Federal StatutesSlide Number 2What is a statute?How are statutes published?Slide Number 5Identifying federal session lawsFREE Sources for Federal StatutesSlide Number 8GPO AccessSlide Number 10Browsing slip lawsOfficial slip lawLegislative history at endNew GPO system FDsysSlide Number 15Browsing slip laws in FDsys“More” from FDsysFrom Session Law to CodeSlide Number 19Common Features of CodesSlide Number 21Slide Number 22Slide Number 23Slide Number 24Slide Number 25Federal Statutory CompilationsU.S. CodeSlide Number 28Slide Number 29Updating Code OnlineSlide Number 31Slide Number 32Slide Number 33Fee-Based DatabasesSources for Session LawsSlide Number 36Slide Number 37Slide Number 38Slide Number 39Slide Number 40Source for Older U.S. CodeSlide Number 42Slide Number 43U.S. Code AnnotatedUSCA on WestlawU.S. Code ServiceUSCS on LexisAnnotated Code FeaturesSlide Number 49Slide Number 50Federal StatutesFlorida State LawResearch CenterFall 2009Robin GaultWhat is a statute?How are statutes published?Pattern of publication:Slip laws: often available only on Web todaySession laws: numbered sequentially, published in bound set organized by legislative session. Index covers only one session. Example: Statutes at LargeStatutory compilation (code): includes permanent, generallaws in force arranged by subject. Updated as new session laws are passed. Official code: published by government, not usually annotated. Example: U.S. CodeAnnotated code: unofficial, published by private publisher. Examples: USCA, USCS.Identifying federal session lawsPublic Laws (Pub. L. or P.L.) vs. Private Laws (Priv. L. or Pvt. L.)Cite to Statutes at Large: (vol.) Stat. (page)Since 1957, laws numbered by session of Congress: Pub. L. 110-17, 121 Stat. 73 (2007).Older session laws cited by date and chapter number: Act of June 20, 1874, Chap. 341, 18 Stat. 123.FREE Sources for Federal StatutesOnline federal government source for session laws 1995- present :GPO Access:http://www.gpoaccess.gov/plaws/index.htmlFDsys:http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=PLAWGPO AccessBrowsing slip lawsOfficial slip lawLegislative history at endNew GPO system FDsysBrowsing slip laws in FDsys“More” from FDsysFrom Session Law to CodeOnly permanent general statutes in force will be found in a code.Excludes appropriations acts but may include other permanent statutes that are enacted as part of an “omnibus” appropriations act.Common Features of Codes1. General index to laws in force.2. Tables allowing conversion from session law to code section.3. Popular name table4. Reference to session law in parenthesis after each section.5. Historical notes on amendments, changes after sections.Fifty titles (subject areas) in U.S. Code.Code sections are cited by titleand section number, rather than by volume and page.Example: 15 U.S.C. § 15b. (shown below)Example of Popular Name Table from U.S. CodeExample of Tracing Table from U. S. CodeFederal Statutory CompilationsRevised Statutes of 1875:Entire compilation passed as one statute. Errors corrected in R.S. 1878, but compilation not passed as one statute.U.S. Code created 1926. 50 titles (subject divisions), some subsequently passed as positive law. Print published every 6 years, with annual bound supplements. (For information about official U.S. Code, see GPO Access page:http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/about.htmlU.S. CodeOnline from U.S. House of Representatives:http://uscode.house.gov/download/download.shtml(Note that the “official” online version is only updated as often as the print version.)• Also available from GPO Access:• http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/index.htmlUpdating Code OnlineThe Cornell Legal Information Institute maintains links to the official U.S. Code online but also offers an updating service for each section with links to the Library of Congress’s Thomas database:http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/Fee-Based DatabasesSources for Session LawsHeinOnline (Research Center flat-rate subscription) has PDFs of Statutes at Large and U.S. Code.To access, go to Research Center homepage: http://www.law.fsu.edu/library/index.htmlClick on “Research Resources,” “Most used legal databases,” and “HeinOnline.”Westlaw and Lexis also cover federal session laws:Lexis filename STATLG has session laws 1789-presentWestlaw filename PL has current session, PL-OLD has 1973-2008, US-STATLRG has 1789-1972.Source for Older U.S. CodeHeinOnline also has PDFs of all the older editions of the official U.S. Code.U.S. Code AnnotatedPublished by West Publishing.Text taken from U.S. Code.Updated with annual pocket parts, quarterly pamphlet service, and USCCAN. Replacement volumes published as needed.Westlaw filename USCA (updated constantly).USCA on WestlawU.S. Code ServicePublished by LexisNexis.Text taken from Statutes at Large.Updated by annual pocket parts, monthly pamphlet service. Replacement volumes published as needed.Lexis filename USCS (constantly updated).USCS on LexisAnnotated Code FeaturesUSCS and USCA include research references to law review articles, treatises, ALR, etc. (USCS has more references to administrative rules.) They also include extensive case annotations.Both contain annotations for U.S. Constitution and federal court rules. USCA has court rules under T.28, USCS in separate volumes. (USCS also has rules of administrative procedure.)Good introduction to federal statutory research:Law Librarians’ Society of Washington D.C. Legislative