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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 Heintz-Cho, et.al., Washington Legal Research, KFW75 .H45 2009
• Penny Hazelton, et. al., Washington Legal Researcher's Deskbook (3rd edition) 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 (updated regularly).

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
  • LexisNexis: Annotated Revised Code of Washington, Constitution, Court Rules & ALS, Combined
  • Internet: Revised Code of Washington (RCW) - available from the Washington State Legislature

Legislative History

• Session Laws: HeinOnline, 1854 -
• Legislative Documents (Full text of bills, bill histories initiatives, referenda, committee reports, digests, roll calls, daily bill status, and topical index)
  • some information on bills available from 1991 to the present.
  • for current and more recent legislative sessions, also gives access to Standing Committee Reports, Status Reports, and Senate and House Floor Activity Reports.
• Washington State Legislative History Research Guide, by the Gallagher Law Library at the University of Washington.

Legislature

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

REGULATIONS, AGENCIES, INITIATIVES & REFERENDA

Regulations

• Print: is no longer kept current in the library; last update is from 2007.
  • Washington Administrative Code (WAC), KFW35 1980 .A23
• Electronic:
  • Westlaw: WA-ADC
  • LexisNexis: Washington Administrative Code
  • Internet:
    • Washington Administrative Code
    • Washington State Register (The official version of the Washington State Register is the online version; no print version is currently maintained.)

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)
  • LexisNexis:
    • WA State Cases, Combined (state cases)
    • WA Federal & State Cases, Combined (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; includes the Washington Reports: 1854-1889 Territory Reports and 1889-1939 Washington Reports (from LegalWA.org).
    • Washington State Court Opinions: slip opinions from 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 (archives available on HeinOnline)
  
• Westlaw: Washington Law Reviews and Journals
• LexisNexis: Washington Law Reviews, Combined

GENERAL

• Print: Washington Practice (not available at GULL)
• Electronic:
  • Westlaw: WA-PRAC
• Internet:
  • Washington State Bar Association
  • Washington State 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 09/11 (MK)

© Georgetown University Law Library.
These guides may be used for educational purposes, as long as proper credit is given.  These guides may  not be sold.  Requests to republish or adapt a guide should be directed to the Head of Patron Services. Proper credit includes the statement: Written by Georgetown Law Library (current as of .....).