Basic Legal Research for University Law Related Classes - Statutes and Codes
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Legislation and Codes, Generally
Legislatures create law by passing bills that are signed by the Executive and become Acts.
A code is the compilation of legislated laws, arranged by topic or subject. Without codes, everyone would need to remember when a particular law was passed in order to research the law. Changes in the law, by new laws, or by amendments to the code (by later acts) are incorporated into the code.
What is an annotated code and why do I care?
If a code is annotated, the editors of that code have added additional information beyond the text of the law, specifically to help the researcher. Annotations may include citations to cases that the editor believes are related to the code section, cross references to other code sections, and perhaps history sections indicating information about amendments to the code section. Annotations also often include references to other books, practice manuals, and legal periodical articles which discuss the statute.
Finding Legislative Law - Ohio
In Ohio, the legislative body is called the General Assembly, and the Governor signs bills into law.
Over its history, Ohio has had a number of different Codes. The latest major revision was completed in 1953 and the current Ohio Code is called the Ohio Revised Code. For more information on Ohio statutes, see Ohio Legal Research Guide: Legislation.
For annotated versions of the Ohio Revised Code, with references that can lead you to other resources including court cases interpreting sections of the law, 
see:
- Baldwin's Ohio Revised Code Annotated (Thomson West) In print format, in Reference, Reserve, and Ohio Room: KFO 30 1953 .A4 Start with the Index, and then go to the title number, and then section number.
- Page's Ohio Revised Code Annotated (LexisNexis) In print format, in Reference, Reserve, and Ohio Room: KFO 30 1953 .P3 Page's ORC is also available electronically, both on and off campus for C.S.U. students, faculty, and staff at: LexisNexis Academic Legal/Federal & State Codes.
Lemon Law Sample Search
1. From LexisNexis Academic Legal/Federal & State Codes, at the Sources box, select "OH-Ohio Statutes ...". Enter 1345.71 as a search term. 1345.71 is a relevant Ohio Revised Code section number. Select ORC 1345.71 from the list of results.
2. Note that this section contains definitions that may be important in other sections. As you scroll down, you will notice that the text of the law is followed by the annotations for that section which have been included by the editors of that publication.
3. Looking for court decisions to see whether there may be a case involving the issue of whether a lessee of a new vehicle is a "consumer" for purposes of the lemon law, you find an annotation that refers you to the decision: Potente v. Peugeot Motors of Am., Inc., 62 Ohio Misc. 2d 335, 598 N.E.2d 907 (CP 1991). The Law Library would have this decision in print form, in the Ohio Room on the 1st Level, but to read this case electronically, copy one of the citations provided, go to Lexis Nexis Academic .
4. If you only want the text of the law, an unannotated electronic version of the Ohio Revised Code, you can access LAWriter, a free website provided by the State of Ohio.
Other States' Codes:
Codes for other states are available electronically, both on and off campus for C.S.U. students, faculty, and staff at:
LexisNexis Academic Legal/Federal & State Codes
For free Internet sites containing state codes, try:
The Law Library has a current print annotated code for many states. The sets are shelved by call number, alphabetically by state, on the Atrium Level of the Law Library, beginning with KFA (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona), KFC (California), etc. Start with the index, and make sure to check the pocket part supplement for amendments to the law and newer annotations to court decisions.
Other titles may provide state-specific code citation references:
- Searching the Law, the States: A Selective Bibliography of State Practice Materials in the 50 States, 4th ed. / Francis R. Doyle / Ardsley, N.Y.: Transnational Publishers, 2003. 2 vols. Reference KF 240 .S43 2003
- Martindale-Hubbell Law Digest -- Reference KF 190 .M374
- Subject Compilations of State Laws -- Reference KF 240 .S795
- Consumer Warranty Law: Lemon Law, Magnuson-Moss, UCC, Mobile Home, and Other Warranty Statutes, 3rd ed. / Carolyn L. Carter and Jonathan Sheldon / Boston: National Consumer Law Center, 2006. Atrium KF 919 .C6 S42 2006. Appendix F:"State-by-State Analysis of New Car Lemon Laws" -- summaries and code sections.
It is possible that a website exists with links to statutes for all 50 states on a given topic, if the topic is of public interest. For example:
Finding Legislative Law - Federal - United States Code
At the national level, the United States legislative body, Congress,
passes bills, which when signed by the President, become the Public Laws of the United States.
There are two annotated versions of the United States Code:
The United States Code Annotated (U.S.C.A.) (Thomson West), Reference or 2nd Level KF 62.5 .W45
or United States Code Service (USCS) (LexisNexis), Reference KF62 .L38 
Both contain a multi-volume subject index. Start there and then go to the Title and Section number.
Remember to check the pocket part supplement or pamphlet under the same Title and Section number for updated information -- any amendments to the Code, references to newer court decisions, etc. Some sections of law may be a paragraph or a few pages, but there may be many pages of annotations.
United States Code Service is also available via LexisNexis Academic Legal/Federal & State Codes.
For free electronic access from anywhere via the Internet to an unannotated U.S. Code, from the U.S. Government, at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/index.html
This site provides the text of the law, without any annotations that you would find in the privately published sets (U.S.C.A. or U.S.C.S.) that can lead you to court decisions interpreting the law. You can search by keyword.
For more information on Federal statutes, see Federal Statutes and Codes section of the Legislative History Research Guide and Legal Research Workstation - Statutes, Legislation and Codes