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Finding the Law: Cases, Statutes, Regulations and Constitutions

Finding the Law: Cases, Statutes, Regulations and Constitutions. Ann Hemmens University of Washington Law Library Legal, Ethical and Social Issues in Public Health Genetics (Professor Mastroianni, PHG 512) October 16, 2006. Primary & Secondary Authority. Primary

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Finding the Law: Cases, Statutes, Regulations and Constitutions

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  1. Finding the Law:Cases, Statutes, Regulations and Constitutions Ann Hemmens University of Washington Law Library Legal, Ethical and Social Issues in Public Health Genetics (Professor Mastroianni, PHG 512) October 16, 2006

  2. Primary & Secondary Authority • Primary • Statement of "the law" from bodies with law-making authority • Secondary • Explain, interpret, and help you locate the primary law • Includes: Treatises, Hornbooks, law review articles, legal encyclopedias, Restatements, Nutshells etc.

  3. Organization of Federal & State Governments

  4. How do Sources of Law Interact? • Court interprets a statute • An earlier court decision is overruled by same court • Statute held unconstitutional by a court • Legislature writes statute in response to a case • Agency proposes new rule in response to statute.

  5. Legal Research Questions • What type of law might govern this issue? • statutes? regulations? cases? • Which jurisdiction? • federal or state or both? • Did you update your research?

  6. Court Structure – Federal & State

  7. Legal Citation • The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation(KF245 .U5 2005 18th ed. in Reference Area) • Cases • Pate v. Threlkel, 661 So.2d 278 (Fla. 1995) • Party 1 v. Party 2, [volume number] [reporter name] [page number] ([jurisdiction sometimes] [year]).

  8. Finding Cases • Digests • Subject Index to federal and state cases • Organized by Topic and Key Numbers (sub-topics). • Examples:Federal Practice Digest, Pacific Digest. • American Law Reports (ALR) and secondary sources (law review articles) • In-depth articles analyzing unique legal topics & cases. • Marjorie A. Shields, Annotation, Liability for Conversion and Misappropriation of Genetic Material, 121 A.L.R.5th 315 (2004). • Citation Format: Vol. -- Series – Page • Law Review: Edward J. Janger, 3 Genetic Information, Privacy and Insolvency, 33 J.L. Med. & Ethics 79 (2005). • LexisNexis Academic (from UW Libraries LAW webpage)

  9. LexisNexis Academic • Available from UW Libraries LAW Subject webpage • http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/Law/ • Contains • Federal & State cases, statutes, regulations • Law review articles

  10. Statutes • Organized chronologically • Called: Session laws • U.S. Statutes at Large (Stat.) • Laws of Washington • Organized by subject • Called: A Code • U.S. Code (USC) • Revised Code of Washington (RCW)

  11. Legal Citation Formats • Public Law • Pub.L. No. 107-56 • Statutes at Large • 115 Stat. 276 • Codes • 42 U.S.C. § § 9601-9675 (2004) Title – United States Code – Sections – (year) • RCW 46.20.308 (2006) Revised Code of Washington Title – Chapter – Section

  12. Image of Public Law • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-191.

  13. Annotated Codes • Commercially-published • Text of the law & history • Annotations = citations to cases, regulations, law review articles, encyclopedias, forms • Updated promptly United States Code Annotated (USCA) United States Code Service (USCS)* * Available on LexisNexis Academic & LexisNexis Congressional

  14. Finding Statutes • Popular Names Table • Available from Cornell’s Legal Information Institute (http://assembler.law.cornell.edu/uscode/topn/) or in TABLES volumes of USCS and USCS. • Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. 101-336, July 26, 1990, 104 Stat. 327 (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.) • USCS or USCAIndex • Cases • Secondary sources(law review articles etc.)

  15. Finding Statutes - online • LexisNexis Congressional and Academic • Thomas (http://thomas.loc.gov) • Washington State Legislature RCW Search webpage (http://search.leg.wa.gov/pub/textsearch/default.asp)

  16. Constitutions • The fundamental law of a nation or state, establishing the organization of government and prescribing the extent of its’ sovereign power. • Citation Format • U.S. CONST. art. I, § 9. • W.A. CONST. art. IV, § 4.

  17. Constitutions in Annotated Codes • Federal • United States Code Annotated (USCA) • United States Code Service (USCS) • [on LexisNexis Academic & LexisNexis Congressional] • State • Revised Code of Washington(RCW) • All 50 state statutes on LexisNexis Academic • Cornell’s LII, http://www.law.cornell.edu/statutes.html

  18. Administrative Law • Rules, regulations, and decisions created by administrative agencies (federal and state). • Agency is authorized by Statute • Power to issue regulations & adjudicate disputes delegated to executive agencies by Congress via an enabling statute. • Procedural Standards? Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 USC §551 et seq.). • Agency publishes Notice of proposed rule • Comment period • Agency publishes Final rule & response to comments

  19. Regulations • Federal Register • Published daily • Includes: proposed regs & new regs • Presidential documents • Executive Orders & Proclamations • Code of Federal Regulations • Current rules & regulations in force • Published annually • Index & finding tables • CFR Index (a volume in the USCS set)

  20. Citation Format: Regulations • 65 Fed. Reg. 3415 (Jan. 21, 2000) Volume – Federal Register – Page (date) • 7 CFR § 319.76 (2003) Title–Code of Federal Regulations–Section (year)

  21. Sample Regulation • 42 CFR Part 121

  22. Code of Federal RegulationsIndex(at end of CFR set & in a USCS volume) Federal RegisterIndex & “Unified Agenda” (Oct. & Nov.) West's Code of Federal Regulations: General Index Annotated Codes United States Code Annotated (USCA) United States Code Service (USCS) Secondary Sources(law review articles, ALR) Finding Regulations on Your Topic

  23. Regulations Online • LexisNexis Academic and Congressional • GPO Access, http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/ • E-CFR, http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/ • Washington State Regulations • Washington Administrative Code (WAC) • Washington State Register (updates the WAC) • Both available from WA Legislature (http://search.leg.wa.gov/pub/textsearch/default.asp)

  24. Secondary Sources • Law Review Articles • Full-Text on LexisNexis Academic • Index to find articles, LegalTrac • American Law Reports(ALR) KF 132 in Reference Area. Index at end of set. • Books • Law Library Catalog • UW Libraries Catalog • SUMMIT (both of above plus more!)

  25. Update Your Research • Cases – use online citator (Keycite available in Law Library) • Statutes – check pocket parts & supplements (print) • Regulations – use List of Sections Affected (LSA) & Federal Register (print)

  26. Conclusion Cases, Statutes, Regulations (federal and state) & law reviews available: • In PRINT at Gallagher Law Library • ONLINE through UW Libraries “LAW” subject webpage • Email Reference • Need Help? Reference Office 543-6794

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