Research Guides: Legal Research for Paralegals: Federal Legal Research

Federal Legal Sources Online

Westlaw This link opens in a new window
WestLaw is a collection of law-related resources. It includes important analytical sources, such as Am Jur 2d and the ALR's, as well as law reviews and journals. Primary Law Sources are also included, such as the United States Code Annotated (USCA or US Code), Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and the Federal Register, as well as state statutes and regulations, and all federal and state cases. Note: Previously known as WestlawNext. This resource must be access on-campus or while connected to a campus VPN.
HeinOnline Academic This link opens in a new window
HeinOnline Academic is a government document and legal research database. It contains comprehensive coverage from inception of U.S. statutory materials, U.S. Congressional Documents and the US Congressional Serial Set, 2600+ scholarly journals, all of the world's constitutions, all U.S. treaties, collections of classic treatises and presidential documents, and access to the full text of state and federal case law, and U.S. Supreme Court cases, powered by Fastcase Premium. This resource also provides access to special collections on Criminal Justice, Executive Privilege, History, Foreign Relations, Religion and the Law, Women and the Law, American Indian Law, Civil Rights and Social Justice, COVID-19 in America, GAO Reports and Comptroller General Decisions, the Electoral College, Military and Government, Air and Space Law, and a special collection on Impeachment.

Corpus Juris Secundum (CJS)
Call Number: KF154 .C15
Words and Phrases
Call Number: KF156 .W6
Permanent ed. 1658 to date. All judicial constructions and definitions of words and phrases by the State and Federal courts from the earliest times, alphabetically arranged and indexed. Great resource to use as a reference to find the official name of a law when you know the commonly used name. Also, gives citations to cases that use particular words or phrases.

West's Federal Reporter : Cases Argued and Determined in the United States Courts of Appeals and Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals
Call Number: KF105 .F42
This Reporter publishes cases by the United States Courts of Appeals and United States Court of Federal Claims. It is currently in its third series.
West's Federal Supplement
Call Number: KF105 .F44
This is a case law reporter that includes select opions of US District Courts. It includes editor's annotations on these cases.

United States Statutes at Large
Call Number: KF50 .U5
This is the official source for laws and resolutions passed by Congress.
United States Code Annotated
Call Number: KF62 1926 .U53
Codified general law of the United States. This compilation has annotations from the editor.

Duke Law Federal Administrative Law Guide
Use this guide to become familar with Federal Administrative Law.
Reginfo.gov
Explains processes and links to calendar of upcoming proposed regulations.
Federal Register
The daily publication of the rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, along with executive orders. Online coverage: 1936 - present.

Official Reports of the Supreme Court.
Call Number: KF101 .U5a V.539 PT.1
Commonly referred to as United States Reports (abbreviated for citation purposes as U.S.) This version is the official reporter for the Supreme Court of the United States.

The call number above represents the beginning of the United States Reports. They are located in the Reference stacks.
Index: Digest of United States Supreme Court reports.
Call Number: KF101.1 .D5
Find case by name: Use the Table of Cases
Case Finding by Subject: Use the "Descriptive Word Index" then the West Key Number volume.