QUICK GUIDE:  HOW TO FIND FEDERAL STATUTES

Federal Statutes are published in two forms: the law as passed in a particular session of Congress (i.e. session law) and the law as organized into subject matter with subsequent legislation incorporated and superseded elements deleted (e.g. U.S.C.).

I.  Statute as Passed

A.  Locate the public law number (e.g. P.L. 107-12):

1.  If you know the popular name of the legislation:

Online:	• Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School)      Select popular name from alphabetical list; select Notes from links at right.
Print:	• “Popular Name Table” from U.S.C., U.S.C.A, or U.S.C.S.  Look up your statute by its popular name. Table notes public law number, Statutes at Large cite, and location within the code. • Shepard’s Acts and Cases by Popular Names (Reference Indexes: KF90 .S538)

          B.  Using the public law number, locate the text of the legislation.

Online:	• GPO Access (PDF, 1995-) • Thomas (1989-, PDF from 1993) • LexisNexis Congressional (1988-) (select document type: Public Laws) • LexisNexis (GENFED;PUBLAW) (1988-) • Westlaw (US-PL, current Cong.; US-PL-OLD, 1973 to previous Cong.)
Print:	• Statutes at Large (LL1)     Go to the volume for the Congressional session in which your statute was passed. Statutes are arranged by public law number. • United States Code Congressional and Administrative News ("USCCAN") (LL1)      An unofficial publication of session law arranged by public law number. • United States Code Annotated Statutory Supplement (Reserve and LL1)      Supplement is comprised of white paperback volumes held at the very end of the USCA set. Reprints text of public laws from the current session arranged by public law number. • United States Code Service Advance (LL1)      The USCS Advance is comprised of turquoise paperback volumes located near the end of the USCS set. Monthly reprint of public laws from the current Congressional session arranged by public law number with cumulative subject index.

II.  Codified text

A.  Locate the United States Code (U.S.C.) citation:

1.  If you know the public law number: U.S.C., U.S.C.A., and U.S.C.S., each have a table in a separate “Tables” volume listing public laws and their corresponding code section.

2.  If you know the public law number or Statutes at Large citation, both Statutes at Large (LL1) and United States Code Congressional and Administrative News (USCCAN) (LL1) provide marginal notes in text of public law providing corresponding United States Code section.

3.  If you know the popular name of the legislation:

Online:	• Legal Information Institute      Select popular name from alphabetical list; select Notes from links at right.
Print:	• “Popular Name Table” from U.S.C., U.S.C.A., or U.S.C.S.  Look up your statute by its popular name. Table notes public law number, Statutes at Large cite, and location within the code. • Shepard’s Acts and Cases by Popular Names (Ready Reference: KF90.S538)

B.  Using the U.S.C. citation (e.g. 50 U.S.C. §1451), locate the codified text of the law:

Online:	• GPO Access • U.S. Office of the Law Revision Counsel • Legal Information Institute • LexisNexis Congressional (select document type: US Code)   • LexisNexis (GENFED;USCS) • Westlaw (USCA)
Print:	• United States Code (U.S.C.) (LL1)  Official version of the U.S.C., no annotations. Published every six years with annual cumulative supplements. • United States Code Annotated (U.S.C.A.) (LL1)  Unofficial version of U.S.C. with case annotations and research aids. Supplemented yearly. Published by Thomson West. • United States Code Service (U.S.C.S.) (LL1)  Unofficial version of the U.S.C. with case annotations and research aids. Supplemented yearly. Published by LexisNexis.   last updated: 7/6/07