District of Columbia (D.C.) Law
A guide to researching D.C. Law
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Note: Historical Research
This page discusses current sources.
Historical D.C. Codes and session laws are discussed in the "Historical Research" section of this guide.
Codified (current) Laws
- District of Columbia Official Code: Containing the Laws, General and Permanent in Their Nature, Relating to or in Force in the District of Columbia (LexisNexis)
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Organized by titles, chapters, and sections. Updated by annual pocket parts and cumulative interim pamphlets. - West's District of Columbia code annotated 2001 edition (unofficial)
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Includes case annotations, brief legislative history notes, and references to related statutes. - District of Columbia Code
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- Get a Doc Assistance
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Find a D.C. Code section quickly:
"Content Type" select: "Statutory Codes"
"Jurisdiction: select: "District of Columbia"
Under "Citation Format," select: D.C. Code §
Enter your D.C. Code section number, for example: 22–4504
Lexis Code Compare Tool
Use Lexis "Compare Versions" tool to compare editions of the D.C. Code. Text added in a newer version of the D.C. Code and text removed from an earlier version are highlighted.
Session Laws
After the U.S. Congressional review process, a D.C. Act is assigned a law number; a notice that the act has taken effect is then published in the D.C. Register.
The text of the Law is not printed in the D.C. Register.
The text of the Law is not printed in the D.C. Register.
Example: L15-124, Distracted Driving Safety Act of 2004
L = Law
15 = D.C. Council Period
124 = Sequential number assigned to law
Distracted Driving Safety Act of 2004 = Title of law
- Council of the District of Columbia Legislative Information Management System (LIMS)
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Coverage: 8th Council Period (1989/1990) to date. - D.C. Statutes at Large
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Published by the D.C. Office of Documents from 1975-1986. The D.C. Council resumed publication in 2013. - D.C. Register (DCR)
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Weekly official publication of the D.C. government. Contains D.C. acts and notices of D.C. laws. - District of Columbia Laws
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- District of Columbia Official Code: Containing the Laws, General and Permanent in Their Nature, Relating to or in Force in the District of Columbia (LexisNexis)
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Current session laws can be found in the advance legislative service pamphlets that accompany the print version of the Code. - West's District of Columbia Code Annotated 2001 edition (unofficial)
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Current session laws can be found in the advance legislative service pamphlets that accompany the print version of the Code.
Finding Aids
- D.C. Code: Tables volume
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Helpful tables found in this volume include:
- Parallel Reference Table [1981 Edition to 2001 Edition]For sections of the 1981 edition of the D.C. Code, provides their disposition in the current 2001 edition of the D.C. Code.
- Parallel Reference Table [1973 Edition to 1981 Edition]For sections of the 1973 edition of the D.C. Code, provides their disposition in the current 1981 edition of the D.C. Code.
- Statutes at Large Disposition TableLists federal laws and which sections of the current D.C. Code have been affected by the laws.
- District of Columbia Laws Disposition TableLists permanent D.C. laws by "Law" number beginning with Council Period 1 and sections of the current D.C. Code affected by the laws.
- Popular Name TableAn alphabetized list of common names of D.C. Laws and where the laws can be found in the current D.C. Code.
- District of Columbia Register TableThis table indicates, by citation to the "D.C. Register," the disposition of D.C. laws in the current D.C. Code.
- Emergency Act TableBeginning with D.C. Council Period IV (1981 - 1982), indicates where emergency acts have been noted in the current D.C. Code.
- D.C. Laws Not Codified TableArranged by D.C. Law number, this table lists D.C. laws enacted by the Council of the District of Columbia since Jan. 1, 1982, which are not codified in the current edition of the D.C. Code, but which have been published in the "D.C. Register (DCR)" or the "D.C. Municipal Regulations (DCMR)." DCR & DCMR citations are provided for each act.
Congressional Resolutions of Disapproval
In 1984, Congress amended the Home Rule Act requiring that disapproval of Council laws is to be done through a joint resolution of Congress which would be signed by the President.
- U.S. Statutes at Large
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D.C. Appropriations Laws
The U.S. Congress enacts D.C.'s annual appropriations laws.
Because appropriations laws are not permanent law, they are not codified and do not appear in the D.C. Code.
- U.S. Public Laws
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- U.S. Statutes at Large
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- U.S. Code Congressional & Administrative News (U.S.C.C.A.N.)
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Uniform & Model Laws
Some D.C. Laws are based on uniform or model acts. Commentary and annotations to court decisions found in "Uniform Laws Annotated" may be useful in construing a uniform act adopted by D.C. which may have little legislative history or judicial treatment.
- Uniform Laws Annotated (ULA)
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Related Guides
- "Chapter 1: Finding the Law" in Volume 1, The District of Columbia Practice Manual
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(The District of Columbia Bar) - District of Columbia Resources
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(Georgetown Law Library) - Guide to Law Online: U.S. Washington, D.C.
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(Law Library of Congress)