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Washington Resources

This State Guide lists the major sources of law in this state. Members of the Georgetown University community can seek additional assistance in person at the reference desk or online.

RESEARCH GUIDES

• Julie Hertz, Washington Legal Research KFW 75 .H45 2005
• Washington Legal Researcher's Deskbook (3rd edition) by Penny Hazelton et al., published by Marian Gould Gallagher Law Library, 2002. KFW75 .W37 2002.
• Sources of Free Legal Information on Washington State Law
  A guide to legal publications and research in published by the reference librarians at the Gallagher Law Library at the University of Washington School of Law.

STATUTES & LEGISLATION

Statutes/Code

• Print:
  • Revised Code of Washington (official), KFW30 2004 .A3
  • West's Revised Code of Washington Annotated (unofficial), KFW30 1961 .A4
• Electronic:
  • Westlaw: WA-ST-ANN
  • Lexis: WASH;WACODE
  • Internet:
    • Revised Code of Washington (RCW)

Legislative History

• Session Laws: HeinOnline, 2000 -
• Washington State Legislative History, Gallagher Law Library at the University of Washington
• Legislative Documents (Full text of bills, bill histories initiatives, referenda, committee reports, digests, roll calls, daily bill status, and topical index)

Legislature

• Washington State Legislature
• Legislative Agencies
• Advisory Opinions and Complaint Dispositions (From the Legislative Ethics Board)

REGULATIONS, AGENCIES, INITIATIVES & REFERENDA

Regulations

• Print:
  • Washington Administrative Code (WAC), KFW35 1980 .A23
• Electronic:
  • Westlaw: WA-ADC
  • Lexis: CODES;WAADMN
  • Internet:
    • Washington Administrative Code
    • Washington State Register

Agencies

• Governor's Office (Full text of executive orders 1960 - )
• Agency, Board and Commission Listings
• Office of the Attorney General (Includes opinions, 1949 - )

Initiatives and Referenda

• Initiatives and referenda: current and historic (from the Secretary of State)
• Initiatives and referenda: current and historic (search topical index for initiatives) (Legislative)

 

CASES & COURTS

Cases

• Print:
  • Pacific Reporter (1st, 2nd & 3rd series), KF135 .P213
  • Washington Reports (1st & 2nd series), KFW 45 .A22
  • Washington Appellate Reports, KFW 48 .A2
• Electronic:
  • Westlaw:
    • WA-CS (state cases)
    • WA-CS-ALL (state and federal cases)
  • Lexis:
    • WASH;WACTS (state cases)
    • MEGA;WAMEGA (state and federal cases)
  • Internet:
    • Washington Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Opinions: all Supreme Court opinions from 1854 and Court of Appeals opinions from 1969 (from LegalWA.org)
    • Washington State Court Opinions: only the last 90 days (from the Washington Courts)
    • Washington Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Opinions: from Dec. 1998 (from Findlaw)

Courts

• Washington State Courts (Includes recent Supreme Court and Court of Appeals opinions and court rules)
• Commission on Judicial Conduct

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Washington Counties
• Washington Cities and Towns
• Municipal Codes

STATE LAW REVIEWS & BAR JOURNALS

• Washington State Bar News

GENERAL

• Print: Washington Practice (not available at GULL)
• Electronic:
  • Westlaw: WA-PRAC
  • Lexis: not available
• Internet:
  • Washington State Bar Association
  • TVW (public affairs network covering state government deliberations and public policy events)
  • Washington State Library
  • Washington State Law Library
  • King County Law Library
  • Legal Information Institute on Washington
  • Internet Law Library: Washington
  • Washington State Tax Forms
  • Law Library of Congress: Washington
  • FindLaw: Washington

Updated 08/08 (MK)

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