This research guide outlines the legal resources available at the NJ State Library. The focus is on NJ related materials, but we also have Federal legal resources.
The State Library provides access to a variety of electronic resources that can be used to identify materials on topics of interest to you. Many include full text articles. Some resources are only available to State Library authorized users, which includes State employees, State Police Academy trainees, and Thomas Edison State University staff and students. Users may ask a librarian to conduct a database search by completing a search request form. You can also browse all databases alphabetically.
Official source for federal legislative information, including bills, laws, committee information, committee reports, the Congressional Record, roll call votes and profiles and contact information for members of Congress.
Authoritative information and data on legislation, members, and the history and powers of the U.S. Congress. Tools and data to analyze Congress, as well as a congressional dictionary and information on how Congress works. Search for members by demographics, compare voting habits, and view how they've been ranked by interest groups. View historical information on congress, including votes back to 1969. All data can be exported.
The official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
HeinOnline is a key legal research database. Includes full text of 1600 law reviews; 50 State session laws and statutes archives; the U.S. Federal Legislative History Library (comprehensive histories for major laws, including bills, reports, hearings and other full text documents). Also includes: the U.S. Code; U.S. Statutes at Large, Code of Federal Regulations; Federal Register; U.S. Congressional Serial Set; U.S. Congressional Documents; U.S. Reports. A collection of treatises considered legal classics; Water Rights and Resources Collection; LGBTQ Rights Collection. Also includes U.S. treaties, Canadian and English law, and international agreements.
Provides consumer legal information. 13,000+ state-specific legal forms and 8,200 federal forms searchable by state. Includes full-text of all books published by NOLO Press, a trusted publisher of consumer, business, and legal guides, as well as New Jersey specific legal forms for adoption, bankruptcy, divorce, name changes, property and real estate, small business forms, and wills. Published by EBSCO.
This database is also available to New Jersey residents via JerseyClicks.
Database of U.S. state and federal statutes, court opinions, regulations, court rules and administrative decisions, plus law reviews and New Jersey-based legal practice guides on various topics. Access is only available on-site at the public computers in the Law Library.
Researching politics, Congress and U.S. History? Start here. Database includes
Congress in Context (histories of each session from 1789-present, including key events and personnel)
Members of Congress profiles (including sponsored bills, remarks, floor votes, and histories from 1789-present)
Legislative histories of U.S. statutes (1969-present)
Searchable full-text of Congressional Record (1985-present), Code of Federal Regulations (1981-present) and the Federal Register (1980-present)
Consolidated search across federal government's and individual politicians' social media platforms, as well as political news from Washington Post (1987-present), RollCall (1998-present), and CQ Political Transcripts (1995-present)
Database of U.S. state and federal statutes, court opinions, regulations, court rules and administrative decisions, plus law reviews and New Jersey-based legal practice guides on various topics.
Access is only available on-site at the public computers in the Law Library.