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Law Library
State Law Library, reference desk
The State Law Library is located in the Michigan Library and Historical Center at
702 W. Kalamazoo, Lansing, Michigan.




The State Law Library, a division of the Library of Michigan, is open from 10am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. State government employees and the general public alike are welcome to come and make use of our print and electronic resources, and our staff can demonstrate how to use these materials effectively. We can also assist you by phone or email in navigating state websites or by suggesting resources to help locate legal or legislative information. We do not perform research for the general public, however, as our primary function is to provide research support to state government employees working in their official capacities.

Moreover, as librarians, we cannot provide advice or guidance on legal matters, explain whether something is "legal" or otherwise interpret the law, nor speak for or on behalf of another government agency. Those seeking legal help should contact a private attorney or legal assistance organization - for more information, see the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) Legal Gateway.

• Contact Information for the Law Library

• State Law Library Research Services

• State Law Library Research Request Form for Michigan Legislative and State Government Employees


Links to Legal and Government Information

• Michigan eLibrary (MeL) Reference Desk

• Common Legal Citations and Where to Find Them PDF icon
Use this chart to identify frequently cited Michigan and federal legal materials and find the resources from which to retrieve them. The websites listed either provide free access to the materials or point to libraries where the source may be found in print.

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• Michigan Constitution of 1963

• Michigan Compiled Laws

• Statewide Ballot Proposals

• Michigan Administrative Code

• Court Rules

• Executive Orders

• Executive Orders - Archives

• Selected Public Acts (A-Z)

Directory of Michigan Law Libraries

• Michigan Law Libraries
We have developed the following lists to help you find legal information in your part of the state. Click on a category below to see a directory of law libraries and other libraries holding some legal materials. If you find a library near you, you can see what kinds of materials it has by clicking on the letter codes at the bottom.

• Directory of Michigan Law Libraries
Libraries in the Upper Peninsula Libraries, Northern Part Of The Lower Peninsula, Southeastern Part Of The Lower Peninsula, South Central Part Of The Lower Peninsula, Southwestern Part Of The Lower Peninsula

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Research Guides

• How to Find Information on a Legal Topic
This guide is intended to help those unfamiliar with law libraries to do basic research in the State Law Library for a report or term paper on a legal topic. It will lead you to books and articles which discuss, analyse or explain the law.

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• How to Use an American Case Digest
A case digest is an indexing system which enables the researcher to find appellate court opinions that deal with particular subject matter. There are digests for federal cases and/or state cases. There are digests that cover the entire country, groups of states or individual states. The structure and function of the many digests published by West Group are described here. Other digests are similar; each contains instructions on its use. The reference librarians are available to answer any questions you may have.

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• Sources of Michigan Legislative History

• How to Find Current Michigan Statutes
This is an introduction to some aspects of researching Michigan statutes, which are the laws enacted by the Michigan Legislature.

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• How to Find Articles in Legal Periodicals
This guide will help you use periodical indexes and other sources to identify articles on legal topics and to find the articles in the law library.

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• How to Find Current Federal Statutes
This is an introduction to some aspects of researching federal statutes, which are the laws enacted by the U.S. Congress. A bill passed by the House and Senate and approved by the President becomes either a public law (abbreviated P.L. or Pub.L.) which has general applicability, or a private law (not discussed here) whose purpose is to benefit a specific person or locality.

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• How to Find Federal Regulations
This guide is intended to help you use the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations, the official sources of administrative regulations issued by the executive branch of the federal government.

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