FREE/LOW-COST LEGAL RESEARCH DATABASES
Check with your local libraries (public and/or academic) for their subscription database services. Many Oregon county law libraries provide free access to legal research databases. Researchers whose own public libraries do not offer the databases needed can find libraries in other communities that allow non-residents to apply for membership for a nominal fee and then have access to databases. One of the most popular of those is the New York Public Library, but other libraries offer similar fee-based research services to non-residents.
Georgetown University Law Library Free/Low Cost Legal Research
The first part of this guide provides an overview and links to different types of free materials and the second part summarizes the features and costs of less expensive databases.
HeinOnline
HeinOnline is a specialized legal research database. Remote access is free for anyone with a public library card from any Washington County Cooperative Library Services(WCCLS) member library. To access the database with your library card: link to WCCLS; under Online Resources, click on the Government/Law link; follow the instructions there to log onto HeinOnline.
(Residents who live in Multnomah, Clackamas, or Hood River counties in Oregon, or reside in the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District or the City of Camas in Washington, may obtain a WCCLS library card without paying a non-resident fee. Call your local public library for more details.
Thomas (Library of Congress)
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php
The Library of Congress THOMAS site is the source for federal legislative information. THOMAS provides several options for finding bills, resolutions, and legislative histories from 1973 to the present. THOMAS is also the source for presidential nominations, treaties, committee reports, and other legislative resources.
University of Washington Law Library’s Guide to Low-Cost Legal Databases
http://lib.law.washington.edu/ref/lowcostcalr.html
This guide describes three low-cost online legal services that are available to current UW School of Law students and faculty and that may be available to other legal researchers.
LEGAL RESEARCH GUIDES
Georgetown University (D.C.) Law Library’s Research Guides
http://www.law.georgetown.edu/library/
Find databases and research guides by name, description, or topic.
Library of Congress (LOC) Guide to Law Online
http://www.loc.gov/law/help/guide.php
The Guide to Law Online, prepared by the Law Library of Congress Public Services Division, is an annotated guide to sources of information on government and law available online. It includes selected links to useful and reliable sites for legal information.
Zimmerman’s Research Guide
http://law.lexisnexis.com/infopro/zimmermans/
An online encyclopedia for legal researchers.
FEDERAL RESOURCES
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionCfr.action?collectionCode=CFR
Federal Courts
http://www.uscourts.gov/Home.aspx
Internal Revenue Service
Law Library of Congress
United States Bankruptcy Court – District of Oregon
United States Code
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionUScode.action?collectionCode=USCODE
United States Courts for the 9th Circuit
United States District Court – Oregon
OTHER LEGAL RESEARCH AND REFERENCE RESOURCES:
American Bar Association
http://www.americanbar.org/aba.html
Better Business Bureau
Catalaw
CataLaw is the catalog of catalogs of worldwide law on the Internet. It aids legal research by arranging all indexes of law and government into a uniform, universal and unique metaindex.
Findlaw
Findlaw provides legal information, lawyer profiles and a community to help you make the best legal decisions.
Jurist
Law news and legal research in real-time, reported and edited by law students and faculty at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
L-net: Oregon Libraries Network
http://www.oregonlibraries.net/
Oregon’s statewide digital reference service where librarians are available 24/7 for both legal and non-legal reference questions via chat, text, and email.
NOLO Press
Nolo is a self-help legal publisher committed to making legal information accessible to all. Their site gives access to high-quality books, software, legal forms, an online lawyer directory, articles, and other kinds of free legal information.
Pro Se Law Center
A resource center on self-representation in civil legal matters, the Pro Se Law Center provides a collection of materials and resources that can be used to create legal service delivery systems based on the concept of “pro se” or “self” representation within federally funded legal services programs, courts, pro bono programs, and other community-based programs.