Free Legal Resources - how to know what's reliable?
In addition to Westlaw, Lexis and Bloomberg and the variety of subscription databases available at the UNH Franklin Pierce Law Library, there are many free resources available as well. Using some of these suggestions can ensure you are using reliable content. When you're evaluating a resource (website, database, book, etc.) please be sure to remember asking yourselves more about the resource. For instance, what can you tell about the resource?
Is it:
Authoritative?
Is the author a trusted organization? An author with expertise in the topic?
Objective?
Does the website take one side over another or is it trying to be neutral in its delivery of information? Advocacy group websites can be a valuable source of information, but may only present a view leaning in one direction or another
Current?
What is the date of publication? When was it last updated?
Reliable?
Do they cite reliable sources? Are the citations accurate so you can locate the cited resource?
Here are some other resources put together by Pace Law Library for fact-checking a source.
Federal Statutes and Legislation
Some starting points to finding statutes and regulations.
GovInfo - Federal government portal for government information - Provides access to federal government publications (cases, statutes, regulations). Govinfo is the new FDsys. Has public and private laws enacted from the 104th Congress (1995-1996) to the present. Beginning with the 110th Congress (2007-2008), the laws are digitally signed and certified. Authentic copies!
U.S. Constitution Research Guide - Law Library of Congress guide to the U.S. Constitution, with the text and additional resources.
United States Legislative - Law Library of Congress guide to the legislative process and Congress, includes overview, procedural manuals, Congressional Record, and other Congressional reports and publications.
United States Code - From GovInfo. Has historic access to U.S. Code editions back to 1994.
Justia – Portal that has Supreme Court cases, Courts of Appeals cases beginning with 1950, district court cases beginning with 2004, some state case law.
Supreme Court Database - Contains over two hundred pieces of information about each case decided by the Court between 1791 and 2018.
“This publication was developed by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to provide an introduction to the federal judicial system, its organization and administration, and its relationship to the legislative and executive branches of the government.”
e-CFR is a currently updated version of the CFR. It is not an official legal edition of the CFR but it is a integration of the CFR and the Federal Register in one place.
Interactive website that allows you to find, review, and submit comments on Federal regulations that are open for comment and published in the Federal Register. Searchable by agency, type of document, docket number, and keyword.
Case law is law based on judicial decisions. "This guide cites resources for locating and identifying judicial decisions from the U.S. courts using primary and secondary sources of case law."
"Find a federal court location by location or court name, including appellate, district, bankruptcy, probation and pretrial office, or federal defender organization."
