Finding PDF Documents
Kincaid C. Brown
American & Electronic Resources Librarian
University of Michigan Law Library
Cases: Federal Courts
- US Supreme Court Web Site: Bound vols. 1991(v.502) forward; slip opinions of most recent cases
- Westlaw: PDF view option for West-published reports (see next slide), e.g. Supreme Court Reporter, Federal Reporter, Federal Supplement, etc.
- Note: Westlaw still in process of adding PDFs. There is also a time-lag between when the print version is published and the PDF posted
- HeinOnline: from vol. 1 (1754) forward; most recent as slip opinions
Cases: Federal Courts
Cases: State Courts
- Westlaw: PDF view option for West-published reports, e.g. Regional reporters, and individual state reports (i.e., Michigan Reports
- Note 1: Westlaw still in process of adding PDFs. There is also a time-lag between when the print version is published and the PDF posted
- Note 2: May be fewer state cases in Westlaw as the focus was on the Federal courts first.
- State court web sites: these opinions will be mostly slip opinions
Note: Usually the states will have a main web site for its appeals courts. This is where you want to go and often these sites have additional resources like court rules and sentencing guidelines. Example: Michigan Courts website: http://courts.michigan.gov/.
Federal Laws
- HeinOnline: Statutes at Large, 1789 forward (approx. 3 year lag)
- GPO Access: Statutes at Large 108th Congress (2003-2004) forward (approx. 3 year lag) and slip laws 104th Congress (1995-1996) forward
- US House: current version of US Code with annual supplements
State Laws
Generally only state session laws (aka public laws) are available in PDF format. State statutory codes will be in html format.
- HeinOnline: state session laws 2000 forward (approx. 2-3 year lag)
- State legislature sites will have more recent session laws online (as slip opinions). Some states will also have prior to 2000.
Federal Regulations
- HeinOnline: Code of Federal Regulation 1938-1983 and Federal Register volume 1 (1936) forward (approx. 4 month lag)
- GPO Access: Code of Federal Regulations 1996 to present; Federal Register 1994 to present.
State Regulations
Many states post their administrative regulations online. For many states, there is no longer an official print version so the online is the official version even if not in PDF.
- We have linked to many official state codes and registers in our online Catalog.
- Search tip: do a subject search for "delegated legislation" (i.e., "delegated legislation michigan") to find the record with the link.
Federal Legislative History Materials
- HeinOnline: electronic version of selected compiled legislative histories.
- HeinOnline is in the process of adding the Congressional Record and its predecessor titles. Currently through 1880 and 1996-2003 available.
- GPO Access: PDF version of congressional documents, hearings, reports, and the Congressional Record 1994 to present (but varies by material type).
- LexisNexis Congressional: PDF versions of Congressional documents included in the Serial Set covering 1789-1969.
Note: In LexisNexis Congressional you can limit your search to the Serial Set on the Advanced Search screen.
Some Other HeinOnline Materials
- US Attorney General Opinions
- US Administrative Agency Decisions (not yet available) scheduled for release this Fall.
- Presidential Documents
- Treaties
- American Law Institute Library
Other Materials Available via GPO Access
- Presidential Documents
- Administrative Agency Reports and Administrative Decisions
- Can search for documents, reports, and other US government publications on GPO Access site using the Catalog of US Government Publications
- You can search Google to find these materials also. Search tip: search for the administrative agency then go into the agency site to the "Publications" or "Documents" sections.
Finding Law Articles
- Most academic law reviews available on HeinOnline
- Search for journal titles using the A-Z Journals List or the Library Catalog and then browse to the volume and article level
Finding Articles, pt. 2
Use Find An Article to plug in information into a searchable form.
- Must include a Journal Title or ISSN.
- Provides better links when more information is provided.
- ISSN will be filled in automatically if you choose "Look up Article" link after a journal title search (see next slide)
Finding Articles, pt. 2
Finding Non-Law Articles
- Non-law journals can be located via the University Library's Mirlyn Catalog or Search Tools ("Find E-Journals" link at the top).
- From a journal entry in Search Tools you can click on the link or the "M Get It" button to pull up a form to fill out (see next slide)
Finding Non-Law Articles
Finding Books
PDF books can usually be found via Library Catalogs: Law Library Catalog or University Library Mirlyn Catalog.
Some major databases of PDF books (individual titles are linked from one or both of the above catalogs).
- HeinOnline: Legal Classics Library
- Making of Modern Law
- Eighteenth Century Collections Online
Note: Generally PDF books are available on campus are limited to older material that is out of copyright.
If No PDF Is Available ...
You will need to use the print and microform materials in the campus libraries and via inter-library loan.
These materials are found in the campus catalogs:
- Law: http://umil.iii.com/
- University Library: http://mirlyn.lib.umich.edu/
- Kresge Business Library: http://lib.bus.umich.edu/search.html
You can find books, serial publications, and journal titles using the catalogs. You cannot find journal articles. In the Law Library Catalog you can find book chapters using a keyword search.
Inter-Library Loan
When something is not available on campus submit an ILL.
- ILL forms available here: http://umil.iii.com/screens/ill.html
- Note: when filling out ILL forms for a journal both the name and ID# will be: Journal AuthorName (e.g. JLR Brown).
For additional assistance
- Reference Desk assistance available 9 a.m. to midnight 7 days a week
- Professional librarians also available for individual appointments
- Ask a Law Librarian email service. Information at http://www.law.umich.edu/library/libserv/asklibrarian.htm.