Legal Websites

Just as with medical or disease topics, there are many sites about the law and criminal justice topics, from a variety of self-proclaimed “experts”. Fortunately, there are also good, quality sites that will help you find not just answers, but answers you can trust.

Note: this list is not a guarantee that every link on each page of equal quality, usability, and value. Be sure to evaluate what you plan to use carefully.

GENERAL

Guide to Law Online - Law Library of Congress (Library of Congress)
http://www.loc.gov/law/help/guide.php
A collection of links and guides on state, national, and international law. This link goes directly to the “Research Help” section. Many sections, pages, and links are annotated.

Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School
http://www.law.cornell.edu/
Award-winning website for legal information. Sections include: Constitutions and Codes; Court Opinions; and two Topical Libraries, on ethics and social security. The “Law about…” section – click on “All Topics” to get the full list – has areas ranging from adoption to contracts to elections, each with a well-written overview and menu of sources from federal, state, and other resources.

Reddy's Forensic Page
http://www.forensicpage.com/
A huge collection of, unfortunately not annotated, links relating to forensic science. Sections include: fingerprints, arson, forensic nursing, and DNA, as well as broader categories such as scientific working groups, forensic science laboratories, and ethics and forensic science.

Bureau of Justice Statistics Home page
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
The best place to find actual numbers on crime and crime-related topics.

LOUISIANA

Louisiana State Legislature
http://www.legis.state.la.us/searchlegis.htm
Go directly to the source, for current laws and bills in Louisiana. The “How do I…?” section gives instructions on both using the site and finding legal information.

Louisiana State Supreme Court
http://www.lasc.org/default.asp
The official site for the highest court in the state. The “Library Information” page has a good introduction to the print collection, and has online guides to legal research, many of which are specific to Louisiana laws and sources.