Sources of Federal United States Law

Print:

Federal legal research (2015- Algero et al.) Call no.KF240 .F48 2015 -  Print - In Reference.

 

Electronic:

Guide to  Federal Courts Resources (updated 2015 - U.S. Dept. of Justice - Library Research Guide) - The best electronic guide to federal court materials official and unofficial - includes links to Legislative & Executive Branch materials and to all State courts as well. 

Online Research - Federal Courts & Case Law (updated 2017 - UCLA Law Library). Electronic sources only.

Guide to Federal Court Rules Research (2006, revised 2016 - Georgetown Law Library) - May include materials UCONN Law Library does not hold.

Here is a small selection of different types of guides available in the UCONN Law Library relevant to the Federal judiciary and courts.

• Barron & Dienes, Constitutional law in a nutshell (9th ed., 2017) Call no.KF4550 .B368 2017 - Print - on Reserve - See stacks for earlier editions at KF4550.Z9 B35 

• Veterans appeals guidebook (2013 - Smith, ed. - ABA) Call no. KF7713 .V48 2013 - Print.

• Guide to research in federal judicial history (2010 - Federal Judicial Center - electronic). Also available in print at call no. KF8700 .G86 2010.

• Hall & Ely, The Oxford guide to United States Supreme Court decisions (2009 - Print - Call no. KF4548 .O97 2009).

• Chipchase, Federal district court law clerk handbook (2007 - Print - Call no. KF8807 .C48 2007).

• Lemon, Federal Appellate Court law clerk handbook (2007 - Print - Call no. KF8807 .L35 2007).

• George, The courthouse door: A federal jurisdication guide (2002 - Print - Call no. KF8858 .G46 2002).

• Cohen & O'Connor, A guide to the early reports of the Supreme Court of the United States (1995 - Print at call no. KF101.8 .C64 1995 & Electronic PDF on HeinOnline [NetID may be required].

See also the resources on the Constitution on the Organic Laws page.

• The encyclopedia of United States Supreme Court reports (covers all cases up to volume 260 of the U.S. Reports - pub. 1908-1923- Michie) Electronic PDF [NetId may be required].

• Biographical dictionary of the Federal judiciary (2001- covers 1789-2000) - Print at Reference KF8700.A19 B49    Se also older (1976) Print at Call no. KF8775 B56 1976 - Obviously dated but useful up to mid-1970's.

• Encyclopedia of the American judicial system (1987 - Janosik, ed.) Call no. KF154 .E53 1987 - Print - in Reference.

• Urofsky, The Supreme Court justices: a biographical dictionary (1994) Call no. KF8744 .S859 1994 - Print - In Reference.

• Hall, Supreme Court justices: a biographical dictionary (2001) Call no. KF8744 H35 2001 - Print - In Reference.

Texts

• United States Supreme Court Records and Briefs, (1832-current -U.S.Supreme Court - Micro; 1832-1978 -  Electronic; 1975-2016 - Electronic(NetID may be required)
• Landmark briefs and arguments of the Supreme Court of the United States: Constitutional Law (1975-  Library has vols 1-338 - University Publicaton of America - Print - KF101.9 L36
• For official briefs and records of lower Federal Courts see Bloomberg Law - Dockets.
• Also see filings and briefs - click on entry when you are in case -  on Westlaw and on Lexis Advance.

Guides

• Whiteman & Scott, A Union List of Appellate Court Records and Briefs: Federal and State (1999 - Print - Call no. KF105 W49 1999 in Reference)
• Where to Find Briefs (October 2016, United States Supreme Court website)
• Records, Briefs & Oral Arguments LibGuide (updated 2016)

 

 

 

 

Below is a very selective list of treatises and legal periodicals that the UCONN Law Library holds that are relevant to researching the federal courts and practice. Click the Finding Other Research tab for techniques to help you find other relevant material in the UCONN Law Library.

Treatises:

• Wright & Miller - Federal Practice & Procedure - (1969-current - West) Call no. KF9619 .W7 in Reference - Print - See earlier editions in stacks -  Electronic on Westlaw [Id required]

• Moore's Federal Practice (1997-- Bender) Call no. KF8840 .M662  - Print - Up to date to 2013 only. See earlier editions too - Electronic - Civil & Criminal on Lexis Advance [Id required]

• Tribe, American Constitutional Law (3d ed., 2000-  ) Call No.# KF4550 .T785 2000 - Print - See earlier editions as well.

• Rotunda & Nowack, Treatise on constitutional law: substance and procedure (5th ed., 2012-2013) Call no. KF4550 .R63 2012 on Reserve - Print - See earlier editions in stacks. Electronic (2010-   ) on Westlaw [Id required]

Legal Periodicals:

• United States Law Week (1933-current - BNA) Call no. KF101 .U5 - Print (Library holdings begin with v.49 (1980), lacking volumes and issues) - Electronic (1997- current) [NetId may be required]. Also on Boomberg Law [ID required]

• The Supreme Court review (1960-current - U. of Chicago) Call no. K23 U68 - Print & Electronic PDF.

• Supreme Court economic review (1982-current, pub. suspended 1984-1992- formerly Emory University & U. of Chicago, now George Mason University) Call no. K23 U66 - Print - Electronic PDF.[NetId may be required]

• Journal of Supreme Court history (1998-current - Supreme Court Historical Society) Call No. KF8741 .A15 S87 - Print - Electronic PDF

• The federal courts law review (1998- current - Federal Magistrate Judges Association) Call no. K6 .E33 - Electronic only.

• Cato Supreme Court review (2002-current - Cato Institute) Call No. K3 .A87 - Print - Electronic PDF.

• The federal courts law review (2006-current -  Charleston School of Law) Call no. K6 .E335 - Electronic only.

• The third branch: newlsletter of the federal courts (1968-May 2012 - Administration of the Federal Courts) Call no.KF8700.A16 T45 -  Print/Micro - Library lacks issues and volumes -  Electronic  (complete holdings) . Replaced  by USCourts.gov (official website).

Websites

• United States Courts (official webstie) - see tabs for: Federal Courts, Rules & Policies, Judges & Judgeships (includes biographies), Statistics, etc.

• Each court has its own website. Use the Federal Courts Finder at the above site, or link from the DOJ Resource Guide listed in box above

• Legal Information Institute (LII) at Cornell - excellent site for Supeme Court and other federal court materials.

• Justia US Law - Has unofficial and official texts of Supreme Court and Federal Appellate court case opinions. Has useful chronological Federal Appeallate case finder.

Databases

• PACER - Dept. of Justice database for Federal Courts below the U.S. Supreme Court.[login by Reference Librarian required] Prefer using Dockets on Bloomberg Law [Id required].

• HeinOnline United States Supreme Court Library - Electronic PDF - Case reports, books and periodials.

• Proquest Supreme Court insight (1975-2016 cases with briefs, dockets, joint appendices, etc). - Electronic - [NetId may be required]

• BNA Bankruptcy Law Resource Center (Bloomberg Law BNA - Electronic) Includes court directory, commercial and consumer bankrutcy materials, annotated code sections related to bankruptcy, and the case reporter. [NetID may be required]

• Lexis Advance, Westlaw & Bloomberg Law - Wonderful subscription database resources for finding Federal Court materials including both published and unpublished case opinons and judgments, briefs and other filings [ID required]

This list is of case reporters and digests that the UCONN Law Library holds and is not a complete listing of all reporters and digests for these courts. It also may not include all electronic texts the Law Library has access to. Consult the catalog for a complete listing of holdings.

United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (formerly United States Court of Military Appeals)

Case Reporters

• Decisions of the United States Court of Military Appeals vols.1-24, 1951-1975 - Call no. KF7605.A2 A513 - Print.

• Court-martial reports: holdings and decisions of the Judge Advocates General, Boards of Review, and United States Court of Military Appeals (cases 1951-1975, pub 1951/2-1974/5 - Lawyers Co-Operative) Call no. KF7605.A2 A512 - Print & Electronic on LLMC Digital [NetId may be required]

• West's Military Justice Reporter - continues Decisions of the United States Court of Appeals - 1975/6-  Call no. KF7605.A2 W4 - Print - Library has only vols.1-31 - Electronic on Westlaw [ID required]

Digests

• Tedrow, Digest: annotated and digested opinions, U.S. Court of Military Appeals (5th ed., covers all opinion to Feb. 1959, pub. 1959 - Stackpole) Call no. KF7605.A2 A514 - Print - Has 1 volume supplement. Also Electronic on HeinOnline Legal Classics Library [NetId may be required]

• Digest of Opinions: the Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, 1912-1940 Call no. KF7636 .U5 1940 Electronic PDF on LLMC Digital [NetId may be required] -  Selected cases from United States Court of Military Appeals and other military courts.

 

United States Bankruptcy Courts

Case Reporters

• West's Bankruptcy Reporter vol.1 (1980)- v. 518 (2015) - Call no. KF1515.A2 W47 - Print - Electronic on Westlaw [ID required]

• CCH Bankruptcy Law Reporter - Call no. KF1520 .C65 1979 - Print - Library has 1979-2006 - Electronic - 2009-current - on Westlaw [ID required]

• BNA's Bankruptcy Law Reporter, 1989-current - Electronic - Bloomberg Law [ID required]

Digest

• West's Bankruptcy Digest ( 2d series, pub. 1988-current but Law Library subscription canceled 2013 - West) Call no. KF1515.A2 W532 1988 - Print - cumulative.

United States Court of Claims

Case Reporters

• Reports from the Court of Claims submitted to the House of Representatives (cases 1855-1862, pub. 1856-1862 - Wendell) Call no. KF125.C6 U51- Print; Electronic - LLMC Digital [NetId may be required]

• Reports of the Committees of the House of Representatives and the Court of Claims (1855 (vol.1)-1863 (vol.18) - USGPO) Electronic - HeinOnline U.S. Federal Agency Documents [NetId may be requried]

• Cases Decided in the United States Court of Claims (cases 1863-1982, pub. 1867-1982 - USGPO) Call no. KF125.C6 U52 - Print.

• Cases Decided in the United States Court of Claims (cases 1863-1949, pub. 1867-1949 - Morrison) Call no. KF125.C6 U52 - Electronic - LLMC Digital [NetId may be required].

• Cases Decided in the United States Court of Claims...with report of decision of the Supreme Court (cases 1949-1982, pub. 1949-1983 - USGPO) - Electronic - LLMC Digita; Also HathiTrust [NetId may be required].

• Court of Claims Reports  (cases 1863-1982, pub.1867-1982 - Morrison)  -  Electronic - LLMC Digital; Also HeinOnline American Indian Law Collection [NetId may be required]

• United States Claims Court Reporter (cases 1983-1992, pub. 1983-1992 - West) Call no. KF125.C6 U53 - Print - Electronic on Westlaw [ID required].

• Federal Claims Reporter (cases 1992-current - West) Call no. KF125.C6 U53 - Print - Electronic on Westlaw [Id required].

Digests

• Stull, Digest of decisions of the United States Court of Claims reported in volumes 1-64, inclusive,... (pub. 1929 - Callaghan) Call no. KF125.C6 U522 - Print; Electronic HeinOnline Legal Classics [NetId may be required].

• Digest of decisions of the Court of Claims reported in volumes 65-75, inclusive, of the Court of Claims Reports (pub.1933 - Callaghan) - Electronic- HeinOnline Legal Classics [NetId may be required].

• Digest of decisions of the Court of Claims reported in volumes 76-89, inclusive, of the Court of Claims Reports (pub. 1940 - Callaghan?) -   Electronic - HeinOnline Legal Classics [NetId may be required].

• United States Federal Claims Digest (Library has 1990-2013 - West) Call no. KF125.C6 U532 - Print.

 

United States Court of International Trade (formerly United States Court of Customs)

Case Reporters

• Treasury Decisions under Customs and other laws (pub.1898-1966 - GPO) Electronic - LLMC Digital, HeinOnline U.S. Federal Agency Documents [NetId may be requried] - 1915 on has abstracts of Court of Customs decisions.

• Treasury Decisions under Customs and other laws (Library has vols 7-101, cases 1904-1966, pub. 1904-1967 - GPO) Call no. KF6687.A2 C798 - Print - 1915 on has abstracts of Court of Customs decisions.

• United States Custom Court Reports (cases 1938-1980, pub. 1939-1981 -  USGPO) Call no. KF125.C82 C87 - Print - Electronic- LLMC Digital, HeinOnline U.S. Federal Agency Documents [NetId may be required].

• United States Court of International Trade Reports (cases1980/1-current[2008], pub. 1982-current - USGPO ) Call no. KF6685 .A232 - Print - Electronic - LLMC Digital, HeinOnline U.S. Federal Agency Documents [NetId may be required]. 

• United States Court of International Trade [slip opinons] (1980-current - Court) Electronic.

Digest

• Customs Law Digest (cases 1910-1960 - Bobbs-Merrill) Call no. KF125 .C83 - Print

 

United States Court of Veterans Appeals Claims (formerly Court of Veterans Appeals)

Case Reporters

• United States Court of Veteran Appeals [slip opinions] (1989-2006  Court) Electronic.

• United States Court Appeals for Veterans Claims [slip opinions] (1989- 2006 - Court) Electronic.

• West's veterans appeals reporter (cases 1991-current, pub. 1992-current - West) Call no. KF7705.A2 W47 - Print - Includes cumulative digest - Electronic on Westlaw [ID required].
• United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims: decisions and opinions (2007- current - Court) Electronic.

 

United States Tax Court (formerly Board of Tax Appeals)

Case Reporters

• Reports of the United States Board of Tax Appeals (cases 1924-1942, pub. 1926-1943 - GPO) Call no. KF6280.A2 T37 - Print - Electronic - LLMC Digital, HeinOnline U.S. Agency Documents [NetId may be required].

• Reports of the Tax Court of the United States - continues above title - (cases v.1(1942)- v.(53)1969, pub.1942-1969 - USGPO) Call no. KF6280.A2 T37 - Print - Electronic LLMC Digital, HeinOnline U.S. Federal Agency Documents [NetId may be required]

• Reports of the United States Tax Court - continues above title - (Thomas, et al, reporters - Library has v.54(1970-current, lacks some volumes, pub. 1971?- current - USGPO) Call no. KF6280.A2 T37 - Print - [all volumes]  Electronic- LLMC Digital, HeinOnline U.S. Federal Agency Documents [NetId may be required].

Digest

• Moore, Tax Court Digest (cases 1924-1968, pub.1951-1968 - Bobbs-Merrill) Call no. KF6324 .A4 1951 - Print - Electronic - HathiTrust [NetId may be required].

Note that these are reporters, rules and digests available to you through the UCONN Law Library and the list does not purport to be a comprehensive listing of all such reporters, rules and digests.

Case Reporters

U.S. Supreme Court - includes all cases

• United States Reports (cited as U.S.) - Call no.KF101 .A212 - Print  Electronic  (official).

• Cases argued and decided before the U.S. Supreme Court (cited as L.Ed.)  cases to 1955 - Call no.KF101 .A313  Print - U.S. Supreme Court Reports, Lawyers Ed (cited as L.Ed.). cases 1956-current  - Call no. KF101 .A313 - Print -  Electronic of both on Lexis Advance [ID required] (unofficial).

• Supreme Court Reporter (cited as S.C.) cases to 1984 - Call no KF101 .A32 Print & West's Supreme Court Reporter (cited as S.C.) cases 1984-current - Call no. KF101 .A322 - Print - Electronic of both  on Westlaw [ID required] (unofficial).

Federal Courts of Appeal - includes only selected cases 

• Federal Reporter, 1st & 2d series to vol 830  (cited as F. & F2d) - cases to1988 - Call no. KF105 .F42 - Print & Electronic- LLMC Digital [NetId may be required - Electronic on Westlaw [ID required]

• West's Federal Reporter, 2d series vols 831-999 & 3d series vol 1-current  (cited as F.2d & F.3d) cases 1988-current - Call no. KF105 .F42 - Print - Electronic on Westlaw [ID required]

Federal District Courts - includes only a small percentage of cases heard

• Federal Supplement 1st series vols1-670 (cited as F. Supp.) cases to 1988 - Call no. KF120 .F42 - Print - Electronic on Westlaw [ID required]

• West's Federal Supplement, 1st series vols 671-999 & 2d series vols 1-current (cited as F. Supp & F. Supp. 2d) cases 1989-current - Call no.KF120 .F42 - Print - Electronic on Westlaw [ID required]

Court Rules & Rules of Procedure

• Guide to Federal Courts Resources (updated to 2015, DOJ Library Research Guide) -  Links to current rules for each federal court

• United States Courts - Rules & Policies (official website)  - current & pending rules of procedure - Electronic

Case Digests -  Provide subject access to case law for particular courts or jurisdictions

Supreme Court Digests

• United States Supreme Court Digest , 1754 to date (subscription ended 2013 - West) Call no. KF101.1 .U55 - Print.

• Digest of United States Supreme Court Reports (subscription ended 2014 - Lexis) Call no. KF101.1 .D5 - Print.

Federal Practice Digests - Covers cases reported in the Federal Reporter series and the Federal Supplement series

• Modern Federal Practice Digest (pub.1960-1972) Call no. KF127 .F3 - Print.

• West's Federal Practice Digest, 2d (pub.1976-1982) Call no. KF127 .F31 - Print.

• West's Federal Practice Digest. 3d (pub.1984-1987) Call no. KF127 .F31 - Print.

• West's Federal Practice Digest, 4th (pub.1989-2012) Call no. KF127 .F31 - Print.

• West's Federal Practice Digest, 5th (subscription ended 2013) Call no. KF127 .F31 - Print.