Research Guides: Government & Media

RESEARCH METHOD
When doing Legal Research follow this path:
  1. Background Information: Read an overview, find definitions and key cases, and focus your topic
  2. Secondary Sources:  Read book chapters and law review articles that cite case law and statutes/codes/regulations
  3. Primary Sources: Having identified case law and statutes/codes/regulations from your reading, use a law database (LexisNexis) or government information (ex. GPO Access) to access them.
1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION & REFERENCE BOOKS
Your class texbook also serves as an introduction to key cases and areas of media law.  The following resources are additional places to look for background information:
  • American Jurisprudence 2d via LexisNexis. This is a practitioner's encyclopedia.
  • West's Encyclopedia of American Law, 2nd ed. This is a basic encyclopedia designed for use by those new to legal terms and concepts.
  • Black's Law Dictionary Ref KF 156 .B53 2004   This is the best law dictionary and is used by practitioners and scholars. Find it in the Reference section of the library (the back right corner beyond the Ref desk)
  • Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation REF DESK KF245 .U55 2005
    The most commonly used citation guide for legal researchers. Sometimes called the Harvard Bluebook. 18th ed.
  • Freedom of the press : rights and liberties under the law
    by Nancy Cornwell. ABC-CLIO, 2004.
  • Legal Guide to Broadcast Law and Regulation Ref KF 2805 .L44
    Is designed to give the broadcaster a more comprehensive analysis and understanding of the many rules, regulations, and laws that effect broadcasters in their day to day operations.
  • Media and American Courts: a reference handbook REF KF 9223.5 .A9154 2004
    by S.L. Alexander. ABC-CLIO, 2004.
  • New York Legal Research Guide REF KFN5074 .G53 2004
    3rd ed., 2004. The basic information needed to understand legal practice in New York state.
  • Oxford Reference: Law   A easy to use and hany online law dictionary.
  • Oyez : U.S. Supreme Court Multimedia
    User friendly website that contains biographies of Supreme Court justices, case decisions, and some transcripts audio of select cases.
2. SECONDARY SOURCES
Secondary law resources are books and articles that discuss cases and issues in the law. 
  1. BOOKS
    a.  "Search Catalog" (on the library's homepage)
    b.  Look at the "Subject Heading" section in to the right column of this guide.  These link to subject headings in the library's catalog.
    c.  ebrary is a collection of fulltext ebooks available 24/7.  The titles are in the library's catalog as "Electronic Resource] -- but if you go into the database you can search across the contents of the entire collection.
    d.WorldCat (via FirstSearch) Use this to identify books IC Library does not own. Use the ILL request link to borrow the item for free (must login to the ILL server "ILLiad"). Books can take a week or two to arrive. 
  2. ARTICLES
    a. LexisNexis Academic Search the Legal Tab > Law Reviews.  Law review articles are lengthy scholarly examinations of specific points of law.  Cases and codes are heavily cited in the footnotes.  Definitly search for law review articles. Sample search: atleast5(indecency) AND atleast5(television)
    b. Communication and Mass Media Complete (CMMC) .  CMMC has scholarly and trade articles on all areas of communication including legal matters.  It is a good place to find updates on law and policy trends written in plain language.
    c. Academic Search Premier   Another database that can provide updates in plain language (as opposed to legal jargon).  ASP is a broad database that covers key journals and magazines.
    d. Business Source Premier (Original Interface) BSP may be especially useful for advertising / commercial speech issues.
    e. CQ Weekly
    Weekly info on Congress: reports on upcoming issues, wrap up of news, status of bills, behind-the-scenes action, committee and floor activity, debates and all roll-call votes.
  3. THINK TANKS
    a. see the list to the right, "Advocacy Groups, Organizations & Think Tanks"
    b. PolicyArchive
    Digital library of public policy research with more than 12,000 policy documents from about 220 think tanks and research groups.
  4. AUDIO-VIDEOS
    C-SPAN The Communicators
    PBS: Online NewsHour: Media
    NPR: On the Media

     
3. PRIMARY SOURCE
Cases, codes, and regulations can be considered Primary sources.  You can usually access a free version of cases and codes through government resources such as Thomas or GPO Access, or, through a subscription database such as LexisNexis Academic.   LexisNexis has "added value" information such as annotations and is updated more frequently than government documents.
  1. BILLS
    a.  Thomas - Legislative Information Bills by the U.S. Congress. Use the Search Bill Summary & Status box for the current Congress. To see bills from prior Congresses, Click on "Search Multiple Congresses" under "Find More Legislation"
    b. New York State Legislature: Bills and Laws Click on Search: NY Legislative Bills
    c.  Govtrack This a free non-governmental website that is useful for tracking the status of federal legislation.
     
  2. CASES
    a. LexisNexis Academic   Legal Tab > Federal & State Cases.  Use the "Sources" drop-down to choose federal & state cases combined, Supreme Court cases, cases from one state, etc.
    b.Court Opinions from the FCC 1996+  Fulltext of most cases that involved the FCC listed by year. 
    c.Media Law reporter REF KF2750 .A513 (print) REF KF2750 A513 (1977 to present) Contains a topic index to find current case law in media law.  Older cases are bound by year. 
    d.Documents of American broadcasting REF KF2804 .D6 1984
    Key documents including: The Wireless Ship Act of 1910; The Radio Act of 1912; The Radio Act of 1927; The Mayflower Doctrine (1941); The Fairness Doctrine (1949); The Red Lion case (1969); the Communication Act of 1934, etc.
    e.Digestible Law: Perkins Coie's Internet Case Digest Alerts of current cases. Fiind the fulltext in LexisNexis or the Media Law Reporter.
     
  3. CODES
    a.LexisNexis Academic Legal Tab > Federal & State Codes.  Use the "Sources" drop-down to choose the USCS (United States Code Service) or state codes.
    b.GPO Access   Legislative Resources > United States Code
          T 45 ch. 36  Cigarette Labelling and Advertising
           T 17 - Copyrights
           T 47 - TV Radio
    c. Thomas - Legislative Information To find a Public Law, Go to "Find More Legislation>Public Laws"  Example:  P.L. 104-104 (104th bill of the 104th session of Congress)
    c. United states code congressional and administrative news (USCCAN) REF KF48 .U58
    Contains public laws, legislative histories, executive messages and orders, administrative regulations, lists of committees, indexes & tables, for each session of Congress. Library has 1952+ (lacks 1961, 1963, 1965-66).
    d.New York Consolidated Laws Service (via LexisNexis) NY Statutes codified by topic.
    e.New York State Legislature: Bills and Laws   The Laws of New York are compiled by year.
    f.E-Codes: Municipal Codes on the Internet (via General Code) NY Municipal codes such as the City of Ithaca
     
  4. REGULATIONS
    a.LexisNexis Academic Legal Tab > Federal & State Codes.  Use the "Sources" drop-down to choose the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) or Federal Register (FR)
    b.Federal Register via GPO Access The Federal Register updates the CFR
    c.Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
         T16 Commercial Practices (FTC)
         T 47 Telecommunications (FCC)
    d. Regulations.gov
    Government website for finding regulations issued by U.S. government agencies.
    e. Federal Communication Commission decisions. March 1939+  Searchable through LexisNexis.
    f.New York Codes, Rules and Regulations and New York Register (via LexisNexis) contains the administrative agency regulations for New York

  5. HEARINGS, SPEECHES, BRIEFINGS, & REPORTS
    a. GPO Access
    Government Printing Office site. Links to official U.S.government documents such as the U.S. Code (USC) and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Search the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications in the middle of the homepage to find Congressional hearings, reports, etc.
    b. Federal News Service
    LexisNexis file containing: White House briefings and Presidential statements. Includes some Congressional hearings, National Press Club Speeches and conferences when they address major topics of current interest.
    c. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
    The GAO investigates and reports on the use of government funds for Congress. Full text copies of the reports are available by searching the site.
    d. Open CRS: Congressional Research Report for the People
    Congressional Research Service (CRS) provides background reports to Congress yet they were not distributed to government document collections. Citizens had to write their Congressional representatives to obtain copies. The Open CRS site has indexed and posted copies of these valuable documents.
    e. Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents
    This official government publication contains speeches, press conferences and other statements by the president of the United States. 1993+