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University of Wyoming
 

Which database should I use?

Our databases page is broken up into the following categories: articles, citators, e-books, general primary law, and looseleafs.   See the A-Z list of databases for individual descriptions of each database.  This page first outlines databases suited for specific research tasks.  A chart is then provided comparing coverage and materials available in VersusLaw, Hein Online, LexisNexis Academic, and LLMC-Digital. 

To find an article from a legal publication

Hein Online is accessible from any UW computer and is presented in greater depth in the chart.  LegalTrac is available from any law school computer and includes only selected fulltext legal articles.   An advantage to LegalTrac is that you can limit your search to refereed articles.  Legal Scholarship Network and Bepress Legal Repository are both depositories for "open access" legal research.  The Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals will help you locate citations for publications with an international focus.  Legal Periodicals Retrospective is a great tool for locating older citations, particularly those between 1908-1981.

To citate law

Use one of our citators to see if your case or statute is still considered "good law".   Keycite and Shepards are only available on the three computers in library reference area.  Keycite is a Westlaw product and uses a flag system to warn you of bad law.  Shepards is a LexisNexis product and allows you to search for either validation or research purposes.

To read a treatise online

Hein Online, LLMC-Digital, and Making of Modern Law Treatises are all excellent databases for reading treatises online.  Hein Online includes American Law Institute publications, legal classics, and foreign and international law titles.  LLMC-Digital contains state, federal, and international titles.  The Making of Modern Law Treatises collection contains American and British historical works from 1800-1926.

To research primary law

Audio Case Files is unique in that it provides case law in a downloadable mp3 file. VersusLaw, Hein Online, LexisNexis Academic, and LLMC-Digital are addressed in the following chart. Loislaw extensively covers cases, statutes, rules, and administrative law for federal and state jurisdictions.  The UN Treaty Collection provides fulltext access to treaty documents.  The U.S. Congressional Serial Set leads you to house and senate documents and reports.  The U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs database gives you access to these hard to find records from 1832-1978.

To use electronic looseleafs

Looseleaf databases provide access to a breadth of materials on a given topic.  CCH Tax Research Network is available from any UW computer.  ELR and the BNA looseleafs are limited to law school computers.  Use LawTrio when wanting to search for available looseleafs by subject matter.

 

 

VersusLaw

Hein Online

LexisNexis Academic

LLMC-Digital

State Statutes

Statutes for 45 states, plus D.C.

annotation varies

 

Statutes for all states plus D.C. and three territories, annotated

 

State Attorney General Opinions

 

 

 Opinions for all states, coverage varies

Selected states, coverage varies

State Administrative Regulations

Regulations for 32 states, dates vary by state

 

 

 

Other State Materials

Constitutions (48 states) & Court Rules (33 states)

Session laws available for all states from 2000-

Constitution, Court Rules, & Legislative Service

Materials available vary by state

State Case Law

Coverage varies by state

 

Coverage varies by state

Coverage varies by state

Native American Tribal Law

Cases from 21 tribal courts,  dates vary by court

 

 

 Tribal constitutions and bylaws

 Legal Journals & Periodicals

 

Fulltext & extensive coverage in PDF form, (usually begins with vol. 1)

Fulltext & extensive coverage,  (more current)

Fulltext Cabinet department bulletins & selected military law titles

U.S. AG Opinions

 

Coverage from 1791-1982

Coverage from 1791-

Coverage from 1848 -1982

Federal Register

 

Coverage from 1936-

Coverage from 1980-

 

Presidential Documents

 

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, 1965-

Public Papers of the President, Weekly
Compilation of Presidential Documents 1979-

Extensive collection of presidential messages, addresses, papers, executive orders, & proclamations.

U.S. Federal-Executive

 

CFR,  Emergency CFR, Administrative Procedures Act, US Government Manual

CFR

Titles from any US federal department, agency, commission, or other rule-making & enforcement body

U.S. - Legislative

 

Congressional Record, American State Papers, Register of Debates, Statutes at Large (1789-)

Extensive Congressional texts

Statutes at Large, 1776-2001 (some gaps in coverage)

Federal District Court

Coverage varies by district

 

Coverage varies by district

Federal Reporter, First series

Federal Circuit Court

Coverage from 1930-

 

Coverage varies by circuit

 

U.S. Courts of Specialized Jurisdiction

 

 

Customs & Patent Appeals, Court of Int’l Trade, Tax Court, Commerce Court, + more

Customs & Patent Appeals, Court of Int’l Trade, Tax Court, Commerce Court, + more

U.S. Supreme Court

Coverage from 1886-

Coverage from 1754-2003

Coverage from 1790-

Coverage from 1790-

Treaties

 

TIAS, UST, Bevan’s, guides, indexes, & books (an extensive treaty library)

EU Treatises, US Treaties in Force

Collection of TIAS, Bevan’s, Miller’s,  & Treaties in Force

Foreign Jurisdictions

Australian courts

See extensive Foreign and International Law Resources link

Canadian, EU, & Commonwealth courts, Access individual countries via "Sources" tab)

Extensive list of countries, resources vary by country

Military Law

 

 

 

Military Laws & Compilations, Official Reports, British, European, & U.S. military treatises, military periodicals

 

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