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Florida Resources

This State Guide lists the major sources of law in this state. If you are a member of the Georgetown University community, the reference librarians are happy to assist you over the phone (202) 662-9140 or by e-mail.

RESEARCH GUIDES

• Florida Legal Research (Barbara J. Busharis & Suzanne E. Rowe) KFF 75 .R69 2007
• Florida Research Guides (University of Florida Law Library)
• Online Resources for Florida Research (University of Florida Law Library)
• Legal Research: Florida (University of Central Florida Libraries)

STATUTES & LEGISLATION

Constitution

• Lexis: FLCNST
• Internet: Florida Constitution

Statutes/Code

• Research Guides:
  • Guide to Using Florida Statutes (University of Florida Law Library)
  • Florida Research Guide : Cases, Statutes and Regulations (Florida Coastal School of Law Library)
• Print:
  • Official Florida Statutes KFF29 .F56 (official - updated infrequently)
  • West's Florida Statutes Annotated KFF30 1941 .A43 (unofficial - updated much more regularly)
• Electronic:
  • Westlaw: FL-ST-ANN
  • Lexis: FL - LexisNexis Florida Annotated Statutes
• Internet: Florida Statutes (1997 - , Florida Legislature)

Legislative History

• Research Guides:
  • Kathleen Brown, The Legislative Process in the State of Florida, 30 Legal Reference Services Q. 25 (2011) (K12 .E357 Print, Electronic version)
  • Florida Legislative History Research (University of Miami Law Library)
  • Florida Legislative History (University of Florida Law Library)
• Session Laws:
  • Microform: Acts of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida KFF25 .A213 Micro (Subscription cancelled. Last updated in 2006).
  • HeinOnline (1822 - )
  • LLMC Digital (1951 - 1959)
  • Westlaw: FL-LH (1998 - )
  • Internet:
    • Laws of Florida (1997 - , State Library and Archives of Florida)
    • House & Senate Bills (current, Florida Senate)
    • Florida Senate Archived Session Bills (1998 - )
    • Florida Constitution Revision Commission

Legislature

• On-Line Sunshine: The Florida Legislature's Home Page
  • Florida Senate
  • Florida House of Representatives
• How an Idea Becomes a Law (Chart) (Florida House of Representatives)

REGULATIONS & AGENCIES

Regulations

• Research Guide: Guide to Florida Administrative Code (University of Florida Law Library)
• Print: Florida Administrative Code Annotated KFF35 1986 .A23 (Subscription cancelled. Last updated in 2008)
• Electronic:
  • Westlaw: FL-ADC
  • Lexis: FL - Florida Administrative Code Annotated
• Internet:
  • Florida Administrative Code
  • Florida Administrative Weekly

Agencies

• Governor's Office
• Executive Orders (2007 - )
• Office of the Attorney General
• Attorney General Opinions:
  • LLMC Digital (1913 - 1976)
  • Lexis: FL Attorney General Opinions (1970 - )
  • Internet (1972 - )
• State Agencies & Commissions
• Florida Government Information Locator Service

CASES & COURTS

Cases

• Research Guide: Guide to Locating Current Florida Case Law (University of Florida Law Library)
• Print:
  • Southern reporter (1st series, 1887 - 1941) KF135 .S8
  • Southern reporter. Second series (1941 - 1988) KF135 .S812
  • West's Southern reporter. Second series (1988 - 2009) KF135 .S812
  • West's Southern reporter. Third series (2009 - ) KF135 .S814
• Electronic:
  • Westlaw: FL-CS (state cases) & FL-CS-ALL (state and federal cases)
  • Lexis: FL State Cases, Combined (state cases) & FL Federal & State Cases, Combined (state and federal cases)
• Internet: Opinions, Rules, & Other Court Documents
  • Florida Supreme Court Opinions (1999 - present)
  • 1st District Court of Appeal (2004 - present)
  • 2nd District Court of Appeal (2001 - present)
  • 3rd District Court of Appeal (2001 - present)
  • 4th District Court of Appeal (2005 - present)
  • 5th District Court of Appeal (2001 - present)
  • Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee (1972 - present)
  • Florida Supreme Court Briefs and Opinions (1846 - , Florida State University College of Law)

Courts

• Florida State Courts:
  • Structure of Florida's Judicial System
  • Florida Supreme Court:
    • Supreme Court Oral Arguments - Audio/Video
    • Briefs in high profile Supreme Court Cases (2000 - )
  • Florida District Courts of Appeal
  • Florida Circuit Courts
• Florida Standard Jury Instructions (Florida Supreme Court, includes links to both the Criminal and Civil Jury Instructions
• Court Rules):
  • Florida Rules of Procedure (for Appellate Procedure, Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure, Family Law Procedure, Judicial Administration, Juvenile Procedure, Probate Rules, Small Claims Court, Traffic Court)
  • Rules Updates

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Florida League of Cities
• Florida City Government
• Florida County Government
• Florida County Web Sites
• Municipal codes (select): Municode: Florida & E-code: Florida

STATE LAW REVIEWS & BAR JOURNALS

• University of Florida Law Review (1948 - 1989, continued by Florida Law Review):
  • Print: K25 .N6 (1948 - 1989)
  • Electronic versions (1948 - 1988)
• Florida Law Review (continuation of University of Florida Law Review)
  • Print: K6 .L642 (1989 - 2010. Subscription cancelled)
  • Electronic versions (1989 - )
• Florida State University Law Review:
  • Print: K6 .L65 (1973 - 2010. Subscription cancelled)
  • Electronic versions (1973 - )
  • Internet: Past issues (1995 - )
• Florida Bar Journal:
  • Print: K6 .L6 (1953 - 2003. Subscription cancelled)
  • Electronic versions (1927 - )
  • Internet: Archived issues (1997 - )

ETHICS

• Florida Bar:
  • Ethics Opinions (1959 - )
• Westlaw
  • FLETH-EO (documents released by the Florida State Bar Association Committee on Professional Ethics from 1959)
• Lexis
• National reporter on Legal Ethics & Prof. Responsibility - FL Opinions (contains selected decisions, 1989- , no coverage for the year 1993)
• Florida Judicial Ethics Opinions (contains Florida Judicial Ethics Opinions, 1972 - )

GENERAL

• Print:
  • Florida Jur 2d KFF80 .F56 1977 (Subscription cancelled. Last updated in 2008)
  • West's Florida Practice KFF80 .W46
• Electronic:
  • Westlaw: FL-JUR
  • Lexis: Florida Jurisprudence 2d
• Internet:
  • Legal Aid Services, Inc.
  • FindLaw: Florida
  • Internet Law Library: Florida
  • Law Library of Congress: Florida
  • Legal Information Institute: Florida
  • Tax Forms
  • Florida Law Weekly

Updated 08/11 (ET)

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