Federal Statutory Law
Guidance on how to research up-to-date Federal statutes
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Session Laws
"Session laws" refer to the publication of laws enacted during a legislative session into a chronological sequence. This is the function of the United States Statutes at Large.
- United States Statutes at Large (1789- )
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- United States Statutes at Large (1789- )
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- United States Statutes at Large (1937- )
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- United States Statutes at Large (1789 - 1972)
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Citing a Session Law
Session laws are chronological compilations of the laws passed by a particular legislature within each session. U.S. federal statutes are published in chronological order in the Statutes at Large (e.g., 131 Stat. 3). This indicates that the law being cited begins on page 3 of volume 131.
Follow Bluebook Rule 12.4 when citing a session law.
Example: TALENT Act of 2017, Pub. L. No. 115-1, 131 Stat. 3.