Resources on Law

Legal Resources by Country

• Foreign and International Law Resources on the Internet: Annotated (Cornell Law Library)
• Guide to Law Online: Nations of the World
• Library of Congress: Country Studies
• World Legal Information Institute (WorldLII)

Africa: South Africa
Asia: China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, India, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam
Australasia: Australia, New Zealand
Europe: EU, France, Germany, Ireland, Russia, Scotland, United Kingdom
North America: Canada, United States
South & Central America: Latin America

Africa

South Africa

• Government
  • Parliament
  • South African Law Reform Commission

Legislation

• Acts 1993-
• Bills 1995-

Useful Links

• Southern African Legal Information Institute (SAFLII)
• University of Witwatersrand Law School

Asia

China

• Government
  • Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America
  • 中國普法網 - 中華人民共和國司法部 (Ministry of Justice) (in GB code)
  • 中華人民共和國商務部 (Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China) (in GB and English code)
  • 中華人民共和國最高人民法院 (in GB code)
  • 中華人民共和國最高人民檢察院 (in GB code)

Legislation

• White Papers (in GB and English code)
• 中國法律法規檢索系統 (in GB code)
• 北大法律法規網 (in GB code)

Useful Links

• China Daily
• China Online
• Chinese Law at Washlaw Web Site
• Internet Chinese Legal Research Center: Mainland China
• WTO信息查詢中心 (in GB code)
• 中國法院網 (in GB code)
• 中國研究論文庫 (香港中文大學. 中國研究服務中心) (in GB & English code)
• 中國網上政府和組織 (in GB code)
• 中國網上新聞媒体 (in GB code)
  • 人民日報 (People's Daily) (in GB code)
  • 法制日報 (Legal Daily) (in GB code)
  • 檢察日報 (Procuratorial Daily) (in GB code) 
• 中國憲政網 (in GB code)
• 歷屆兩會數據庫 (全國人民代表大會, 全國政協會議) (in GB code)

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)

• GovHK 香港政府一站通 (in Big5, GB and English code) 
  • Department of Justice (in Big5, GB and English code)
    • Basic Law Bulletin
    • Criminal Appeals Bulletin
  • Inland Revenue Department (in Big5, GB and English code)
    • Board of Review Decisions
    • Departmental Interpretation & Practice Notes
  • Intellectual Property Department including Circulars (in Big5, GB and English code)
  • Judiciary (in GB, Big5 and English code)
  • Law Reform Commission (in Big5 and English code)
  • Legal Aid Department (in Big5, GB and English code)
  • Legislative Council (in Big5, GB and English code)
  • Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong (in Big5 and English code)
  • Securities and Futures Appeals Tribunal (in GB, Big5 and English code)

Legislation

• Basic Law (in Big5, GB and English code)
  • Full Text
  • Basic Law Drafting History Online (HKU)
• Bills 
• Gazette
• Hansard (in Big5 and English code)
• Laws of Hong Kong (in Big5, GB and English code) 
  • Historical Laws of Hong Kong (HKU)
• List of Multilateral Treaties Applied to the HKSAR

Useful Links

• Community Legal Information Centre ( in Big5, GB and English code)
• HKUL Digital Initiatives
• Hong Kong Legal Information Institute (HKLII)
• Hong Kong Treaty Project (in Big5 and English code)

Macau Special Administrative Region

• Government (in Big5, GB, English and Portugues code)
  • 立法會 (in Big5, English and Portugues code)
  • 法院 (in Big5 and Portugues code)
  • 檢察院 (in Big5, GB and Portugues code)

Legislation

• Basic Law (in Big5 and English code)
• 澳門法例資料查詢系統 (in Big5 and Portugues code)

Useful Links

• 澳門法律網 (in Big5 and Portugues code)

Taiwan

• Government Information Office (in Big5 and English code)
  • 立法院 (Legislative Yuan) (in Big5 and English code)
    • 立法院公報
  • 司法院 (Judicial Yuan) (in Big5 and English code)
    • 司法周刊
    • 司法院公報
  • 行政院 (Executive Yuan) (in Big5 and English code)
    • 行政院公報資訊網
    • 法務部 (Ministry of Justice) (in Big5 code) 
  • 監察院 (Control Yuan) (in Big5 and English code)
    • 監察院公報

Legislation

• 立法院法律系統 (in Big5 code)

Useful Links

• Internet Chinese Legal Research Center: Taiwan
• 法源法律網 (in Big5 code)
• 國家圖書館全球資訊網 (National Central Library) (in Big5 and English code)

India

• Government
  • Ministry of Law and Justice
  • Parliament
  • Supreme Court

Legislation

• Acts
• Constitution
• Rules

Useful Links

• Guide to Indian Law

Israel

• Government
  • Ministry of Justice
  • Parliament

Useful Links

• LLRX: A Guide to the Israeli Legal System 

Japan

• Ministry of Justice (in Japanese and English code)

Legislation

• English Translations of Japanese Law
• Japanese Law (Finance related Laws in English)
• Legislation (in Japanese code)

Useful Links

• WorldLII: Japan
• Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (in Japanese and English code)
• Japanese Legal Research at the University of Washington

Malaysia

• Government
  • Court
  • Parliament
  • State Government

Singapore

• Government 
  • Ministry of Law 
  • Parliament 
  • Supreme Court 

Legislation

• Bills 2002-
• Statutes

South Korea

• Government
  • Ministry of Justice
  • Supreme Court

Useful Links

Sri Lanka

• Government

Legislation

• Acts 1999-
• Bills 2003-

Useful Links

• LawNet

Thailand

• Government

Useful Links

• Thailand Law Forum

Vietnam

• National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Australasia

Australia

Commonwealth

• Government 
  • Attorney-General's Department 
  • Australian Law Reform Commission
  • Federal Court of Australia
  • High Court of Australia
  • Parliament

Legislation

• Hansard 1981- 
• Legislation

Australian Capital Territory

• Government 
  • ACT Law Courts & Tribunals
  • Legislative Assembly

Legislation

• ACT Legislation Register
• Hansard 1996- 

New South Wales

• Government 
  • Local Courts
  • New South Wales Law Reform Commission 
  • Parliament
  • Supreme Court

Legislation

• Bills
• Government Gazette
• Hansard 
• NSW Legislation

Northern Territory

• Government 
  • Legislative Assembly
  • Supreme Court

Legislation

• Hansard 6th Assembly-
• Legislation

Queensland

• Government
  • Courts
  • Law Reform Commission
  • Parliament

Legislation

• Consolidated Acts & Regulations 
• Hansard 1990-

South Australia

• Government 
  • Parliament

Legislation

• Government Gazette
• Hansard
• Legislation

Tasmania

• Government
  • Parliament
  • Supreme Court  

Legislation

• Bills 2002-
• Hansard 1992-
• Legislation

Victoria

• Government
  • Department of Justice
  • Parliament
  • Supreme Court
  • Victorian Parliament Law Reform Committee

Legislation

• Hansard 1991-
• Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents 

Western Australia

• Government 
  • Department of the Attorney General
  • Law Reform Commission 
  • Parliament
  • Supreme Court

Legislation

• Bills
• Government Gazette
• Hansard 1997-  
• Legislation

Useful Links

• Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII)
• Australian Government: Selected Websites
• Australian Law Online
• JURIST Australia -  The Legal Education Network 
• Pandora Archive - Preserving and Accessing Networked Documentary Resources of Australia

New Zealand

• Government
  • Courts
  • Law Commission
  • Ministry of Justice
  • Parliament

Legislation

• Acts (New Zealand Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO))
• Acts (Knowledge Basket)
• Bills (Knowledge Basket)

Useful Links

• LawAccess Online
• New Zealand Legal Information Institute (NZLII)

Europe

EU

• Council of Europe
• EUROPA: European Union Online
  • Official Journal of the European Union
• European Parliament

Legislation

• European Treaties
• European Commission [Green Papers | White Papers]

Useful Links

• European Government Information
• European Union Internet Resources 
• Jurist EU
• Legal Resources in Europe

France

Legislation

• French Codes (some with English version)

Useful Links

• Legal News (in french code)

Germany

• Government

Useful Links

• German Law Archive
• German Law: Resources in English

Ireland

• Government
  • Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
  • House of the Oireachtas (Parliament)
  • Law Reform Commission

Legislation

Legislation (including Bills, Acts and Statutory Instruments)

Useful Links

• Irish Legal Information Initiative

Russia

• Guide to Russian Legal Research

Scotland

• Government
  • Courts
  • Parliament
  • Scottish Law Commission

Useful Links

• Scottish Law Online

United Kingdom

• UK Government Online
  • Department for Constitutional Affairs
  • Her Majesty's Courts Service
  • Law Commission
    • Consultation Papers
    • Law Commission Reports
  • Office of Public Sector Information
  • Parliament
  • Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
    • Special Reports
  • Privy Council

Legislation

• Acts of the UK Parliament 1988- 
• Command Papers / House of Commons Papers
• Gazette
• House of Commons including Public Bills and Hansard 1988/89-
• House of Lords including Public Bills and Hansard 1994/95- 
• Statutory Instruments 1987- 

Useful Links

• British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII)
• Intute: Social Sciences - Law
• Proceedings of the Old Bailey London 1674-1834
• UK Centre for Legal Education: UK legal resources 

Northern Ireland

• Assembly
• Court Service
• Criminal Justice System
• Office of Law Reform

Legislation

• Acts and Associated Delegated Legislation
• Statutory Rules 1991-

Wales

• Assembly Government
  • National Assembly for Wales

Legislation

• Legislation

North America

Canada

• Government 
  • Department of Justice 
  • Law Commission of Canada
  • Parliament 
  • Supreme Court 

Legislation

• Debates of the House of Commons of Canada (Hansard)
• Debates of the Senate of Canada (Hansard)
• Gazette
• Statutes 

Useful Links

• Access to Justice Network: Legislative Materials 
• Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII)
• JURIST Canada - The Legal Education Network 
• LexUM (Université de Montréal)

United States

• Government
• Library of Congress (including Bills and Congressional Record)
• Senate
• US House of Representatives
• White House

Legislation

• Code of Federal Regulations 
• U.S. Code [LII Hypertext Version | House Searchable Version] 
• Uniform Commercial Code 
• United States Statutes at Large 1789-1873

Useful Links

• Findlaw: Court Forms
• JURIST USA- The Legal Education Network
• Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School) 

South & Central America

Latin America

• Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC)