CALIFORNIA LEGAL REFERENCE AIDS

The following topics are discussed in this Guide:

Bills   |    Laws   |   Codes   |   Cases   |   Administrative Law   |   Legal Encyclopedias   |   Legal Dictionaries   |   Legal Guides and Handbooks   

STATUTORY OR LEGISLATIVE LAW

BILLS

1. Copies of current California bills are housed in the California Documents section of the Reference Room. The bills are divided into Assembly bills and Senate bills. Bills are filed in numerical sequence, in file boxes located on shelves in the Northwest corner of the Reference Room.
2. Indexes to Bills
   
3. For the legislative progress of individual bills, determine the bill's number (see above) and then check the Senate Weekly History or the Assembly Weekly History, and a chronological history of the bill will be presented under the bill's number.
4. Internet Access: To access bills on the internet use the following address:
   www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html
   (Provides subject access to full text and legislative history of bills.)

LAWS

1. Current Laws:
   
   Check Assembly or Senate Weekly History to determine chapter number of law enacted. Then look up the chapter number in Chapters and a direct statement of the law as enacted will be provided.
2. Advance Legislative Service to Deering's California Codes Annotated (Ref KFC 25 .A33 D4, 2nd floor)
   
   If the chapter number is known, look up the desired chapter and a direct statement of the law as enacted will be provided. If you know the subject but not the chapter number, check the cumulative subject index provided in each 2nd floor volume for reference to the proper chapter number. Another useful feature of this service is that it provides, through footnotes, a brief history of the specific law (e.g., effective date) and further "explanatory notes."
3. Earlier Laws:
   
   May be found in Statutes of California (Ref KFC30 .A1, 2nd floor & storage)
   The chapter number of the law, if known, can be looked up directly for a statement of the law. If one knows the bill number the cross reference tables can be checked and the appropriate chapter number will be provided. If the specific code and section are known, check the "Statutory Record" listing, and the year, chapter and effective date for that particular code section will be cited.
4. Internet Access:   For accessing California statutes on the internet use the following address:  www.leginfo.ca.gov/statute.html

CODES

1. Larmac Consolidated Index (Ref KFC 40 .L3, Ref Room & 2nd floor)
   
   For subject access to the various California codes consult the Larmac Consolidated Index to the Constitution and Laws of California. Larmac serves as an alphabetical subject index linking topic with relevant California Code and section.
2. Deering's California Codes Annotated (Ref KFC 30.5 .D4- 2nd floor)
   
   Each code has its own subject index; however, it is always wise to check the General Index; Within the textual section of each of Deering's California Codes Annotated, a statement of the law is provided as are a legislative history, cross reference to other pertinent code sections, and collateral references (references to compilations, digests, etc., other than Deering's e.g., American Jurisprudence 2d, and Cal Jur III.
3. Internet Access:   To access California codes on the internet, use the following address:
   www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html

JUDICAL OR CASE LAW

1. West's California Digest 2nd (Ref KFC 56 .W42, 2nd floor)
   
   If you have a subject, for example, circumstances by which police officers may be suspended or dismissed, check the Descriptive Word Index (vols. 45-47 of West's California Digest 2nd under the heading "POLICE", subheading "Suspension" where you will find) :
   
   By checking the textual part of West's California Digest 2nd, you will find a synopsis of individual case issues with citations to relevant cases, e.g. :
   
   Name of case:
   Marino v. City of Los Angeles, 110 Cal Rept 45
   34 C.A. 3rd 461.
   
   NOTE : West's California Reporter (Ref KFC 50 .W42, 2nd floor) Cal Rept is the abbreviation for West's California Reporter. (See Section II-C, below.)
2. Cal Jur III (Ref KFC 80 .C29, 2nd floor)
   
   Cal Jur III, a legal encyclopedia arranged by subject, covers both statutory and case law. Your topic "dismissal of police officers" is listed in the 4-volume index under:
   
   Law Enforcement Officers
   Discipline - dismissal - Muni Sections 223,276
   
   By checking the volume containing "Municipalities" sections 223 and 276 you will find a synopsis of the law with citations to Deering's Codes and relevant California cases.
3. West's California Reporter 1960 -; California Reporter 1884-1960 (Ref KFC 50 .W42 2nd floor)
   
   The California Reporter includes the complete opinions of the Supreme Court as well as many of the lower courts of California.
   
   The Library owns the complete set of the California Reporter from 1884 to the present. In l960 West Publishing Company began publishing West's California Reporter. Prior to 1960, California cases were included in the Pacific Reporter, a regional reporter covering the western United States. California State University Library does not own the Pacific Reporter, but does own the California Reporter which consists of reprints of all California decisions that appear in the Pacific Reporter.
4. Internet Access: Cases for the last sixty days may be found by using the following address :
   www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions
   
   For older cases use Lexis-Nexis database. (Note: Lexis-Nexis is available to the CSU students, faculty, and staff only)

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW

1. Barclays Official California Code of Regulations (Ref KFC 780 .A35, 2nd floor)
   
   The "California Code of Regulations" contains the regulations and proclamations issued by the various California State Agencies. The California Code of Regulations is arranged by subject in 26 major sections or titles, e.g., Title 5 relates to Education; its index is entitled Comprehensive Index (Ref KFC 780 .A352; latest in Reference Room, others on 2nd floor).
   
   Internet Access: The California Code of Regulations can be accessed by using the following address : http://ccr.oal.ca.gov/.
2. California Regulatory Notice Register (Ref KFC 780 .A552, 2nd floor)
   
   The "Notice Register" published by the Office of Administrative Law contains proposed administrative regulation changes.

OTHER USEFUL REFERENCE WORKS

1. Legal Encyclopedias
   Cal Jur III (Ref KFC 80 .C29, 2nd floor): Arranged by subject, covers both statutory and case law (see also section II.B above.)
2. Legal Dictionaries
   Black, Henry Campbell. Black's Law Dictionary (Ref KF 156 .B53 6th ed. 1990, Ref. Room (Earlier ed. 2nd floor)
   
   Internet Access:
   
   Black's Law Dictionary |
   Duhaime's Law Dictionary|
   Nolo Press Everybody's Law Dictionary |

Handbooks, Guides, and Other Sources

1. Locating the Law: A Handbook for Non-Law Librarians, With an Emphasis on California Law. (KF 240 .L63 1995, 2nd floor.
2. Cal Forms; Legal and Business, current (Ref KFC 68 .C3, Ref Room)
3. Henke, Dan. California Law Guide (Ref KFC 74 .H462 1985, Ref Room & 2nd floor)
4. Shepard's Acts and Cases by Popular Names (Ref KF 90 552 1992 & suppl., Ref Room)
   A convenient source for locating correct citations for acts and cases known by their "popular" names. Includes both federal and states.
5. Witkin, Bernard Ernest. Summary of California Law, 9th ed. (Ref KFC 80 .W5, Ref. Room) (volumes 1-13)
   A concise and critical manual of the law of California.
6. West's California Digest 2nd Words and Phrases (Ref KFC 57 .W42 v. 50, 2nd floor)
   Lists all words and phrases judicially defined in decisions covered by West's Digest.
   Note: When consulting legal reference sources make sure to check the pocket parts in back of the book for the latest updates.

COMPUTER DATABASES

Lexis-Nexis is an online database where bills may be tracked and full text of bills, laws, judicial opinions, et al. may be found. This database is available to California State University, Northridge students and faculty after receiving instruction in searching techniques. Classes are offered at various times throughout the semester.

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