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CPJT101: Justice and Legal Thought Research Guide

A beginner's guide to research!

Step 3 Overview

Step 3: Statues

Following Step 2Statutes are laws written and enacted by the legislative branch of government. Statutes, also known as acts, are laws passed by a legislature.  Federal statutes are laws enacted by Congress with (and in some circumstances without) the approval of the President. Federal statutes are published in three formats:  (1) initially as individual slip laws, (2) in compilations of slip laws known as session laws, and (3) as codified law incorporated into a code. Most new laws are created through statutes (as opposed to being created by judges through case opinions); therefore, it is important that you realize that you will frequently begin your research projects by looking at a statute, rather than at cases.

 

Statutes and Regulations Databases