Circulating and reference collections at Middletown Thrall Library contain a variety of books and electronic resources covering all aspects of New York State, Federal, and international law.

At Thrall, law is classified according to the numerical "Dewey Decimal System" and can be found in the "340s" section of our nonfiction collections. To find them, just browse the nonfiction aisles until you reach the number 340.

• 340 Law - General
• 341 International Law
• 342 Constitutional Law, Administrative Law
• 343 Industrial, Military, Taxation, and Trade Laws
• 344 Labor and Social Laws
• 345 Criminal Law
• 346 Private Law
• 347 Court Systems and Civil Procedures
• 348 Legal Cases, Regulations, and Statutes
• 349 Laws of Specific Jurisdictions

In addition to this, many legal reference titles can be located in our Reference Department at Middletown Thrall Library.

Please feel free to ask a librarian for assistance or for recommendations based on your personal reading preferences.

Academic Freedom Administrative Agencies Administrative Law Advertising Laws Agricultural Laws and Legislation Animal Rights Appellate Procedure Artists -- Legal Status, Laws Assembly, Right of Asylum, Right of Attorney and Client Banking Law Bills, Legislative Building Laws Business Law Children's Rights Civil Procedure Civil Rights Commercial Law Common Law Compensation Law Constitutional Amendments Constitutional Law Constitutions Copyright Corporation Law Courts Courts of Last Resort Criminal Investigation Criminal Law Culture and Law Democracy Discrimination Discrimination in Law Enforcement Divorce Divorce -- Law and Legislation Education Law Emigration and Immigration Law Eminent Domain Employee Rights Environmental Law Equality Equality Before the Law Ethics Executive Privilege Fair Use (Copyright) Federal Aid to Law Enforcement Agencies Firearms -- Law and Legislation Fishery Law and Legislation Forms (Law) Freedom Freedom of Association Freedom of Expression Freedom of Information Freedom of Religion Freedom of Speech Freedom of the Press Gay Rights Government and the Press Governmental Investigations Human Rights

Inheritance and Succession Intellectual Property International Law Islamic Law Issues and the Law Jewish Law Judge-made Law Judges Judicial Power Judicial Process Judicial Review Jurisdiction Jurisprudence Justice Law Law -- Cases Law -- Dictionaries Law -- History Law -- Language Law -- Quotations Law -- Study and Teaching Law -- Terminology Law -- United States Law -- United States -- Periodicals Law -- Vocational Guidance Law and Art Law and Ethics Law and Politics Law Anecdotes Law Enforcement Law enforcement -- United States Law enforcement -- Vocational Guidance Law Firms Law Firms -- Fiction Law New York State Law Reform Law reports, digest, etc. -- New York State Law reports, digests, etc. -- United States Law School Admission Test Law Schools Law Schools -- Admission Law Schools -- Directories Law Students Law Teachers Lawyers Legal Aid Legal Assistants Legal Composition Legal Documents Legal Drama Legal Ethics Legal Research Legal Services Corporation Legal Stories Legislation Legislators Legislators -- Biography Legislators -- Fiction Liability (Law) Libel and Slander

Maritime Law Marriage -- Annulment Marriage Law Natural Law Parliamentary Practice Pasture, Right of Patent Laws and Legislation Police Political Science Practice of Law Press Law Privacy, Right of Probate Law and Practice Procedure Law Public Defenders Public Welfare Religion and Law Right of Private Property Right of Property Right of Way Right to Counsel Right to Die Right to Health Care Rights of Man Science and Law Self-incrimination Separation (Law) Separation of Powers Sex and Law Sociological Jurisprudence Suffrage Teaching, Freedom of Technology and Law Telecommunication -- Law and Legislation United States -- Appropriations and Expenditures United States. Congress. Senate. United States Supreme Court Violence War and Emergency Powers Women Legislators

These are some of the many databases available to you as a member of Middletown Thrall Library:

Gale Legal Forms

NOVEL NY Database available to NYS residents.

Virtual Reference Library: Law

Available to members of Middletown Thrall Library.

WestlawNext Patron Access

Available only at Middletown Thrall Library.

Also be sure to explore our general research databases and complete encyclopedias for more information.

If at any point you would like some assistance, please call our librarians at 341-5461 or use our Ask a Librarian service

Below you will find a select list of legal reference titles available to you at Middletown Thrall Library. Since these books cannot be borrowed, they are always available to researchers at the library.

Call numbers follow each title to indicate where you can find these items in our collections. Some items are located in or near the Government Documents shelves. A librarian can help you locate what you need.

Please select a topic scroll down this page to browse titles:

FedLaw

This site links to legal home pages that actually maintain the information. As its name suggests, FedLaw primarily includes links to federal laws, rules, and regulations, federal judicial decisions, and general research and reference sources. It is nicely presented with explanatory information as needed. The topical and title index, an alphabetical listing, not a search engine, is comprehensive and a good place to start research. The original FedLaw site has undergone large scale changes with information relocated in two different sites. FedLaw has been moved to the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness. Also, the USA.gov website covers much of the same information that was found in the original FedLaw, namely links to federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and general research and reference sources.

Govinfo

Govinfo is GPO's official system provides free online access to official publications a from all three branches (Executive, Legislative and Judicial) of the Federal Government. Access is given to publications like the Federal Register, Congressional Record, the US Code, the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and many other important documents. To to see what is available, please follow this link. An A to Z listing is also available via this link.

FindLaw

Findlaw.com is an extensive award winning directory to online legal information. In its redesigned form Findlaw targets four different user groups under the major headings of: Legal Professionals, Students, Business and the Public. Within each major category users can search offerings by jurisdiction, legal subject or by using a primary or secondary materials distinction.

Internet Legal Research Group - Directory of Law Journals and Publications

A well-designed, easy-to-use index by category of 3100+ web sites. It is particularly strong with respect to law-student topics with indexes for student services, legal studies, law journals, law-school rankings, and directories. The main index features academia, the legal profession, and USA research-federal and state.

Nolo

A wide selection of free information on everyday legal topics. Includes a law dictionary, encyclopedia (Nolopedia), calculators, FAQs and guides to finding statutes and laws.

Foreign and International Law Sources on the Internet: Annotated

"Links to a collection of research guides prepared by Cornell Law Library about foreign and international law."

International Court of Justice or World Court

"The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Haque (Netherlands)." Site includes function, composition and procedure of the court as well as information on pending cases.

Marshall Library Foreign Law Guide

This research guide focuses on the topic of foreign law, helping users locate information on secondary sources, legal treatises, legal periodicals, constitutional documents, case law, and other sources of use regarding international law.

Administrative Law - Regulations & Regulatory Law
Regulations and Regulatory Law

Administrative Law Guide

Introduction to regulatory law from the Library of Congress.

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

The CFR is the codification of the general and permanent rules published by Executive departments and agencies of the Federal government. The CFR is divided into 50 titles which represent broad subject areas subject to Federal regulation. The majority of titles are available online. Search this database by keyword within the books available and by citation. Proposed regulations and rules adopted so recently that they are not yet in the CFR may be found in the Federal Register (1994-) which is the official, daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as Executive Orders and other Presidential documents. Search by sections, issue, date, and key words.

Federal Register

"The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents."

RegInfo.gov

Described as "a public resource for information about Federal regulation." Includes the Current Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Information Service Center (RISC).

Regulations.gov

"Regulations.gov is your source for U.S. government regulations and related documents. On this site you can find, read and comment on documents. Share your knowledge and make your voice count."

Case Law

Caselaw Access Project (CAP)

"CAP includes all official, book-published United States case law - every volume designated as an official report of decisions by a court within the United States. Our scope includes all state courts, federal courts, and territorial courts for American Samoa, Dakota Territory, Guam, Native American Courts, Navajo Nation, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Our earliest case is from 1658, and our most recent cases are from 2018. Each volume has been converted into structured, case-level data broken out by majority and dissenting opinion, with human-checked metadata for party names, docket number, citation, and date." From Harvard Law School Library and partners.

See also:

CAP Search

"Searching U.S. caselaw published through mid-2018."

Court Locator

From the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, this webpage provides an interactive map-based directory of the Federal Circuit Courts, linking to "court websites, rules, Federal court statistics and publications."

Google Scholar: Search Case Law

At Google Scholar select the radio button "Legal Opinions and Journals". Coverage US state appellate and supreme court cases since 1950, US federal district, appellate, tax and bankruptcy courts since 1923 and US Supreme Court cases since 1791. Advanced Scholar Search to the right of the search button allows you to search by jurisdiction and date.

Supreme Court Decisions (Cornell)

Supreme Court Decisions from Cornell's Legal Information Institute are available from May 1990-. This site provides the court's own electronic dissemination project called "Project Hermes" which provides a free current awareness service of decisions handed down within hours after their release. Searchable by party name, topically, and from the current term by date.

Supreme Court Decisions (Findlaw)

Supreme Court Decisions from FindLaw are available since 1893-. This is browseable by year and US Reports volume number. Searchable by citation, case title, and full text.

Code

Constitution

The site at the Library of Congress includes useful background information on the creation and interpretation of this document.

Popular Names of Acts in the US Code

Popular name tables for Public Laws and Acts in the US Code. Provided by Cornell University Law School. They also explain how this works at this link.

United States Code

The United States Code database from GPO Access contains the searchable text of current general and permanent public laws enacted by Congress. Titles are updated periodically and titles are current through 2000 edition. Searchable by title, section, field, and topic.

United States Constitution

Another source for the Constitution and its attendant debates (Madison Debates) is from the Avalon Project of Yale University.

Legislative Information - Bills, Laws, Legislative History

Congress.gov

Congress.gov is the online database of United States Congress legislative information. Congress.gov is a joint project of the Library of Congress, the House, the Senate and the Government Publishing Office. Included in Congress.gov: All information regarding bills and resolutions, The Congressional Record (including the daily digest), presidential nominations, treaties and appropriations.

U.S. Legislative Information Sources on the Internet

Sections include: Status Of Legislation and Legislative Histories, Text of Congressional Bills, Committee Publications, Committee Schedules, Floor Proceedings, Floor Schedules & Journals, Floor Votes, Presidential Statements, Laws, Miscellaneous Information About Congress, Directories of Members of the U.S. Congress, Biographical and Political Information About Members, Campaign Finance Contributions, Guides to Researching Legislation. Provided by Bowling Green State University .

Legal Process

The House Explained: The Legislative Process

Provided by the U.S. House of Representatives.

How Laws Are Made

An introduction to the legislative process from "Ben's Guide to the Government." Provided by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO).

Learning About the Legislative Process

Sections include: Enactment of a Law, Riddick's Senate Procedure, Guide to Senate Legislative Processes, Nominations, Treaties, Filibuster and Cloture. Provided by the U.S. Senate.

How to Find Laws, Acts, or Statutes

Provided by the U.S. Senate.

The Legislative Process

Videos and transcripts explaining the legislative process. Includes:

1. Overview of the Legislative Process 5:09
2. Introduction and Referral of Bills 3:19
3. Committee Consideration 3:39
4. Calendars and Scheduling 2:35
5. House Floor 3:53
6. Senate Floor 4:17
7. Executive Business in the Senate 1:59
8. Resolving Differences 3:29
9. Presidential Actions 1:58

See also: Learn about the Legislative Process, a collection of booklets, educational resources, and research guides. From Congress.gov.

Senate Virtual Reference Desk: Legislation

Sections include: Finding Legislation, Legislative Process, Senate's Role, Compiling a Legislative History, and related items.

Rules of the House of Representatives

Provided by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). See also: House Practice: A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House.

Case Law (U.S. Federal)

Cornell University Law School: The Supreme Court

Recent decisions, an archive of decisions, and more. Browse by topic or date. You can also search.

Courts - Directories

Findlaw: Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

The OYEZ Project - Northwestern University

U.S. Supreme Court Cases can be searched by title, citation, party name or date using FindLaw. Selected case abstracts present the "facts of the case," "questions presented", and "conclusion". The Oyez Case Directory is sorted by subject and includes the top twenty most popular cases. It is a multimedia database of additional information about the US Supreme Court. It contains 2000+ hours of oral arguments in key constitutional cases, and all cases since 1995. It also presents a panoramic virtual tour of the Supreme Court building of the Supreme Court building and a wealth of information about the current justices as well as all previous justices in US history. Lists of justices are arranged both alphabetically and in order of their appointment.

PBS: The Supreme Court

This website is no longer maintained, but still contains many informational videos, justice biographies, and explanations of landmark cases as well as resources for educators including lesson plans and a helpful discussion guides.

Pronouncing Dictionary of the Supreme Court of the United States

"The purpose of the Pronouncing Dictionary of United States Supreme Court cases is to help conscientious lawyers, judges, teachers, students, and journalists correctly pronounce often-perplexing case names." Cases up to 2011. From Yale Law School.

Reference Works in Print at Thrall

Administrative Law, Case Law, Code, The Constitution of the United States, Legislative Information (Bills, Laws, Legislative History), and more.

The Supreme Court Database

"The Supreme Court Database is the definitive source for researchers, students, journalists, and citizens interested in the U.S. Supreme Court. The Database contains over two hundred pieces of information about each case decided by the Court between the 1953 and 2008 terms. Examples include the identity of the court whose decision the Supreme Court reviewed, the parties to the suit, the legal provisions considered in the case, and the votes of the Justices." From Washington University in St. Louis.

The Supreme Court of the United States

Official website. Sections includes: About the Supreme Court, Constitution, Biographies of Current Justices, Members of the Supreme Court, The Supreme Court Building (PDF), Docket, Oral Arguments, Calendar, Hearing Lists, Visitor's Guide, Transcripts, Bar Admissions, Rules and Revisions to Rules, Case Handling Guides, Guide for Counsel, Latest Slip Opinions, In-Chambers Opinions, Orders of the Court, Journal, Speeches, Chief Justice's Year-End Reports on the Federal Judiciary, Contact Information and Telephone Numbers, Jobs and Career Opportunities, Fellows and Internships Programs.

Supreme Court Historical Society

Includes a Timeline of the Justices, videos of Historical Documentaries (Adobe Flash required), and more.

Supreme Court Nominations

Past and current presidential nominees. Provided by the Library of Congress.

Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Supreme Court Nomination Hearings (1971 - forward)

Transcripts and documents provided by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). Adobe Reader required.

United States Reports

"United States Reports is a series of bound case reporters that are the official reports of decisions for the United States Supreme Court. A citation to a United States Supreme Court decisions includes three elements that are needed to retrieve a case. For example, Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837 (1984). 467 indicates the volume in which the case is reported, U.S. indicates the abbreviation for U.S. Reports, 837 indicates the initial page number of the case, and 1984 indicates the year the case was decided. Early reports of U.S. Supreme Court decisions were named for the clerk who compiled them. U.S. Reports includes the content from these nominative reporters."

United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary

This Committee, among other duties, considers and conducts hearings on Presidential nominees for federal judges and Supreme Court Justices.

Cases

Decisions of the New York Court of Appeals

Recent Decisions (From January 1992) and Other Material From and About New York's Highest Court. Court decisions, sorted by name and date, searchable by topic and keyword. Includes Death Penalty cases, a history of the NY Court of Appeals, New York Civil Practice Laws and Rules, and biographical data on active judges.

FindLaw: New York

This portion of FindLaw offers information on New York cases, codes, regulations, governmental information, courts, legal directories, as well as law schools, news, and mailing lists. "Primary materials," such as the NYS Constitution and decisions from the NYS Court of Appeals are also available at this site.

Weekly Legislative Gazette

Brings you in-depth coverage of the New York State legislature, Executive Branch and State Agencies includes an e-Edition and archive copies.

New York State Office of the State Comptroller - Legal Opinions

"These opinions represent the views of the Office of the State Comptroller at the time they were rendered. The opinions may no longer represent those views if, among other things, there have been subsequent court cases or statutory amendments that bear on the issues discussed in the opinions."

Comprehensive

New York Court Help

This easy to navigate site is subtitled "a website for the self-represented", but it has broader appeal for any interested layman. It provides courthouse addresses, directions, telephone numbers,and information to locate the right court for your problem. Some common court forms are downloadable including family law, civil and divorce forms and useful booklets. Easy to understand answers to questions about law topics important to the public can be found here. Links to law libraries and a glossary of legal terms are also part of the website which is part of the larger New York State Courts' web site.

History

NYCRR Digital Archive

"The NYCRR Digital Archive provides free access to the superseded pages ("takeouts") of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations for the years 1945-2001 in pdf format. In order to use the NYCRR Digital Archive you must agree to the terms of use." The NYCRR Digital Archive is a collaborative project from the Charles B. Sears Law Library, University at Buffalo; the Appellate Division 4th Dept. Law Library, Rochester; and the New York State Supreme Court Law Library, Buffalo.

Laws

New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations (NYCRR)

"This site is powered by Thomson West and provides free access to an unannotated version of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR). The on-line version of the NYCRR is intended to provide the public with free access to the rules and regulations of New York State agencies. It is intended for informational purposes only."

New York State Laws

Consolidated Laws of New York including the Constitution and Court Rules. Clicking on Home will allow one to search for laws by chapter number or bill number.

Local Government in New York State

Municipal Codes on the Internet - New York State

New York State: Counties

This website lists the counties A-Z. When a specific county is chosen, all the facts are listed and municipalities of the county can also be chosen as a topic.

State and Local Government on the Net: New York

Created by Piper Resources, the State and Local Government On The Net Directory provides one stop access to state government and state agencies, city, town, village, and county government, commissions, boards, and libraries. Only pages that are controlled and managed by state and local government agencies are included.

See also County, City, Town, and Local Government in Orange County, New York as well as the Law section in our New York State information guide.

LLSDC's (Law Librarians' Society of Washington, D.C.,Inc.) Legislative Source Book: State Legislatures, State Laws and State Regulations

State legislatures, state laws and state regulations website links and telephone numbers.

State Statutes on the Internet

"State constitutions, statutes and related legislative information" are available at this site, which is part of the Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. You may browse by topic or state, access the full index of state resources, as well as search the U. S. Code and access "Bills, Hearings, Reports, and Other Material From and About the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives."

Cornwall, New York

Town of Cornwall, NY government website.

Goshen, New York

Town of Goshen, NY government website.

Hamptonburgh, New York

Town of Hamptonburgh, NY government website.

Highland Falls, New York

Town of Highlands, NY government website.

Middletown, New York

Town of Middletown, NY government home page with city charter, codes, local regulations, news, calendar, announcements, mayor, council, contact information, and more.

Monroe, New York

Town of Monroe, NY government website.

Montgomery, New York

Village of Montgomery government website.

New Windsor, New York

Town of New Windsor, NY government website.

Newburgh, New York

City of Newburgh, NY government website.

Newburgh, New York

Town of Newburgh, NY government website.

Orange County, New York

Orange County, NY local government website with links to individual county government agencies. Also includes news, announcements, and other local information.

Port Jervis, New York

City of Port Jervis, NY government website.

Town of Wallkill, New York

Town of Wallkill, NY government website.

Town of Wawayanda, New York

Town of Wawayanda, NY government website. See this link for their code.

Tuxedo, New York

Town of Tuxedo, NY government website.

Walden, New York

Village of Walden government website.

Warwick, New York

Town of Warwick government website.

Washingtonville, New York

Village of Washingtonville government website.

Woodbury, New York

Town of Woodbury government website.

For other local municipal (town / city) and county government websites throughout New York State please click here for the New York State: Local Government category.

Blawg Directory

"A comprehensive directory of continually updated law blogs." Browsable by Topic, Author Type, Region, or Law School."

Common Law

FindLaw.com's blog focuses on recent legislation as well as other legal news and laws.

Law Librarian Blog

Blog with numerous contributing editors (bloggers) from various university law libraries.

Law Library Blogs

"Originally created by Bonnie Shucha, University of Wisconsin Law School [and now] updated by Michael Robak, University of Illinois College of Law."

Courts

New York Court Help

This easy to navigate site is subtitled "a website for the self-represented", but it has broader appeal for any interested layman. It provides courthouse addresses, directions, telephone numbers,and information to locate the right court for your problem. Some common court DIY forms ("Do It Yourself") are downloadable, including family law, civil and divorce forms and useful booklets. Easy to understand answers to questions about law topics important to the public can be found here. Links to law libraries and a glossary of legal terms are also part of the website, which is part of the larger New York State Courts' website.

New York Court of Appeals

"The Court of Appeals, New York State's highest court, is composed of a Chief Judge and six Associate Judges, each appointed to a 14-year term. New York's highest appellate court was established to articulate statewide principles of law in the context of deciding particular lawsuits. The Court thus generally focuses on broad issues of law as distinguished from individual factual disputes. There is no jurisdictional limitation based upon the amount of money at stake in a case or the status or rank of the parties.".

New York State Unified Court System

Directory of state and local courts in New York State. Includes the Directory of New York State Attorneys, court rules and several court forms. This is also the home of E.Courts, a service for tracking court calendars. Searchable by defendant, plaintiff and lawyer. According to their site: People can send an email to question@courts.state.ny.us for assistance with "questions about the court system in general, legal information, or any court-related matter or call 1-800-268-7869.

Orange County, New York

From the New York State Unified Court System, this source is a telephone directory for finding all courts in Orange County - Supreme, County, Family, Surrogate, city courts, and jury information.

The OYEZ Project - Northwestern University

U.S. Supreme Court Cases can be searched by title, citation, party name or date using FindLaw. Selected case abstracts present the "facts of the case," "questions presented", and "conclusion". The Oyez Case Directory is sorted by subject and includes the top twenty most popular cases. It is a multimedia database of additional information about the US Supreme Court. It contains 2000+ hours of oral arguments in key constitutional cases, and all cases since 1995. It also presents a panoramic virtual tour of the Supreme Court building of the Supreme Court building and a wealth of information about the current justices as well as all previous justices in US history. Lists of justices are arranged both alphabetically and in order of their appointment.

Supreme Court of the United States

Effective April 17, 2000 the US Supreme Court launched its own web site to provide access to its decisions the same day they are released. Access to the Court Schedule and Argument Calendar along with other court related information is also available.

United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York

Contains information on the document filing system as well as local rules and forms for downloading. It is free now, but it is possible that there will be a fee in the future. (Orange County, NY is included in this court's jurisdiction.)

United States Court: Court Website Links

Links to all federal courts including the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals, U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts as well as the federal probation and pretrial services offices. It also includes a map of the geographic boundaries of United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts.

United States Federal Courts Home Page

"A clearinghouse of information from and about the Judicial Branch of the U.S. Government." It includes the vacancy list for Article III judgeships, a long range plan for the judiciary, and a directory of public access links to federal court materials.

Forms

Please note: The library does not offer, endorse, recommend, guarantee or assume any liability for any legal forms, information, products or other services available or otherwise described or referenced on this page or any third party Web site.

Legal Documents and Legal Forms

"Step-by-step instructions make it simple. Your first legal document is free." Items on this page are provided by Rocket Lawyer, a provider of legal forms and documents. Rocket Lawyer is responsible for the content of the legal forms, information, products and other services offered by Rocket Lawyer.

USA.gov: Government Forms

Federal Forms and Applications are listed by agency name and provided by the U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies.

Lawmakers & Politicians

Find Your Representative

Provides a link to allow you to email your representative.

New York State Assembly Member Directory

This is an alphabetical list of assemblymen leading to contact information including email addresses.

New York State Senator Finder

Find your Senator and share your views on important issues.

New York State Senators & Committees

U.S. House of Representatives

Provides an alphabetical list of congressmen's websites as well as links to committee sites and other congessional information.

U.S. Senate

Provides list of Senators' websites arranged alphabetically or by state This site also has committee information.

Law Schools

Columbia Law School

CUNY School of Law at Queens College

FindLaw- Law Schools

Links to law schools in the United States and abroad. Also has links to law school ratings and law professor's websites.

Georgetown University Law Center

Harvard Law School

New York University Law School

New York Law School

Pace University Law School

University at Buffalo Law School

Yale Law School

Lawyers & Law Firms

Martindale Hubbell Directory

Offering the same type of information, the online version of the Martindale Hubbell directory includes over one million lawyers, law firms and corporate legal departments in the U.S., Canada and 160 foreign countries. Additionally, it includes law school faculty, information on state bar associations, and vendors. It is searchable by name, firm name, area of practice, geographical location and language.

New York State Attorney Directory

Search attorneys by name to find their registration status and disciplinary history.

FindLaw Legal Directory (formerly The West Legal Directory)

The West Legal Directory provides information on 800,000 lawyers and law firms in United States and Canada including corporate legal departments. Information includes year of birth, education and areas of practice as well as contact information. It is searchable by name, firm name, area of practice and geographical location.

Legal Associations

American Bar Association

ABA site offers access to their monthly journal, press releases issued by the association, and a bookstore. The ABA also hosts several discussion groups. A catalog of these may be found at this site.

American Society of International Law

ASIL is a forum for exchange of views and information among government officials, corporate and business leaders, scholars, practicing lawyers, students and others interested in international law and affairs.

Legal Associations - Hieros Gamos

All types of legal associations arranged by specialty.

National Federation of Paralegal Associations

This is an excellent website for legal information of all types.

New York State Bar Association

North American Bar Associations - Hieros Gamos

Adresses, telephone numbers and links to websites of bar associations (national, state, and regional) in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Orange County Bar Association

Orange County, New York

Legal Employment & Careers

InterJob Search

Resume preparation, career guidance, and job listings sites on the web.

Libraries

Alyne Queener Massey Law Library

The library of the Vanderbilt University School of Law has wonderful legal resource guides on a large variety of topics. They are targeted towards users of the library, but they are definitely worth checking out.

Cornell Law Library

Home to many fine tools, including the Cornell Legal Research Encyclopedia, this is a great place to begin any legal research.

Harvard Law Library

The Library has a nice listing of foreign and international law links. It also has a nice outline for legal research. Use their topical research guides to get an overview of the resources available.

Lillian Goldman Library at Yale Law School

Yale has a wonderful collection of online documents as well as links to all types of legal information. This is the home of the Diana Project, a collection of online resources on human rights.

NYS Unified Court System - Public Access Libraries

Home of LION, New York State Unified Court System's Library and Information Network. This site gives the addresses and phone numbers of public access law libraries in New York State.

Liberty Library of Constitutional Classics

Produced by the Constitutional Society, a private non-profit organization. More than one hundre books and other works on constitutional government can be viewed and printed in many different file formats.

National Archives and Records Administration: "Charters of Freedom"

National Archives and Records Administration "Charters of Freedom" page shows photographs of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution , the Bill of Rights with a link to the Magna Carta which is on indefinite loan to NARA. There is a link to the Founding Fathers Page which offers biographies of each of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

National Archives and Records Administration: The Exhibit Hall

National Archives and Records Administration site. The Exhibit Hall contains original documents like Eleanor Roosevelt's file copy of her 1939 resignation from the DAR when they refused to permit Marian Anderson's performance st Constitution Hall, the documents involving the Louisiana Purchase , and the casualty list from the 54th Mass. Infantry Regiment on which the film "Glory" was based. This site has wonderful commentaries that bring the significance of the documents that are on display to light and puts them in the context of their times.

U.S. Code Collection

"More than 60 years of U.S. laws are now published online and accessible for free for the first time after being acquired by the Library of Congress. The Library has made available the main editions and supplements of the United States Code from 1925 through the 1988 edition. The U.S. Code is a compilation of federal laws arranged by subject by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House of Representatives. The Library's U.S. Code Collection is fully searchable."

U.S. Founding Documents

U.S. Founding Documents (Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Federalist Papers) in a key word searchable format. Links to historical notes where amendments have affected original text. Original text is scannable. Site contains a section for Constitutional amendments that were never ratified.

Yale Law School: The Avalon Project

The Avalon Project has mounted digital documents on the subjects of Law, History, Economics, Politics, and Government. From the Code of Hammurabi and the Athenian Constitution through the Hamas Covenant (1988) and documents relating to the September eleventh attack on American . Arranged chronologically into Pre 18th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century, and 21th Century. Cross links provided within the text of any document to any other document that is part of this collection.

Adoption

Adoption Laws

Adoption Laws of the Fifty States, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico

Aboriginal / Indigenous Law

Federally Recognized Indian Tribes and Resources for Native Americans

"Find information about and resources for Native Americans." Includes links to Cultural Resources, Housing Resources, and Legal Resources. From USA.gov.

From the Library of Congress:

Guide to Law Online: Indians of the United States

Includes links to Agencies and Organizations, Commentary, tribal law guides, and more.

Indigenous Law Portal: United States

Includes Mapping American Indian Constitutions and Legal Materials (tap / click each state for information), links to General Resources for US Indigenous Legal Materials, and more.

Indigenous Law Web Archive

"This is the Indigenous Law web archive of the Law Library of Congress. The Law Library collects and preserves primary law sources of indigenous nations, which are sovereign governments by treaty with the United States. At the time this collection started, there are 578 tribes and 92 agencies. The wide geographic spread of the nations, as well as the need to maintain cultural ties with far-flung tribal citizens necessitates tribes communicating their law online; for example, Navajo Nation covers 27,413 mi², an area the size of West Virginia and larger than ten other states, and Spirit Lake Nation has 2,069 enrolled members living on the nation, and has 7,254 enrolled members total. For this reason, it is important for the nations to provide legal and court information to their members, and also to non-citizen stakeholders, e.g., contractors, state and Federal court and law enforcement officials, etc. This archive includes constitutions of a number of sovereign nations, including Navajo Nation, Muscogee Nation, Cherokee Nation, Comanche Nation, Hopi Nation, etc. and ordinances, Supreme Court papers for certain nations, court rules and forms for criminal, civil and family courts, including the unique wellness court of Shingle Springs Rancheria, and the confederated courts of the Alaskan communities. Tribal executive orders, emergency orders, ordinances and legislation are included in this collection as well. Tribes, nations, bands, communities and rancherias do communicate with their citizens by social media and at times when that was the sole source of legal documentation, we have targeted social media sites for capture where possible. There may be information loss as a result of the challenges of archiving social media."

Mapping American Indian Constitutions and Legal Materials

Select a state to explore Native American constitutional documents.

Agriculture

National Agricultural Law Center

This site is a jump off point for research on the topic.

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

Division of Counsel's Office

Includes link to the regulatory agenda of the department.

Laws of New York

Choose AGM for the Agriculture and Markets Law.

Licensing and Registration

Information for Commercial Feed, Farm Product Dealers, Food Establishments, Milk Dealers, Nursery Dealers, Pet Dealers, and Weigh Master. Links to each area include Regulations and Laws.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Laws and Legislation

Antitrust

About Antitrust & Unfair Business Practices

FTC Guide to the Antitrust Laws

"This Guide to the Antitrust Laws contains a more in-depth discussion of competition issues for those with specific questions about the antitrust laws. From the menu you will find Fact Sheets on a variety of competition topics, with examples of cases and Frequently Asked Questions. Within each topic you will find links to more detailed guidance materials developed by the FTC and the U.S. Department of Justice." From the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Bureau of Competition.

Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914

From the FTC and the Cornell Legal Information Institute.

Legal Information Institute (LII) - Antitrust: An Overview

Topics include The Federal Antitrust Acts, The Per se Rule vs. the Rule of Reason, Types of Prohibited Anticompetitive Schemes, and Exemptions. From Cornell University Law School.

New York State Attorney General: Antitrust Enforcement

"The Attorney General of the State of New York, through his Antitrust Bureau, enforces both State and federal antitrust laws."

U.S. Department of Justice: Antitrust Division

"The mission of the Antitrust Division is to promote economic competition through enforcing and providing guidance on antitrust laws and principles."

Specific Antitrust Laws

Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914

From the Cornell Legal Information Institute.

Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914

From the FTC and the Cornell Legal Information Institute.

Robinson-Patman Act of 1936

From the Cornell Legal Information Institute.

Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890

"Approved July 2, 1890, The Sherman Anti-Trust Act was the first Federal act that outlawed monopolistic business practices." From National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy Basics

"Bankruptcy Basics provides basic information to debtors, creditors, court personnel, the media, and the general public on different aspects of the federal bankruptcy laws. It also provides individuals who may be considering bankruptcy with a basic explanation of the different chapters under which a bankruptcy case may be filed and to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about the bankruptcy process." View PDF documents with the Adobe Reader.

Bankruptcy Law Materials

An excellent primer on Bankruptcy with links to sources brought to you by Cornell.

Internet Bankruptcy Library

This site is the place to start if your company is going broke.

List of Approved Providers of Personal Financial Management Instructional Courses (Debtor Education) Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 111

From the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

Commercial Law
- Business, Small Businesses, Corporate Law

Bureau of Consumer Protection: Business Center

The Bureau of Consumer Protection's Business Center provides businesses with the tools and resources they need in order to fully understand their responsibilities in reference to the law. Browsable topics include Credit & Finance, Privacy and Security, Advertising and Marketing, Endorsements, Health Claims and more. This website also provides legal resources, videos, and podcasts to guide businesses and ensure their compliance with the law.

Commercial Law

"Commercial law governs the broad areas of business, commerce, and consumer transactions. Specific law has developed in a number of commercial fields. These include: Banking, Bankruptcy, Consumer credit, Contracts, Debtor and creditor, Landlord-tenant, Mortgages, Negotiable instruments, Real estate transactions, Sales, Secured transactions." Also includes Uniform Commercial Code. From Cornell University Law School.

Commerical Law Research Guide

Provided by Georgetown Law Library.

Small Business Administration: Stay Legally Compliant

"Keep your business compliant with state and federal business laws. Your legal responsibilities will depend on your business and location."

Small Business Center

"FindLaw's Small Business Center provides information and resources for small business owners, and help for entrepreneurs seeking to get a business idea off the ground. Here you can get information on choosing and forming the right legal structure for your business, legal tips on day-to-day business operations, an overview of employment law issues, and much more." Topics include: Copyrights, DBA/Business Name, Design Patents, Incorporation, LLC, Non-Profits, Other Forms for Small Business, Trademarks.

The Uniform Commercial Code for New York State

If you don't know which article and part you need, use the print copy in the library. There is no searchable index in this online version.

Violation Tracker

"Violation Tracker is the first national search engine on corporate misconduct. It covers banking, consumer protection, false claims, environmental, wage & hour, unfair labor practice, health, safety, employment discrimination, price-fixing, bribery and other cases initiated by 43 federal regulatory agencies and the Justice Department since 2010; in all, 161,000 cases with total penalties of more than $324 billion. Other types of violations will be added later." Violation Tracker is produced by the Corporate Research Project of Good Jobs First.

Civil Lawsuits

Civil Lawsuits

Civil Rights

Historical Publications of the United States Commission on Civil Rights

Created by the University of Maryland School of Law, these publications, from the inception of the Agency itself, can be located by title, subject, date, or sudoc number. From the Thurgood Marshall Law Library. Documents are in PDF format: view with the Adobe Reader.

Human Rights

Sections include: Defining Human Rights, International Information, News, Government (Federal, New York), Organizations, Publications, Regional Information, Resource Collections, Search Engines. A Middletown Thrall Library Special Coverage Guide. Also see Thrall's Genocide special coverage guide for related human/civil rights issues and related resources.

United States Commission on Civil Rights

This site includes information on filing a Complaint and publication of a Civil Rights Directory that provides contacts on the federal, state, and local levels along with private organizations that have civil rights responsibilities.

Consumer Law

The Better Business Bureau

For Metro New York, Mid Hudson and Long Island with links to BBB's nationally. Besides educational material for consumers, this site contains a database of business and charitable reports to help prospective buyers and donors make informed decisions. It also allows you to file a complaint online.

Consumer Protection Publications

"You'll find helpful tips about preventing identity theft and avoiding scams and frauds, consumer purchases, problems and filing a consumer complaint, consumer protection laws, along with many other useful topics. " From the Government Publishing Office.

Consumer World

"Over 1,500 of the most useful consumer resources on the Internet."

Fraud.org (formerly The National Fraud Information Center)

A program of the National Consumers League (NCL), Fraud.org enables consumers to identify, report, and research possible fraud, especially in telemarketing and on the Internet.

New York State Attorney General's Office

"The Attorney General serves all New Yorkers in numerous matters affecting their daily lives. The Attorney General's Office is charged with the statutory and common law powers to protect consumers and investors, charitable donors, the public health and environment, civil rights, and the rights of wage-earners and businesses across the State." Includes complaint forms, information on debt settlement and collection, student lending, contractors, foreclosures, and more.

New York State Consumer Protection Board

New York State Consumer Protection Board Besides information explaining how the board helps consumers, there are a variety of links to various consumer law related sites. This is also the location for the "Do Not Call" telemarketing registry. The site also gives details on how and where to file consumer complaints.

Copyrights, Intellectual Property, Fair Use, Public Domain

Copyleft

Definition of the term "Copyleft" and how it applies to software or other works.

Copyright.gov - the United States Copyright Office

"Here you will find information about our online registration option and other news about reengineering; all our key publications including informational circulars; application forms for copyright registration; links to the copyright law and to the homepages of other copyright-related organizations; a link to our online copyright records cataloged since 1978; news of what the Office is doing, including business process reengineering plans, Congressional testimony, and press releases; our latest regulations; and much more."

Creative Commons

"Creative Commons provides free tools that let authors, scientists, artists, and educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry."

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

Information from the U.S. Library of Congress and the U.S. Copyright Office on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. This landmark legislation has been incorporated into Title 17 of the United States Code, expanding U.S. Copyright law to meet the demands of the Digital Age.

Fair Use

Explanation of the phrase "fair use" as it relates to intellectual property and copyrighted materials. Provided by Copyright.gov (the United States Copyright Office).

International Intellectual Property

"For those who wish to seek protection for their intellectual property beyond the borders of the United States of America as well as for those non-US customers who wish to seek patent or trademark protection in the United States of America." Provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Public Domain

Explanation of "public domain" materials. Provided by Copyright.gov (the United States Copyright Office).

UNESCO: Copyright

United States Code: Title 17, Title 17 - Copyrights

Hosted at Cornell University Law School.

World Intellectual Property Organization

Described as "a specialized agency of the United Nations" involved with promoting international protection of intellectual property.

Criminal Law

Criminal Law

Overview and information provided by Cornell University Law Library.

Criminal Law Center

Information concerning law and the criminal justice system. Provided by Findlaw.com.

National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS)

"NCJRS is a federally funded resource offering justice and substance abuse information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide."

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence (PDF)

Overview and resources for victims of domestic violence in several languages. See also: The Law - Domestic Violence.

MedlinePlus: Domestic Violence

Legal and health resources, articles, and contact information.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)

Information about domestic abuse, dating violence, help for victims. Also links to National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Sexual Assault Hotline, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline.

ViolenceAgainstWomen.net

"Welcome to the new VAWnet.org, home to thousands of materials on gender-based violence and related issues." From the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence.

Violent Crime: Domestic Violence

Questions / answers, publications from National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS).

Education

Cornell University - Education Law

A guide to information sources in Education Law, this website links to the education statutes of most states, codified federal laws, federal regulations and recent case law.

Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO)

"The mission of the Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO) is to meet the needs of the Department's primary customers--learners of all ages--by effectively implementing two laws that seek to ensure student and parental rights in education: the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)." An agency of the U.S. Department of Education.

Fedlaw: Education

Texts of the federal education laws and regulations.

Homeschool Law

Posted by the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, this site publishes requirements, arranged by state, for compulsory school age, attendance, curriculum, teacher qualifications, record keeping and testing.

Home School Legal Defense Association

Section called "Show Me The Laws" allows searching by state.

WrightsLaw - Special Education Law and Advocacy

Created Pete and Pam Wright, this website provides special education law and advocacy libraries for the parents and educators of children with disabilities. Pete Wright is a special education attorney, and Pam Wright is a psychotherapist.

Elder Law

New York State Office for the Aging

Contains information on new laws and bills affecting the elderly in New York State and nationally. Also has links to many resources (local, state and federal) for the elderly and their families.

Senior Law

Provided by the New York law firm Goldfarb and Arbrandt, this very up to date site is jammed full with information on Medicare, Medicaid, estate planning, senior rights, and more. It has links to other sites serving the elderly's legal rights also.

Employment

Americans with Disabilities Act Library

The statute, regulations, compliance manuals and other documents concerning the ADA were gathered together here by The Job Accommodation Network which is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the U.S. Department of Labor.

Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Business

Created by the U.S. Department of Labor, this website provides "advisors" on federal employment law.

Family and Medical Leave Act

The text of the Act, a compliance guide, and the regulations which implement the Act are all found here.

Labor Unions and the Internet

From Cornell University, this site serves as a gateway to information concerning unions as well as labor and employment law. Links are well organized and annotated.

New York State Department of Labor

The official site of the NYS Department of Labor contains laws affecting employers and employees and information concerning unemployment.

New York State Workers' Compensation Board

The Workers' Compensation Board administers workers compensation insurance. This insurance provides cash payments and the cost of medical treatments to employees who become disabled due to injury or disease connected with their employment. Their website includes selected laws, rules, regulations and forms.

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

This official site of the EEOC contains information for employees and employers concerning job discrimination. Includes federal laws and regulations as well as policy guidance.

U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Includes OSHA regulations and a Workers' Page that permits electronic filing of complaints.

Environment

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation

This site provides topical summaries of environmental law in North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico) with links to the actual laws. The site can be viewed in French, English, and Spanish.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA's site contains links to federal environmental law, proposed law, and regulations. It also has links to state, local and tribal resources.

The New York State Consolidated Laws for Environmental Conservation

Choose ENV and/or search by word or phrase.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Information on DEC programs and permits, as well as guidance for complying with New York State environmental laws. See also: Regulations and Enforcement for Environmental Conservation Law and proposed Regulations, Hearings, Policy Documents, and more.

Violation Tracker

"Violation Tracker is the first national search engine on corporate misconduct. Version 1.0 covers environmental, health and safety cases initiated by 13 federal regulatory agencies since 2010, including those referred to the Justice Department. Other violations (banking, antitrust, wage & hour, etc.) will be added later. Violation Tracker is produced by the Corporate Research Project of Good Jobs First."

Family

Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO)

"The mission of the Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO) is to meet the needs of the Department's primary customers--learners of all ages--by effectively implementing two laws that seek to ensure student and parental rights in education: the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)." An agency of the U.S. Department of Education.

Family Law Center

Topics include: Divorce, marriage, prenuptial agreements, property, restraining orders, child custody, child support, living together, adoption, alimony, parenting, guardianship, minor emancipation, grandparents, visitation rights, changing your name, child abuse, fertility and surrogacy, foster care, juvenile crime and justice, same-sex couples, family law courts, state specific information. Provided by Findlaw.com.

New York State Office of Children & Family Services

Information in English and Spanish (en Español). Topics include Child Abuse & Neglect, Abandoned Infant, Domestic Violence / Abuse, Child Care, Foster Care, Protective Services, Adults with Disabilities, Forms, and News.

Health

Affordable Care Act

Official federal government and New York State government information on health care reform, health insurance coverage, and new health laws.

Bioethics Law Resources on the Internet

Directory provided by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Health Law

News and commentary from the American Bar Association (ABA)

Health Law

Overview and information from Cornell University Law School.

Medical Privacy - National Standards to Protect the Privacy of Personal Health Information

View PDF documents with the Adobe Reader.

National Health Law Program

National Health Law Program is a national public interest law firm that seeks to improve health care for America's working and unemployed poor, minorities, the elderly and people with disabilities. Although the firm cannot help individuals, its website provides information and links on the topic.

New York State Workers' Compensation Board

Includes select laws rules and regulations concerning New York State Workers' Compensation as well as downloadable versions of common forms.

Public Health Law Program

News, information, and reports concerning public health law and related issues. From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Housing, Landlords, & Tenants

Leases and Rental Agreements

Topics include: Signing a Lease or Rental Agreement FAQ, Changing or Breaking Your Lease, Get It in Writing: A Letter of Understanding, Key Terms in Leases and Rental Agreements, Required Landlord Disclosures, Questions on Leases and Rental Agreements, Subletting and Subtenants, Who Should Sign a Lease or Rental Agreement, and more. From Nolo.com.

Legal Services - New York State & Orange County, NY

LawHelpNY.org

"LawHelpNY.org is a website designed to help low-income New Yorkers with their civil legal problems. It is a collaborative effort across New York State legal aid offices to give low income and vulnerable New Yorkers access to legal information, information about how to contact legal aid offices and other social agencies that can assist them, as well as help them understand their legal rights and navigate the court system. This website covers legal problems including (but not limited to): housing, public benefits, (SSI, SSD, or PA), family law, discrimination and more. LawHelpNY covers 16 legal areas and connects to over 500 legal aid programs offering free legal services in New York State." Provided by Pro Bono Net. Also available in Spanish/espanol.

Legal Aid Societies and Programs in New York State

For civil cases. Directory provided by Legal Services Corporation (LSC.gov).

New York Free Legal Answers

"Answer a few questions to see if you qualify to use this service. Ask our volunteer attorneys a specific question about your civil legal issue. You'll receive an email telling you when your question receives a response." From the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), American Bar Association (ABA).

Orange County Bar Association: Legal Services for the Indigent

For criminal cases. Includes information on pro bono services and The Legal Aid Society of Orange County.

Marriage / Matrimony / Matrimonial Law,
Annulments, Separations, & Divorce

Annulment and Separation FAQ

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Provided by Findlaw.com.

Annulment vs. Divorce

Information provided by Findlaw.com.

Getting Married in New York State

Information from the New York State government.

Family Law Center

Topics include: Divorce, marriage, prenuptial agreements, property, restraining orders, child custody, child support, living together, adoption, alimony, parenting, guardianship, minor emancipation, grandparents, visitation rights, changing your name, child abuse, fertility and surrogacy, foster care, juvenile crime and justice, same-sex couples, family law courts, state specific information. Provided by Findlaw.com.

Legal Separation Before Divorce

Information provided by Findlaw.com.

LegalEase Pamphlet Series

Basic information on a variety of topics including Divorce, and Separation, Child Support, and Marriage Equality in New York State. From the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA).

Marriage Laws of the Fifty States, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico

Overview and information provided by Cornell University Law School.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Information from the New York State government.

Matrimonial Matters and Divorce Resources

Divorce forms and information from New York State Unified Court System.

New York Annulment and Prohibited Marriage Laws

Information provided by Findlaw.com.

Megan's Law

Attorney General of New York State: Megan' Law Hotline

Explanation and contact information.

Klaaskids.org: Megan's Law By State

Megan's Law requires states to register sex offenders of sex crimes against children and compels the state make private, personal information on registered sex offenders avaiable to the public. Links to each state's handling of these requirements is available from this site.

Media Law

Media Law Handbook

"What are the privileges and responsibilities of a free press? In Media Law Handbook, Professor Jane Kirtley, Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota, explores how free societies answer this question." Adobe PDF format. Provided by the U.S. Deparment of State.

Patents & Patent Law

Patent Law

Overview and information provided by Cornell University Law School.

General Information Concerning Patents

Introduction and overview provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Privacy

Consumer Financial Privacy

Your Rights to Financial Privacy, Consumer Financial Rights, Privacy Choices, Privacy Act, and more information from the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Electronic Privacy Information Center

"EPIC is a public interest research center in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1994 to focus public attention on emerging civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values. "

Medical Privacy - National Standards to Protect the Privacy of Personal Health Information

View PDF documents with the Adobe Reader.

Overview of the Privacy Act of 1974

Provided by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

Right of Privacy

Overview and information provided by Cornell University Law School.

Technology

Berkman Center for Internet and Society

News and commentary on technology law. Provided by Harvard University.

Digital Rights Management (DRM)

Definition, article, and related resources. Provided by Wikipedia (note their disclaimers).

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)

"When our freedoms in the networked world come under attack, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is the first line of defense."

Electronic Privacy Information Center

"EPIC is a public interest research center in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1994 to focus public attention on emerging civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values. "

GigaLaw.com

"Legal news about the Internet and high-technology."

Law Technology News

News, analysis, and reviews of legal technologies (i.e. technologies used by law professionals).

Trademarks

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Basic Facts About Trademarks

From the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Trademarks

Overview and information provided by Cornell University Law School.

Traffic Violations

Traffic Laws

FindLaw's webpage provides informational articles, blog posts, and links concerning traffic violations.

Traffic Violations Bureau Offices

From the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

What to Do If You Receive a Ticket

From the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

Wills & Estates

Wills and Estates

Wills and Estate Planning

Living trusts, wills, executors, power of attorney, estate taxes, life insurance, probate courts, and related information. From Nolo.

• See also:
  • Estate Planning
  • Vital Records

New York State & Local Law Enforcement Agencies

City of Middletown, New York Police

See also their Too Good For Drugs page (formerly DARE/D.A.R.E.)

New York State Department of Correctional Services

Oversees 69 State Correctional facilities. Site includes addresses and phone numbers of all facilities as well as press releases and position papers.

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services

New York State Police

Features include information on becoming a State Trooper, maps, addresses and telephones numbers of Troop locations, New York's 12 Most Wanted and the Missing and Exploited Children Clearinghouse.

Orange County, New York Sheriff's Department

National Law Enforcement Agencies

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF)

Part of the US Department of Treasury, responsible for "reducing violent crime, collecting revenue and protecting the public" by working cooperatively with other agencies. Includes, "Most Wanted", jobs, publications and hotlines.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

Overview of the workings of the CIA, including publications, employment opportunities and connections to related web sites.

Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)

A combat support agency of the Department of Defense, the DIA's mission is military intelligence. Site includes some fulltext reports and answers to FAQ's.

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)

Part of the Department of Justice, this site includes information on the agency, its programs, publications and employment opportunities as well as congressional testimony, intelligence reports, press releases, training programs and information on organized crime and drug trafficking.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Features a "Crime Alert", the FBI's Most Wanted, major investigations, information on employment and statistics, publications and unusual sites such as the "Kids Page" and "Forensic Science."

Federal Bureau of Prisons

Mostly statistical, but includes employment announcements, some articles, links to other State facilities, quick facts and sources for locating information on inmates.

National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS)

A service by the National Criminal Justice Reference Center, this site includes extensive leads for corrections, law enforcement, crime statistics and juvenile justice. Major headings often include documents, WWW sites and Listservs. Good general site.

Officer.com: The Police Officer's Internet Directory

"Law Enforcement's leading source for News, Training, Jobs and Online Forums for local, county, state and federal law enforcement police and officers."

United States Department of Justice (DOJ)

Includes information on the Attorney General, a topical index, press releases, a "Kids Page", important issues and URL's to other sites.

United States Marshals Service

"Responsible for the management and disposal of seized and forfeited assests", this site gives an overview, addresses of offices, recruitment programs and information on auctions of forfeited assests.

International Law Enforcement Agencies

Interpol

United Nations

Information about UN current peace-keeping operations including Security Council documents, press releases, make-up of the General Assembly and general information.

Congress.gov: United States Legislative Information

Current and past legislation, Congressional Committees, members of Congress, and more.

Current Interests: Law and Government

Directory provided by Middletown Thrall Library.

Law.com

Legal news reports and analysis.

Findlaw.com: News

Legal news reports and analysis.

New York State Unified Court System: What's New

U.S. Courts: Newsroom

U.S. House of Representatives

Legislative news, legislation, roll call votes, debates, amendments, archive, and more.

U.S. Senate

Hearings, legislation, votes, floor schedule, daily digests, recent floor activities, and more.

Citations & Citation Formats

Introduction to Basic Legal Citation

This citation primer is based on the Sixteenth Edition of the "Bluebook." Provided by Cornell Law School.

Reading Legal Citations

This tutorial from the Boston College Law Library explains all the parts of citations of cases, statutes, regulations and law review articles. Document is in PDF format: read with the free Adobe Reader.

Databases (Full Text Articles) & Law Journals

Databases

Law databases offering legal information. Available to members of Middletown Thrall Library. See also our General Research databases to locate more articles as well as the Law section of our Virtual Reference Library.

Interent Legal Resources Guide to Periodicals

National Law Journal

Only article abstracts are available online for the current issue. Back issues and current issue full text require a subscription.

New York Law Journal

Dictionaries

Duhaime's Law Dictionary

Legal terms, definitions, and related terminology.

Law.com Law Dictionary

Search or browse.

Nolo's Plain-English Law Dictionary

"Legal definitions from A to Z. Find plain-English definitions for legal terms by searching or browsing."

Research

The Law Students Guide to Free Legal Research on the Internet

This guide is meant to help law students navigate the confusing world of Internet legal resources. However, the interested lay person would find the many law links here valuable in legal research. The primary author/compiler is both a law professor at Valparaiso University School of Law and a librarian. As the name of the website suggests, the links to law are free. The research tab is a good source of basic research guidance as well as links to primary federal and state cases, codes, and regulations and secondary law sources.

Locating the Law: A Handbook of Non-Librarians, 6th Edition

"Welcome to the 6th edition of Locating the Law, presented by the Public Access to Legal Information (PALI) Committee. The 6th edition is the first update to the guide since 2011. Changes appear throughout the publication, including a new Chapter 8 which now focuses on citators. The Preface provides more information about the changes. The Committee intends to keep this edition current.".