StatutesRegulationsCourt DecisionsResearch ResourcesLegal NewsSpecific Laws

Statutory Law

The Constitution of the United States This is the fundamental law of the United States of America, and all other laws are subordinate to it. There's an annotated version at FindLaw. and another at GPO
The U.S. Code Federal laws are authorized by statutes passed by Congress and signed by the President. This searchable source is at the House of Representatives, and is current through January 6, 1997.
The US Code This version is located at Cornell University and is generated from the Government Printing Office CD-ROM. It is current through January 1, 1997, but has a different search engine which makes it easier to look up specific sections.
The UCMJ The Uniform Code of Military Justice on a private (militia) site.
GPO Access This Government Printing Office source, located at Auburn University, provides access to the Congressional Record, the Federal Register, and much more. There are many alternative sites for GPO Gateways
House Bills 106th Congress and before.. This Thomas source provides information on the status of bills currently being considered by the House of Representatives.
Search New Public Laws This search engine at the University of California's GPO Gate provides access to new public laws which have not yet been added to the U.S. Code.
State Computer Laws This search engine at the NCSA lists computer laws by state.

Administrative Law

The Code of Federal Regulations Federal Agency Rules, created by the executive branch to implement federal laws. This source is at the Government Printing Office.
Federal Register at the Government Printing Office. The Federal Register is the official publication for Presidential Documents and Executive Orders as well as Notices, Rules and Proposed Rules from Federal Agencies and Organizations. Another version at the National Archives and Records Administration
Internet Law Library. A U.S. House of Representatives source for the Federal Register.

Case Law

Supreme Court of the US US Supreme Court official site
Federal Circuit Courts Map with links. Home page.
Oyez A Supreme Court database at Northwestern University
Cornell Federal Appellate Courts and State Courts
Findlaw Supreme Court Decisions (1937 - present)
CounselQuest
Fedworld FLITE Supreme Court Decisions (1937 - 1975, Vols. 300 - 422)
LII Hermes recent Supreme Court Decisions, from May 1990
Cornell Historic Supreme Court Decisions by Name
USA Today's Supreme Court Index
InfoSynthesis - USSC+ Online Supreme Court Decisions 1966 - present, plus some older cases
Cornell LII Legal Information Institute includes cases, federal laws, rules, and international materials
NTSB Orders includes searchable database of NTSB orders since mid-1992

Research Resources

All Law search the US Code, Federal Register, Federal Cicuits and Supreme Court decisions, the Federal Register and Congressional Reports since 1994, FRCP and FRE, and more
The Law Engine
Randy Singer - State and Federal Links
Jeff Flax's Law Resources (eclectic; state laws)
The Internet Legal Resource Guide
The Internet Legal Resource Guide (student outlines)
House of Representatives: Laws of all Jurisdictions
Yahoo A Yahoo search for law libraries
LawGuru A legal search engine. Requires (free) signup.
LII FRCP The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
CivilRights FRE The Federal Rules of Evidence
Martindale-Hubbell A listing of lawyers in the United States.
PrairieLaw Self-help.
Federal Courts Directory official site.

Legal News

FindLaw Legal News; very comprehensive.
Lawyer's Weekly Legal Developments in Cyberspace.
Internet Legal Practice Newsletter The ILPN features articles reviews, and interviews on all topics relating to the Internet and the practice of law.
Electronic Commerce and Law Newsletter weekly coverage of online and electronic commerce law developments.
Appellate Decisions Noted Monthly newsletter on recent decisions from federal and state courts in California.
LII's Eye on the Courts LII's Eye on the Courts looks for news reports commenting on important appellate decisions from courts currently covered on the Net. When a high profile case is placed on the Net a link to the decision is entered here, along with links to background legal material, as available.
USA Today Supreme Court Index
CourtTV Cochran & Company, but has legal links and news as well. Live (if you've got RealVideo)

General Interest

InfoPolitics GOTCHA! (horror stories)
Congressional e-mail addresses Write your congresscritter. But bear in mind that a letter with a postmark in his/her district carries a lot more weight...
Giovanni8 Memorable Quotes from the 'Net Privacy issues
CPSR Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
EPIC Electronic Privacy Information Center
EFF Electronic Frontier Foundation -
EFF Intellectual Property Law Primer
First Amendment cases collected by the Cornell search engine.
First Amendment Handbook for reporters.
Second Amendment cases collected by the Cornell search engine US vs. Miller 307 U.S. 174 (1939) limits the "right to bear arms" to the militia
Surreptitious Recording Recording conversations without permission may be illegal in your state. Here's Brett Weiss's take on the subject.
Credit Law Links to the Fair Credit Reporting Act and debt collection practices.
Fair Credit Billing Act (FTC page)
Privacy Act (5 USC 552(a) and a more reliable site see notes and search for "Disclosure of Social Security Number".
E-FOIA The Electronic Freedom of Information Act
Public Law 104-231 E-FOIA
Time magazine on bankruptcy reform

Intellectual Property

Oppedahl & Larson Patent Law Web Server FAQ about intellectual property law including patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and the WWW.
Intellectual Property at Fenwick & West. Also has a good description of ITAR rules and crypto policy
Intellectual Property Law at Fenwick & West; includes crypto policy.
Copyright Law A series of links to the law and common misconceptions.

Computer Law

Cyberspace Law at John Marshal Law School; includes articles on encryption, spam, anonymity, privacy, copyright and trademarks, and much more. Includes cases, statutes, and law review articles.
Computer Law at Electronic Software Publishing Corporation (Elsop). Cyberspace law and policy links.
The US DOJ site for computer crime. Here's their search manual.
Production of encrypted evidence. A judge has held that encrypted evidence seized form Kevin Mitnick did not have to be returned.Mitnick
Compelled surrender of Crypto Keys Your attorney can be compelled to turn over your busniness records FISHER v. UNITED STATES, 425 U.S. 391 (1976) . Business records are not privileged under the Fifth Amendment UNITED STATES v. DOE, 465 U.S. 605 (1984) Compelling defendant to sign consent directive to release foreign bank information is not testimonial DOE v. UNITED STATES, 487 U.S. 201 (1988) Search the latter for "combination" for an interesting dictum.
17 USC 503(a) Writ of Civil Seizure; permits civil litigants to seize the assets of an opposing party. Northwest Airlines searches home computers of its employees (same story at ZDNet and Business Week). Here's a description of the process.
18 USC Sec. 1030 Computer Fraud
Junk Fax Law 47 USC Sec. 227 (01/16/96). Some think this might apply to UCE.
18 USC Sec. 2701 Unlawful access to stored communications Violation of the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act; involving the seizure of a computer containing "stored communications", lands the SS in trouble (Steve Jackson Games, 5C 1994)
PL 104-104 Communications Decency Act search on "indecent"

Aviation Law

49 USC 44709 This statute provides the FAA with the authority to re-examine airman competency.
49 USC 40102(a)(15) This law specifies air carrier citizenship requirements.
49 USC 46504 Interference with flight crew members is punishable under this statute.
Public Law 104-264 This new law requires certain aviation employers to conduct background checks. (Search on "EMPLOYMENT INVESTIGATIONS OF PILOT APPLICANTS" to find the relevant text.). AC 120-68 provides guidance for implementing this law. Some relief has been granted by PL 105-142, signed by President Clinton on 5 Dec 97.
Atlas vs. OSHA 430 US 442 legal authority for civil penalties

Interesting Cases