Virginia Legal Research
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Reference Sources
A Guide to Legal Research in Virginia
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Call Number: KFV2475 .G85 2017 (Reference Desk, 1st Floor)Chapters include Constitutional Law; Statutory Law; Court and Case Law; Administrative Law; Local Law; Treatises, Manuals, and Form Books
State Legislative Sourcebook: A Resource Guide to Legislative Information in the Fifty States- This link opens in a new window
Call Number: JK2495 .S689 2021 (Reference Desk, 1st Floor)Virginia, pages 487-496- State Documents Bibliography: Virginia
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Call Number: KFV2401 .K73 2010 (Reference Desk, 1st Floor)"This bibliography aims to provide a list of the primary sources of Virginia Law as well as select secondary sources that will help a legal researcher interested in Virginia Law. Because of Virginia's long and complicated legal history, selected publications of a historical nature are included in order to put current law in the proper context."
Legal Research Platforms: Virginia
- Lexis: Virginia
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Includes Virginia Constitution; Federal & State Cases; Statutes & Legislation; Administrative Codes & Regulations; Secondary Materials; and Forms - Westlaw: Virginia
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Includes Virginia Constitution; Federal & State Cases; Statutes & Court Rules; Administrative Decisions & Guidance; Regulations; Secondary Sources; and Forms - Bloomberg Law: Virginia
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Includes Virginia Constitution; Code of Virginia; Virginia Acts; Virginia Administrative Code; Virginia Rulemaking
Official Government Sites
- Judiciary Branch: Virginia's Judicial SystemThe judicial system is "comprised of the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Court of Appeals of Virginia, circuit courts in thirty-one judicial circuits, general district and juvenile and domestic relations district courts in thirty-two districts, and magistrates in offices in thirty-two districts." Virginia's Court System.
- Commonwealth of Virginia: GovernmentInformation about the Executive Branch; Legislative Branch; Judicial Branch; Laws & Policies; Voting & Elections; Transparency.
- Virginia Government Organizational Chart"The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office publishes the state government organizational chart, a resource . . . to identify the agencies that report to the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of government."
- State Agencies Directory"There are over 100 state agencies and offices total, each with their own area of responsibility."
- Executive Branch: Office of the GovernorIncludes Executive Orders and Directives, Proclamations, and News Releases.
- Legislative Branch: General Assembly"The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, and an upper house, the Senate of Virginia."
- Virginia State Bar"Created in 1938 by the Virginia General Assembly as an administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Virginia, unifying Virginia lawyers into a mandatory state bar." Includes Professional Regulation, Lawyer Resources, and Public Resources.
- Virginia Code Commission"The original purpose of the Virginia Code Commission was to create the 1950 Code of Virginia by codifying the Acts of Assembly of 1948 and all statutes enacted prior to and subsequent to 1948. Today, the Commission's duties are set out in Chapter 15 (§ 30-145 et seq.) of Title 30 of the Code of Virginia."
- Virginia State Law LibraryA unit of the Virginia Supreme Court, the Virginia State Law Library "is a reference collection serving the research needs of the justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia and their staff, the judges of the Virginia Court of Appeals and their staff, the office of the Governor, members of the General Assembly, judges of other courts, and practicing attorneys in good standing."
Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI)
CALI lessons are interactive tutorials written by law professors at CALI member schools. They can be used for studying specific legal topics.
Ask a Reference Librarian for the GW Law CALI code.