U5 2004
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/browse2002.html#2004
(includes 2006 supplement)
4. United States Constitution
Encyclopedia of the American Constitution,
edited by Leonard W. Levy and Kenneth L. Karst
six volumes
constitutional doctrine
specific court decisions
people and historical periods
Reference Desk; call # KF4548 .E53 2000
5. Public Laws
Acts passed by Congress
are given titles
are published as a single document and
are assigned sequential numbers,
beginning with the session of congress
that issued the law
6. For example,
Title:
Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT*) ACT* OF 2001
Public Law No. 107-56
*The repetition is not a typographical error
7. California Statutes
First published as Chapter Laws
Include
the Legislative Counsel’s Digest, a summary of the law
the text of new legislation
Published throughout the legislative session
Posted at:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/statute.html
8. For example, California Chapter Law 396 (1997-1998 session)
“An Act to amend Sections 3021 and 6323 of, and to add Section 6346 to, the Family Code, relating to family law.”
Legislative Counsel’s Digest header is “SB 564, Solis. Domestic Violence: visitation.”
9. United States Statutes at Large Chronological compilation and publication of the laws passed by each two-year session of Congress
Issued in bound volumes
Cited by volume and page number
For example, the Statutes at Large citation for the USA PATRIOT Act is:
115 STAT. 272
10. California
Chapter Laws (session laws)
Deering’s Advance Legislative Service
West’s California Legislative Service
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html
full text of bills, resolutions, and constitutional amendments, and their status, history, votes, analyses, and veto messages.
11. Revised Statutes of the United States
First published in 1873
Repealed all the original Statutes at Large
The first edition is the authoritative text for most laws enacted prior to 1873.
2nd edition published in 1878
12. 48 YEARS LATER….
The first edition of the United States Code was published in 1926.
Laws are arranged by subject into 50 titles.
Citations are to title and section.
The USA PATRIOT Act is codified, well,
all over the place.
13. The USA PATRIOT Act is codified in at least nine separate titles of the U.S.C., including
8 U.S.C. § 1379
18 U.S.C. § 2712
28 U.S.C. § 524, note
42 U.S.C. § 3714
50 U.S.C. § 1861
14. United States Code
Official compilation published by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO)
Has indexes and popular name tables
Completely revised edition published every 6 years
Cumulative supplements published every year
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/index.html
15. U.S. Code, continued Historical notes
Cross references (to related code sections)
Parenthetical references to Statutes at Large or Revised Statutes sources of each section (i.e. the authoritative text)
Legislative history notes
16. California’s Official Code
What official code?
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
“California Law consists of 29 codes, covering various subject areas, the State Constitution and Statutes. Information presented reflects laws currently in effect. All California Codes have been updated to include the 2006 Statutes.”
(emphasis added)
17. Looking for statutory interpretation?
Go straight to
the United States Code Annotated (U.S.C.A.)
or
the United States Code Service (U.S.C.S.).
18. Annotated codes contain: Text of the law
All notations in the official United States Code, plus
Notes of court decisions
Law review and journal commentaries
Research references
19. Research references include
Leading treatises (scholarly commentary)
Legal encyclopedias:
Corpus Juris Secundum (C.J.S.) and
American Jurisprudence (AmJur)
American Law Reports (ALR)
Practice materials, including forms
20. Practice materials include AmJur Pleading and Practice Forms
AmJur Proof of Facts
AmJur Trials
Federal Evidence
Federal Procedural Forms
Federal Procedure, Lawyer’s Edition
Moore’s Federal Practice
21. United States Code Annotated
Commercial publication by Thomson West
“Library References” section ties code section to the American Digest System,
Westlaw’s topic and key number system.
22. Westlaw database identifier: USCA
Has all 50 titles of the U.S.C.
the Constitution
court rules
appendixes
notes of decisions
cross references
research references
23. Searching Westlaw’s USCA database:
Search full text, including the annotations
Browse table of contents
Search Statutes Index
Search Popular Name Table
24. United States Code Service
Full title is United States Code Service, Lawyer’s Edition
Commercial publication by LexisNexis
25. LexisNexis USCS database: Legal
Federal Legal - U.S.
United States Code Service (USCS Materials)
United States Code Service –
Titles 1 through 50
Search page has both
a search box and
table of contents.
26. California annotated codes
Deering’s California Codes
published by LexisNexis
West’s Annotated California Codes
published by Thomson West
27. Updating codes
Annotated codes in print are updated
Periodically by legislative service pamphlets
Annually by pocket parts
28. Updating codes, continued Free, online codes
Irregular updates
Not necessarily up-to-date
Check information on the website
U.S.C. on GPO website current through 2000 Edition, Supplement 4, the general and permanent laws in effect as of January 3, 2005
CA code online, current through 2006
29. Updating codes, continued Westlaw
United States Code Annotated Currentness
“Current through P.L. 110-185 (excluding P.L. 110-181) approved 2-13-08”
Can also Keycite the code section
LexisNexis
Coverage noted above the code section
“CURRENT THROUGH P.L. 110-190, APPROVED 2/28/2008”
Can also Shepardize the code section
30. Annotated Codes
Provide
relevant case law
relevant commentary
journal and law review articles
leading treatises, and
practice materials – including forms!
Indexes and other finding aids (print or online) are much more user-friendly.