New York Legal Research Pathfinder
compiled by Renee Cullmann, Reference Librarian
March 2004
NY State Materials:
1. Legislationa. Session Laws
b. Bills
2. Case Law
3. Case Finding Digests
4. Administrative Law
5. Citators
6. Forms and Practice Materials
7. New York State Constitution
8. Court Rules
9. Research Guides
10. Directories
New York City Materials:
1. New York City Administrative Code
2. Rules of the City of NY
New York State Legislation:
There are three unofficial sets of the Consolidated Laws. NY does not currently publish an official edition of its statutes.
1. McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated.(McKinney's). (NEWARK LAW KFN 5030.A43) Contains NY statutes currently in effect. Also contains annotations and supplemental information such as cross-references to Corpus Jurists (C.J.S.), McKinney's Forms, case summaries interpreting and construing statutes, references to federal and other New York statutory law, and citations to relevant provisions of the New York Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR).
2. New York Consolidated Laws Service Annotated Statutes with Forms. (CLS).(RESERVE KFN 5029.N49) Contains NY statutes currently in effect and legal forms relevant to statutes. Also includes annotations and supplemental information such as cross-references to legal encyclopedias, case summaries interpreting and construing statutes, references to federal and other New York statutory law,and citations to relevant provisions of the New York Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR).
3. Gould's Consolidated Laws of New York.(Gould's). (NEWARK LAW KFN 5029.N47) Contains unannotated NY statutes currently in effect.
Online Sources of New York State Legislation:
Free Access:
New York State Consolidated Laws(on the State Assembly Website):
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?cl=0
Subscription Based:
New York Statutes Unannotated(NY-ST):
This database contains current New York statutes, court rules and the state
constitution.
New York Statutes Annotated (NY-ST-ANN): This database contains current
New York statutes, court rules and the state constitution,with annotations.
New York Statutes- General Index(NY-ST-IDX): This database contains the General Index for McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated, which consists of main index headings and all references following those headings,as well as an alphabetical list of all main index headings.
New York Consolidated Laws Service, Constitution, Court Rules and ALS, Combined (NYCODE): This group file contains documents from the New York Consolidated Laws Service, including statutes, court rules and the state constitution. It also includes documents from the New York Advance Legislative service.
New York Consolidated Laws Service (CODE): This database contains New York's statutory code, as published in the New York Consolidated Laws Service.
New York Session Laws:
1. McKinney's Session Laws of
New York. (NEWARK LAWKFN 5079. N49) An unofficial publication containing
all of the public and private laws passed yearly by the New York legislature.
It also contains annual reports of committees, the governors annual message
to the joint session of the legislature and other materials that are useful
in ascertaining legislative intent.
Online Sources of New York Session Laws:
Free Access:
Search for New York State Chapter
Laws Passed During the Current Legislative Session (on the State Assembly
website):
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?sl=0
Subscription based:
New York Legislative Service(NY-LEGIS): This database contains current New York session law and other documents, including the governor's annual message,executive orders, executive, legislative, and judicial memoranda;and advisory committee reports.
New York Historical Legislative Service 1987-2002 (NY-LEGIS-OLD): This database contains older New York session laws and other documents, including the governor's annual message; executive orders; executive, legislative, and judicial memoranda; and advisory committee reports. Coverage includes documents from the 1986 Regular and Extraordinary Sessions of the 209th Legislature through the 2002 Regular Session of the225th Legislature.
New York Advance Legislative Service (NYALS): This database contains the full text of laws enacted during a legislative session. It covers legislative sessions from 1990 through the present.
New York Bills:
Free Online Access:
New York State Bill Search (on the
State Assembly website):
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/
Subscription based:
New York Bill Tracking- Summaries and Full Text Combined (NY-BILLS): This database contains summary bill tracking materials (summary of bills and status information)and the full text of all available bills (introduced, amended and enacted versions). This database also contains a calendar that provides the latest information about legislative session status,adjournment dates and action deadlines for all states.
New York Full Text Bills(NYTEXT): Contains the full text of bills pending in the New York state legislature.
New York Bill Tracking Reports(NYTRCK): Contains a summary and legislative chronology of all pending legislation in the current legislative session.
New York Bill Tracking and Full Text Bills (NYBILL): Combined database, containing New York bill tracking and full text bills from the current legislative session.
Case Law:
The Court of Appeals is New York's highest level court of appellate jurisdiction. The Appellate Division is the intermediate appellate court in New York.It is broken down into four departments, which each serve four different geographic areas in New York State. The Supreme Court is New York's trial court and it is a court of general jurisdiction. There are also various lower courts of limited jurisdiction in New York, such as Family Courts, County Courts,Surrogates Courts and Justice Courts.
1. New York Reports (N. Y. or NY) and New York Reports 2d (N.Y.2d orNY2d). (NEWARK LAW KFN 5045.A22) This is the official reporter of opinions of the New York Court of Appeals.
2. Appellate Division Reports (A.D. or AD) and Appellate Division Reports 2d (A.D.2d or AD2d). (NEWARK LAW KFN 5048.A22) This is the official reporter of opinions from the Appellate Division .
3. Miscellaneous Reports (Misc. or Misc) and Miscellaneous Reports 2d (Misc2d or Misc.2d). (NEWARK LAW KFN 5051 .A22)This is the official reporter of select opinions from the New York Supreme Court and other lower New York courts.
4. New York Supplement (NYS or N.Y.S.) and New York Supplement 2d (NYS2d orN.Y.S.2d). (NEWARK LAW KFN 5045. A333) Unofficial reporter containing reported decisions of the Court of Appeals, Appellate Division, Supreme Court and other lower courts.
5. Northeastern Reporter (NE or N.E.) and Northeaster Reporter 2d (NE2d or N.E.2d). (NEWARK LAW KF 135.N6 N63)Unofficial reporter containing reported decisions and memoranda of the New York Court of Appeals. It also contains decisions of the highest courts and selected intermediate appellate decisions of Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts and Ohio.
Online Sources of New York Case Law:
Free Access:
New York State Court Decisions(on the NY State Unified Court System website):
http://www.nycourts.gov/decisions/index.shtml
New York State Slip Opinions (on the
NY State Law Reporting Bureau website):
http://www.courts.state.ny.us/reporter/Decisions.htm
New York Court of Appeals Opinions
from 1990 forward (available from Cornell's Legal Information Institute):
http://www.law.cornell.edu/ny/ctap/
Subscription based:
Second Circuit Federal and State Cases (CTA2-ALL): This database contains reported and unreported decisions and orders from the federal appellate courts in the Second Circuit, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Judicial Panel commuted Litigation, and U.S. circuit, district, and bankruptcy courts and state courts from Connecticut, New York, and Vermont.
New York State Courts (NY-CS):This
database contains decisions and orders from the New York state courts.
New York Official Reports (NY-ORCS): This database contains opinions from
New York Reports, Appellate Division Reports, and New York Miscellaneous
Reports, the official reporters for New York state court opinions.
New York Official Reports- Unreported Decisions (NY-ORCSU): This database
contains opinions from the Supreme Court, Appellate Term,and other lower
courts that are not selected for official publication.
New York Official Reports Table of Cases (NY-ORTOC): This database consists
of the Table of Cases from New York Reports, Appellate Division Reports,
and New York Miscellaneous Reports opinions.
Court of Appeals of New York- New Filings (NY-NEWAPP): This database consists
of lists of new filings with the Court of Appeals of New York. The lists
are promulgated weekly by the Court of Appeals and identify the issues raised
in newly filed appeals.
Lexis Nexis:
New York Federal and State Cases, Combined (NYMEGA): Contains caselaw for
jurisdictions relating to New York. The federal case law includes the U.S.
Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the
U.S. District Court and Bankruptcy Courts for the State of New York. The
state case law includes the New York Court of Appeals, Appellate Division
and Supreme Court. It also includes caselaw reported from various lower
courts of specific jurisdiction.
New York Cases, Administrative Decisions and Attorney General Opinions,
Combined (NYCASE): Contains New York caselaw decided by the New York Court
of Appeals, Appellate Division, Supreme Court and other lower courts. It
also contains tax materials, comptroller opinions, New York Department of
Environmental Conservation opinions, New York Public Service Commission
opinions and New York Attorney General opinions.
New York State Cases, Combined (NYCTS): Contains caselaw decided by the
New York Court of Appeals, the Appellate Division and the lower court.
New York Court of Appeals Cases (NY): Contains Court of Appeals decisions
.
New York Court of Appeals and Supreme Court- Appellate Division Cases (NYAD):
Contains Court of Appeals decisions and Appellate Division decisions.
New York Supreme Court- Appellate Division Cases (APPDIV): Contains Appellate
Division cases. Lexis Nexis also has searchable databases reporting cases
from all four departments of the Appellate Division, individually.
New York Lower Court Cases (NYMISC): Contains lower court decisions.
New York Supreme Court Opinions (SUPRCT): Contains opinions of the New York
Supreme Court published in New York Miscellaneous Reports
Various New York City Opinions: Lexis Nexis has separate databases reporting
opinions of the Civil Court of New York (CIVCT), the Criminal Court of New
York (CRIMCT), the District Court of New York(DISTCT), the Family Court
of New York (FAMCT), the Surrogates Court of New York (SURGCT), the Town
and Village Justice Court of New York (TVJCT), the New York City Court Opinions(COUNCT),
and the New York Court of Claims Opinions (CLAMCT), among others.
Case Finding Digests:
West's New York Digest, 4th ed. (NEWARK LAW KFN5057.A4) This digest can
be used to research and locate caselaw, using West's key number system.
Administrative Law:
There is one official publication that contains all current rules and regulations promulgated by New York state administrative agencies.
1. New York Official Compilation Codes, Rules and Regulations. (NYCRR or N.Y.C.R.R.). (NEWARK LAW KFN 5035 1960 .A22) The official publication of the rules and regulations of all New York state agencies.
2. New York state Register. (MICROFICHE CABINET 10) Contains proposed and final actions taken by New York state agencies. Most regulations included in the register are not offered in full text,they are summaries. Supplemental information regarding regulation scan also be found here.
Online Sources of New York Administrative Law:
Free access:
New York State Agency Rules and
Regulations (from the Governors Office of Regulatory Reform website)- Note
that this is not a comprehensive collection of all NY rules and regulations:
http://www.gorr.state.ny.us/gorr/Reg_Guide.html
Subscription based:
Westlaw:
New York Administrative Code (NY-ADC): This database contains administrative
rules and regulations, legal interpretations,supervisory policies and procedures,
forms and other documents from the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules
and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR).
New York Administrative Code Index (NY-ADC-IDX): This database consists
of general index references for the NYCRR.
New York Attorney General Opinions (NY-AG): This database consists of opinion
letters of New York's attorney general.
Lexis Nexis:
New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYADMN): Contains current regulations
of New York State agencies, departments and institutions.
New York Register (NYRGST): Contains information on recent developments
in New York regulatory law. It includes proposed,adopted and emergency regulations.
RegAlert- New York Documents (RGALRT): Contains the full text of proposed
regulations from most of the 50 states, and the full text of final regulations.
New York State Regulation Tracking (NYRGTR): Contains summaries of proposed
regulations and status actions for individual regulations promulgated by
various state agencies.
New York Agencies and Attorney General Opinions, Combined (NYAGEN):Contains
opinions of the state agencies and attorney generals office.
Lexis Nexis also has individual databases containing New York Attorney General
opinions (NYAG), New York State Comptrollers opinions (NYCOMP) and New York
Department of Environmental Conservation decisions (NYENV), among other
sources.
Citators:
1. Shepard's New York Court of
Appeals Citations.(NEWARK LAW KFN 5059.S5) Citations for cases from New
York's highest court.
2. Shepard's New York Supreme Court Citations. (NEWARK LAW KFN 5059.S48)
Citations for cases from the intermediate Appellate Division.
3. Shepard's New York Miscellaneous Citations. (NEWARK LAW KFN 5059 .S47)
Citations for reported cases from the New York Supreme Court, attorney general
opinions and selected New York administrative opinions.
4. Shepard's New York Statute Citations. (NEWARK LAW KFN 5039.S52) Citations
for the New York state constitution, state statutes, administrative regulations
and court rules can be found in different sections of this citator.
Online Citators:
Subscription based:
Forms and Practice Materials:
1. Carmody-Wait 2d. Cylcopedia
of New York Practice with Forms. (NEWARK LAW KFN 5995.C35) A procedural
encyclopedia that includes annotated forms. It covers both civil and criminal
practice.
2. McKinney's Forms. (NEWARK LAW KFN5068.W4) Comprehensive set of forms
covering many aspects of New York practice and different practice areas.
3. New York Consolidated Laws Service Annotated Statutes with Forms. (CLS).
(NEWARK LAW 5030.A43)Contains NY statutes currently in effect and legal
forms relevant to statutes.
4. New York Jurisprudence 2d. (NEWARK LAW KFN5065.N48) Legal encyclopedia
covering New York civil and criminal law and procedure, statutes and administrative
law.
Online Forms and Treatises:
Free Access:
New York Unified Court System- Court Help: Provides access to some official
forms.
http://www.courts.state.ny.us/courthelp/forms.html
Subscription based:
U.S. States Materials- New York-Forms, Treatises, CLEs and Other Practice Materials- This area of the Westlaw directory includes Carmody-Wait 2d, various parts of the New York Practice Series, various McKinney's forms and other forms and treatises relevant to New York procedure and select practice areas.
States Legal- U.S.- New York-Treatises and Analytical Materials- Located in this section of the LexisNexis directory are various Matthew Bender forms and other forms and treatises relevant to New York procedure and various practice areas.
New York State Constitution:
New York's current constitution is the Constitution of 1894 and its amendments. It is published in both an annotated and unannotated version, indifferent sources.
1. McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated.(McKinney's). (NEWARK LAW KFN 5030.A43) Book 2 of McKinney's contains the New York State Constitution,annotated with references to cases, statutes, legal encyclopedias and law review articles.
2. New York Consolidated Laws Service. (CLS). (RESERVE KFN 5029.N49)Volumes 41C, 42 and 42A of CLS also contains the New York State Constitution, annotated with references to cases, statutes, legal encyclopedias and law review articles.
3. Gould's Consolidated Laws of New York.(Gould's) (NEWARK LAW KFN 5029.N47) Volume 1 of Gould's contains an unannotated publication of the New York state Constitution.
Online Sources of NY State Constitution:
Free Access:
New York Constitution (on the NY State
Senate website):
http://www.senate.state.ny.us/
New York Constitution (on the NY State
Assembly website):
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?co=0
Subscription based:
Westlaw:
The New York State Constitution can be found in the databases containing
the New York Statutes Annotated (NY-ST-ANN) and the New York Statutes Unannotated
(NY-ST).
New York Constitution (NYCONST):Contains the New York state constitution, as published in the New York Consolidated Laws Service.
The New York state constitution can also be found in the group file New York Consolidated Laws Service, Constitution, Court Rules and ALS, Combined.
New York Court Rules:
1. Official Compilation of New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. (NYCRR).(NEWARK LAW KFN 5035 1960.A22) Title 22 (Judiciary) of the NYCRR is the official source for New York's court rules.
2. McKinney's New York Rules of Court- State and Federal. (McKinney's). (NEWARK LAW KFN 5992.A195)Contains New York's state and federal local court rules. It encompasses all lower courts, the Appellate Division, the Court of Appeals and federal district and Second Circuit court rules.
3. New York Consolidated Laws Service. (CLS). (RESERVE KFN 5029.N49)Volumes 43-46 of CLS contains the current court rules.
Online Sources of NY Court Rules:
Subscription based:
New York Court Rules (NY-RULES):This database contains court rules governing state and local federal practice in New York.
New York Court Rules (NYRULE):Contains rules governing state and local federal practice in New York
The New York state Court rule scan also be found in the group file New York Consolidated Laws Service, Constitution, Court Rules and ALS, Combined.
Legal Research Guides:
Gibson, Ellen. (1998). New York Legal Research Guide, 2d. ed. William S. Hein & Co. Inc. (REFKFN 5074.G53)
Directories and Newspapers:
New York Red Book. (REFERENCE ANDNEWARK LAW JK 3430.N47) This is an encyclopedia of New York State government, providing up-to-date information about government agencies and departments.
New York Lawyers Diary and Bar Directory. (REFERENCE AND DOC REF KF 192 .N45 N37)Includes a bar directory of New York attorneys, a judicial directory of federal and state judges in New York and contact information for federal, New York State and New York City departments and agencies.
New York Law Journal. (RESERVE/ARCHIVES IN MICROFICHE) Daily newspaper containing legal news, decisions, classifieds and other updated information about trends and changes in New York law.
Martindale Hubbell Law Directory-New York (Current ed. at RESERVE KF 190.M37) A directory of New York state attorneys and law firms, including biographical and practice area information.
Online Sources of Directories and Newspapers:
Free Access:
New York State Attorney Inquiry,available through the Unified Court System website:
http://portal.courts.state.ny.us/pls/portal30/INTERNETDB_dev.RPT_ATTY_REG.show_parms
Findlaw Directory
http://directory.findlaw.com
Subscription based:
New York Law Journal (NYLJ):Coverage begins with April 1990.
West Legal Directory (WLD-NY):Contains profiles of New York law firms and biographical records of New York attorneys.
New York Law Journal (NYLAWJ):Contains news, business and legal stories from September 1, 1989and contains Surrogate Court decisions from January 1,1989.
Martindale Hubbell Law Directory(NYDIR):
Contains the current edition of this directory.
New York City materials:
1. New York City Charter and Administrative Code Annotated. (NEWARK LAW KFX2003.A3) This includes all city legislation, regulations and the city charter.
2. New York City Rules and Regulations Annotated. (NEWARK LAW KFX2003.A32) These consist of regulations promulgated by different agencies and departments of New York City government.
Online sources of New York City
Materials:
Free access:
New York City Charter (available
on the State Legislatures website, click on Laws of New York and then scroll
down):
http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/frmload.cgi?MENU-55427175
New York City Administrative Code(available
on the the State Legislatures website, click on Laws of New York and then
scroll down):
http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/frmload.cgi?MENU-55427175
Subscription based:
Westlaw:
New York City Municipal Materials (NYC-MUN): Combines documents from the
following databases: New York City Charter (NYC-C); New York City Administrative
Code (NYC-CODE); New York City Rules and Regulations (NYC-RULES); and New
York City Charter and Code Amendments (NYC-AMEND).
New York Municipal Code, Charter and Rules (NYCMUN): Contains the Administrative Code of New York City and the City Charter. It also contains the official compilation of the Rules of the City of New York.
Table of Contents- New York City Municipal Code, Charter and Rules (NYCTOC): This file allows a user to retrieve code sections by browsing a hierarchical outline of descriptive heading for the New York City Municipal Code.