LibGuides: Federal Statutes and Legislative Information: US Codes

Research Checklist - Codes

Research Checklist:

1. Analyze your legal problem and come up with relevant search terms.

2. Use a full-text search engine or an index (print or online) to find relevant statutory sections.

3. Read statutory sections and pertinent annotations, if in an annotated code (U.S.C.S. or U.S.C.A.).

4. Look for cross-references or other applicable sections, such as definitions.

5. Update the statutory section.

a. Use KeyCite or Shepard's to make sure there hasn't been negative treatment of the statute.

b. Double-check for any new legislation by checking the Office of Law Revision Counsel's Classification Tables.

6. Review Secondary Sources for better understanding of the legal issues.

USC General Index

Print: Available for the offical U.S.C., the U.S.C.S. and the U.S.C.A.

Lexis.com path: Legal > Federal Legal - U.S. > Find Statutes, Regulations, Administrative Materials & Court Rules > United States Code Service (USCS) Materials > United States Code Service - Titles 1 through 51 - Index

Westlaw Classic database identifier: USCA-IDX
Westlaw path: Home > Statutes & Court Rules > United States Code Annotated (USCA) > USCA Index or enter USCA Index in search box to find database

Online Resources for the U.S. Code

Online resources for the U.S. code.

Lexis This link opens in a new window
Provides current annotated text of U.S.C.S.
Personal password required
Lexis.com path: Legal > Federal Legal - U.S. > Find Statutes, Regulations, Administrative Materials & Court Rules > USCS - United States Code Service: Code, Const, Rules, Conventions & Public Laws
Prior versions of U.S. Code available on Lexis.com, not on LexisAdvance (as of Feb. 2014)

Lexis Advance: Use the Browse Sources feature to isolate the United States Code Service database.
Personal passwords are restricted by our contract to currently enrolled law students and law faculty only.
Westlaw This link opens in a new window
Provides current annotated U.S.C.A. and Constitution in one file

Westlaw Classic Database Identifier: USCA

Westlaw path: Home > Statutes & Court Rules > United States Code Annotated (USCA) or type USCA in search box to find database.
Personal passwords are restricted by our contract to currently enrolled law students and law faculty only.
U.S. Code This link opens in a new window
Text of the current official U.S. Code, as prepared by the Office of Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives. Includes a search engine for Code data and a sophisticated advanced searching option. This site also includes classification tables for current and previous Congresses, a Cite Checker, and access to USC prelim (advance posting of the next online version).
ProQuest Congressional Publications This link opens in a new window
Provides its own search interface to the official code.
BC Access: Resource is available via computers connected to the BC network. Off-campus access requires a BC username and password, and is available to the BC Community only (current students, faculty and staff.)
Bloomberg Law (BLAW) This link opens in a new window
Select Search & Browse > Legislative & Regulatory >United States Code (USC). Includes the current U.S. Code. Prior editions are available under Prior Annual Editions of the U.S. Code.
Registration Required. Register Online.

Archival Versions of the U.S. Code

Access archival versions of the U.S. code.

Lexis This link opens in a new window
Archival code files. USCS versions back to 1992.

Lexis.com path: Legal > Federal Legal - U.S. > Find Statutes, Regulations, Administrative Materials & Court Rules > United States Code Service (USCS) Materials > United States Code Service Materials (Archived)
Personal passwords are restricted by our contract to currently enrolled law students and law faculty only.
Westlaw This link opens in a new window
Archival code files. USCA versions back to 1990

Westlaw Classic Database Identifier: USCA[XX], for example USCA90)

Westlaw path: Home > Statutes & Court Rules > Historical Statutes > United States Code Annotated - Historical or type USCA historical into search box to find database.
Personal passwords are restricted by our contract to currently enrolled law students and law faculty only.

HeinOnline. U.S. Code
Includes United States Code dating back to 1925-1926 plus the complete collection of federal statute compilations prior to the US Code.
GovInfo U.S. Code
Official U.S.C. versions back to 1994

Federal Statutes and Legislative Information

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Research Checklist - Codes

USC General Index

Online Resources for the U.S. Code

Archival Versions of the U.S. Code