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I. Introduction
This is a guide to UW-Madison Law Library and electronic resources for research in foreign, comparative and private international law/conflict of laws. The term Foreign Law refers to any domestic law of any country other than the United States . Comparative Law refers to the study of the similarities and differences between the laws of two or more countries, or between different legal systems. Private International Law (or Conflict of Laws ) refers to situations in which the laws of two or more countries might apply to a given transaction or occurrence, and to the body of jurisprudence that seeks to reconcile conflicting laws or decide which law applies in a situation where there is conflict.
The law library maintains a significant collection of printed material in foreign law. In recent years, foreign legal materials have become increasingly available on LexisNexis, Westlaw and on the Internet. This guide is intended to serve as a gateway to both print and electronic resources.
Throughout the guide, annotations are provided where deemed necessary. Unless otherwise indicated, locations refer to University of Wisconsin-Madison Law Library holdings.
II. Research Guides and Summaries
The resources listed below also provide introductory information on legal research in foreign jurisdictions, comparative law, and private international law/conflict of laws. Some of the materials summarize foreign legal systems, others describe research methodology in depth, and others do both.
Using the resources below, you can identify the name of a code or other source of law, and determine whether the resource is in print or available electronically. If the item is in print, check the UW Madison's online catalog, Madcat. If no UW-campus library has the item, we can order it for you (or you can order it via Library Express) from another library.
The law library also has many guides to to research in specific jurisdictions. These may be searched in MadCat by doing a subject search using the phrase "Legal Research" and the specific country, e.g. Legal research - France.
Resources -
The best starting point for researching law in a foreign
jurisdiction is Thomas H. Reynolds & Arturo A. Flores,
Foreign Law: Current Sources of Codes and Basic Legislation in
Jurisdictions of the World (Location: Ref K38 R49 1989 and
http://foreignlawguide.com
) For each country there is a brief
introduction to the legal system, a list of codifications, gazettes
and other sources of law and a grouping of sources of law by
subject. If there is an English translation available for a set of
laws, this resource will lead you to it.
Other introductory resources include:
ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law: Private International Law
Location: http://www.asil.org/resource/pil1.htm
From the American Society of International Law.
A Bibliography on Foreign and
Comparative Law , compiled and annotated by Charles Szladits.
13 v. New York : Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law,
Columbia University in the City of New York : distributed by Oceana
Publications, 1955-1989.
Location: Reference Collection K 38 B53;
Memorial Library Reference Stacks Room 262, Z 6451 S93
Multivolume work covering the period from 1790-1983 (Memorial libary has through 1965 only). Additional supplementation is planned.
Claire, Germain M. Transnational
Law Research: A Guide for Attorneys. Ardsley-on-Hudson, N.Y. :
Transnational Juris Publications, Inc., 1991-
Location: Reference Collection K 85 G47 1991
An introductory guide to foreign legal materials, with emphasis on European countries. Contains advice on research methodology as well as lists of resources, including electronic. Also an excellent place to start for questions that deal with more than one legal system, such as transnational litigation and conflict of laws. Kept up-to-date with supplements.
Comparative and Foreign Law Guides
Location: http://www.llrx.com/comparative_and_foreign_law.html
From LLRX.Com. Includes research guides for more than twenty jurisdictions. See also International Law Guides, which contains many guides relevant to the field of private international law, including commercial arbitration, family law, international trade, and more.
Foreign & International Law Resources: An Annotated Guide to Web Sites Around the World
Location: http://www.law.harvard.edu/library/services/research/guides/international/web_resources/index.php
Annotated list of
links to foreign law web sites organized by topic, region (e.g.
Middle East, Western Europe) and country.
Guide to International Legal Research, by the editors and
staff of the George Washington University Journal of International
Law and Economics. 5th ed. Newark, N.J. : LexisNexis Matthew
Bender, 2003.
Location: Reference Collection KZ 1234 G85
2003
Chapter five covers research technigues for specific geopraphic and geopolitical regions.
International Encyclopedia of Comparative Laws
See section VIII, infra.
International Encyclopaedia of Laws
See section VIII, infra.
Introduction to Foreign Legal Systems. New York : Oceana Publications, c1994. Richard A. Danner and Marie-Louise H. Bernal, eds.
Location: K 583 I57 1994
Provides an introduction to legal systems not based on the common law (including chapters on Chinese, Japanese and African Legal Systems) and practical advice on researching foreign law.
Law and Judicial Systems of
Nations, by the World Jurist Association, ed. 4th revised ed.
Washington , D.C. : World Jurist Association, 2002.
Location: Reference Collection K 583 W64 2002
Summarizes the legal systems of 193 nations.
Lawlinks: Private International Law
Location: http://library.kent.ac.uk/library/lawlinks/private.htm
From the University of Kent at Canterbury. Links to research guides in private international law, treaty collections, and other document collections.
Martindale Hubbell Law Digest. Summit , N.J. : Martindale-Hubbell, 1990-
Location: Reference Collection Ref KF 190 M372
This is an annual publication issued in several volumes. Volume 3, entitled International Law Digest ( shelved in the same location and available on LexisNexis at MARHUB;INTFIG), is an introduction to foreign legal systems. It contains English language summaries of the laws of roughly eighty legal systems and is a useful introductory tool. The Law Digest are now freely available (registration required) online http://corporate.martindale.com/xp/Corporate/Login/introduction.xml
The following are other regional Martindale-Hubbell law digests available on LexisNexis that contain summaries of law on selected topics, with citations to primary sources.
Asian Law Digests; MARHUB;ASDIG
Middle East Africa Law Digest: MARHUB;MEADIG
North American Law Digests: MARHUB;NADIG
South American Law Digests: MARHUB;SADIG
Modern Legal Systems Cyclopedia
See section VIII, infra.
Nations of the World
Location: http://www.loc.gov/law/guide/nations.html
From the law Library of Congress, Global
Information Network (GLIN).
Full-text laws and regulations in the official language of the country of origin and summaries or abstracts in English. Sites for over 230 jurisdictions are included. Also includes legal guides.
A Primer on the Civil Law System
Location:
http://www.fjc.gov/public/pdf.nsf/lookup/CivilLaw.pdf/$file/CivilLaw.pdf
From the Federal Judicial Center.
Reynolds, Thomas H., Introduction to Foreign and
Comparative Law. Accidental Tourist on the New Frontier: An
Introductory Guide to Global Legal Research.. Jeane Rehberg
and Radu D. Popa, eds. Littleton , Colo. : F.B. Rothman, 1998.
Location: K 85 A27 1998
Descriptions of foreign legal systems and
approaches to finding foreign law.
A Selective List of Guides to Foreign Legal Research
Location: http://www.law.columbia.edu/library/Research_Guides/foreign_law/foreignguide
From Columbia law school, Arthur W. Diamond Law Library.
UW-Madison Law Library
Bibliographies and Guides
Location: http://library.law.wisc.edu/guides/bibliographies/index.htm
The library has several web based path finders for legal research in particular jurisdictions, including Canada, Chile(forthcoming), Peru(forthcoming), Mexico(forthcoming) and India. Other guides that may be of interest particularly with respect to Private International Law/Conflict of Laws include GATT/WTO: A Research Guide and Research Sources in Public International Law.
World Legal Systems
Location: http://www.droitcivil.uottawa.ca/world-legal-systems/eng-monde.php
From the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law. This site categorizes the legal systems of the countries of the world into systems of civiil law, common law, customary law, Islamic law, and "mixed" systems.
Introduction to the European Union
Location: http://www.library.wisc.edu/guides/EU/
A guide to locating EU documents and publications at the University of Wisconsin and on the Web.
Comparative and Foreign Law Guides: Europe
Location: http://www.llrx.com/comparative_and_foreign_law.html#Europe
Guides to research resources for the EU, finding the law for the small states of Europe, European document delivery services, and European Legal Databases.
Guide to Researching the Council of Europe
Location: http://www.llrx.com/features/coe.htm
Finding the Law: The Micro-States and Small Jurisdictions of Europe
Location: http://www.llrx.com/features/microstates.htm
"Covers Andorra, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican State; The Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Northern Cyprus; and an addendum including Republika Srpska, Montenegro, Kosovo and Transnistria."
Guide to European Legal Databases, Update 5
Location: http://www.llrx.com/features/europenew.htm
Guide to legal information from government and secondary sources throughout Europe.
III. Texts and Summaries of Foreign Laws Available Electronically
**For Foreign subject-specific laws and summaries available online and in print, see section IV. infra.
For the most part, the resources below include gateways to web sites containing foreign law. Jurisdiction specific databases are included if they are subscribed to by the UW-Madison Law Library or UW - Madison libraries.
Canadian Abridgment, Case Digests
Location:
http://library.law.wisc.edu/elecresources/databases/treaties.php#encyclopedias
Summaries of Canadian case law by topic. Early 19th century to date. Updated quarterly.
Celex on LexisNexis Academic
Location:
UW-Madison Libraries and Law Library web sites, http://library.law.wisc.edu/elecresources/databases/allwithann.php#C
From the European
Union. "Offers multilingual full-text coverage of a wide range of
legal acts and provides access to the founding treaties, as well as
to binding and non-binding legislation." Also includes case-law of
the European Court of Justice The content of Celex is similar to
Eurlex, infra, but in
some ways is more extensive. Celex, for example, provides access to
national provions implementing directives, something that is not
found on Eurlex.
Central and East European Legal, Political, Business and Economics WWW Resources
Location: http://law.gonzaga.edu/library/ceeurope.htm
From the Gonzaga University School of Law Library.
Location: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/index.html
From the European Union. Contains EU treaties, legislation and case law, as well as the decisional procedures between the Commission and the other institutions.
Foreign and International Law
Sources on the Internet: Annotated
Location: http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/library/guides/foreign2
From Cornell
University Law Library. Selective guide to full-text laws, court
decisions, research guides, legal commentary, directories, and
more.
Foreign Primary Law on the Web
Location: http://www.law.uh.edu/libraries/nicole/research/researchguides/foreignlaw.html
From the University of Houston Law Center.
Foreign Law: Current Sources of
Codes and Basic Legislation in Jurisdiction Around the World
Location: http://foreignlawguide.com ; (Also in
print, Reference Collection K 38 R49 1989)
Concise descriptions of each country's legal system, the main sources of law, the nature of the legal literature, followed by a list of major laws and whether there is an English translation. Provides hot links to primary sources of law. Available from UW Law School terminals only.
Globalcourts
Location: http://www.globalcourts.com
Access to supreme court decisions world wide.
Government Gazettes Online
Location: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/gazettes/
From Michigan University Library. Gazzettes are the
official means of communication from the government to the general
public. They often contain legislation and other primary source
documentation.
Governments on the WWW
Location: http://www.gksoft.com/govt/en/
Links to foreign government web sites, many of which link to legislation.
International Legal Research in LexisNexis Academic
Location: UW-Madison Libraries and Law Library web sites,
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/
Dates of Coverage Vary (updated daily)
Full-text selected case law and codes for the European Union, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. To access, visit the URL above via a law library or campus workstation (or by proxy using wiscworld). Select "Legal Research," then scroll down to the heading, "International Legal Materials."
Indlaw
Location: http://www.indlaw.com/
Ask at law library reference desk for access. Searchable database
of laws from India, including judgments from the Supreme
Court.
ISI Emerging Markets, Russia.
Location:
UW-Madison Libraries and Law Library web sites, http://site.securities.com/ch.html?pc=RU
Full-text Russian business intelligence resource in Russian and English. Includes company news & financials, industry profiles, and macroeconomic reports. Also contains legal news and laws, including Kodeks Law Database (Russian) and Garant Law Database (English). Dates of coverage vary. Updated daily. Note: Grant Law Database is also available on LexisNexis in the "Economic Law of the Russian Federation" file.
LawInfoChina
Location:http://www.lawinfochina.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/index.asp?Succ=1
A
nearly comprehensive collection of laws and regulations from China.
Coverage for cases is selective. Nearly all of the content is
available in both English and Chinese; a few items are in Chinese
only. Covers 1949 to present (updated daily).
Access: On-campus / UW remote
LexisNexis 
Laws for many foreign jurisdictions, as well as legal materials
from the European Communities/European Union. See the
LexisNexis Directory of Online Services (Reference
Collection KF 242 A1 L2; http://web.nexis.com/sources/)
Nations of the World
Location: http://www.loc.gov/law/guide/nations.html
From the law Library of Congress, Global Information Network (GLIN).
Full-text laws and regulations in the official language of the country of origin and summaries or abstracts in English. Sites for over 230 jurisdictions are included. Also includes legal guides.
Private International Law
Location: http://www.state.gov/s/l/c3452.htm
From the U.S. Department of State. Links to "treaties in force for the United States, other international instruments, and information on current negotiations and projects covering the private international law of such areas as trade and commerce, finance and banking, trusts and estates, family and children matters, and international judicial assistance."
SOSIG Law Gateway
Location: http://www.sosig.ac.uk/law/
Abstracts and full-text of foreign law and
international law documents. Also identifies and evaluates
secondary legal materials such as journals, guides, directories and
more.
Statutes of the Republic of South Korea. Ask
at law library reference desk for access.
Location: http://elaw.klri.re.kr/indexE.jsp
Full-text of around 800 statutes from the
Republic of Korea in English, along with amendment history and
articles. Covers Coverage 1945 to present.
Swiss Institute of Comparative Law
Location: http://isdc.ch/en/default.asp
Houses the European Documentation Centre; links to web sites containing foreign legislation, case law, and more.
Westlaw
Laws for many
foreign jurisdictions, as well as legal materials from the European
Communities/European Union. See the Westlaw Database Directory
(Reference Collection KF 242 A1 W253; http://directory.westlaw.com).
World Legal Information Institute (WorldLII)
Location: http://www.worldlii.org/catalog/215.html
Caselaw, legislation, treaties, law reform reports, law journals, and other materials from foreign countries.
IV. Subject Collections
International Encyclopedia of
Comparative Law [Issued under the auspices of the
International Association of Legal Science. Editorial Committee: R.
David ... [et al.]. Tubingen; New York: J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck);
Oceana [etc.], 1973 - .
Location: Reserve Collection K 530 I57
See description in section VIII, infra.
International Encyclopaedia for Labour Law and Industrial
Relations, by R. Blanpain, editor in chief. 14 v.
Deventer, Netherlands : Kluwer, 1977-
Location : Reference Collection K 1705
I54
See description in section VIII, infra.
International Encylopaedia of Laws, by Roger Blanpain, general editor. Kluwer Law Taxation and Publishers, 1991 -
Location: Reference Collection
K48 I57
See description in section VIII, infra.
The following materials summarize and/or provide the full text of laws from foreign jurisdictions in particular subject areas. Some of the resources also provide commentary or analysis.
Internal and Intercountry Adoption Laws, by International Social Service, Geneva, ed. The Hague, The Netherlands ; Cambridge, MA, : Kluwer Law International, 1996-
Location: K 704 I58
"...Deals with internal & intercountry adoption legislation in 60 of the countries most concerned (both states of origin & receiving states). It offers the user easy access to the material, presenting a standardized country-by-country overview, drawn up by experts in family law or children's rights from each jurisdiction. Each country section is completed with an annex containing the main legal texts (in their original language) ...". Kept up-to-date with supplements.
Fugate, Wilbur L. Foreign Commerce and the Antitrust Laws. 5th ed. 2v. Boston , MA : Little, Brown, 1996.
Location: KF1657 F6 F8 1996
Analysis of all the
latest developments under the antitrust and competition laws,
policies, and enforcement rules of the U.S., the EU, Canada, the
UK, Japan, and other major trade jurisdictions. Updated annually.
Global Competition Forum
Location: http://www.globalcompetitionforum.org
From the International Bar Association. Click on a region and be linked directly to the most current versions of the world's competition laws, direct links to national competition authorities and international organizations, and articles, speeches, and commentary by world-renowned experts in competition law enforcement, regulation and reform.
Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD),
Competition Law Documents
Location: http://www.oecd.org/findDocument/
Click on "By country" for information on that nation's practices with respect to competition law.
Global Banking Law Database
Location: http://www.gbld.org/aboutus.aspx
The Global Banking Law Database (GBLD) is a joint project of the World Bank and theInternational Monetary Fund. The GBLD consists of a collection of commercial banking, central bank, and deposit insurance laws of jurisdictions that are representative of the regions of the world as well as international financial centers. The laws are available in English in both MS Word and PDF (Adobe Acrobat) formats.
Business Law/Foreign Trade
China Trade Law and Practice, by Patrick Norton & K.W.
(Butch) Almstedt, eds. London : Cameron May, 2003-
Location: Reference Collection KNQ 3405 C48
Offers an overview and assessment on China's new trade remedy regime, and English translations of all of China's trade remedy laws and regulations, and antidumping decisions. Kept up-to-date with supplements.
Commercial Laws of the World. Ormond Beach , Fla. : Foreign Tax Law Publishers
Location: Law Library Reference Collection K1001.4 F67
This series provides the text of commercial laws from foreign jurisdictions in English. The law library has volumes for many countries. Some of these are kept up-to-date with supplements. To see the library's holdings, go to Madcat and choose "Basic Search." To search by title, type "CommercialLaws of the World." To search by call number, type K 1001.4 F67.
Company Law in Europe. 2v. London : Butterworths, 1992-
Location: KJC 2448 C65
Taking a country by country approach, the book addresses acquisitions, joint ventures, and investment law and regulation. Kept up-to-date with supplements.
Digest of Commercial Laws of the World. 10v. Dobbs Ferry , N.Y. , Published for National Association of Credit Management by Oceana Publications. 1966 -
Location: Reference Collection
K 1005.4 D54
Summary of the commercial laws and procedures of
more than 100 countries and provinces. Coverage includes elements
of contract, agency and presentation, jurisdiction of courts,
arbitration, recognition of foreign judgments, liens and more. Not
kept up to date after 1997.
Doing Business Guide Series. New York: PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Location: Varies (see description below)
This series from PricewaterhouseCoopers summarizes the economic climate, business opportunities, and the legal and tax environment of specific foreign jurisdictions. Each volume contains an appendix that includes tax rates, list of countries with which the nation in question has treaties, and more. The law library has volumes for the following jurisdictions: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Croatian, Chile,Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
For specific location, dates of coverage and currency of each volume, go to MadCat. Select Guided Search. In the search box, type "Information guide PricewaterhouseCoopers"(without the quotes), then select "as a phrase." in the drop down menu immediately to the right of the search box. Then, in the box labeled "Search By," select Series.
E-Commerce Law Resources
Location: http://bakernet.com/ecommerce/
From the law firm of Baker & Mckenzie. Links to E-commerce laws
from foreign jurisdictions.
Guides to Doing Business
Location:http://www.lexmundi.com/lexmundi/Guides_to_Doing_Business1.asp?SnID=853806345
From Lex Mundi, an association of law firms around the world. More
than 100 guides to business for countries, states or provinces.
International Securities Regulation, Pacific Rim, by Gordon R Walker, general ed.
Dobbs Ferry, NY : Oceana Publications, 1996-
Location: K 1114 I5865
Securities legislation and documents, with commentary, from Australia, New Zealand, and South East Asia. Kept up-to-date with supplements.
Lexmercatoria
Location: http://www.lexmercatoria.org
Gateway to web sites containing information and full text laws
relating to international commerce. Sponsored by The University of
Troms�, Norway, The University of Oslo , Norway, and The
Institute of International Commercial Law, Pace University, White
Plains, New York.
Constitutional Law
Constitution Finder
Location: http://confinder.richmond.edu
Links to foreign constitutions and related documents. Available in English for all countries, and in the native languages for some.
Constitutions of the Countries
of the World; A Series of Updated Texts, Constitutional
Chronologies and Annotated Bibliographies, by A. P. Blaustein
and G. H. Flanz, eds. 20v. Dobbs Ferry , NY , Oceana Publications
1971 - .
Location : Reference Collection JF8 B55
Not kept up-to-date after August 2001.
The Rise of Modern Constitutionalism
Location: http://www.uni-kassel.de/~dippel/rmc_web/start.htm
From the University of Kassel, Germany. Scans of
constitutions and related documents that correspond with the period
of "modern constitutionalism," from 1746-1849.
Criminal Law/Criminal Procedure
American Series of Foreign Penal Codes. Littleton, Colo. :
F.B. Rothman.
Foreign criminal codes in English. Most of these are outdated, but may be useful for historical research. France, Germany, Germany(West), Austria, Israel, Colombia, Finland, Greenland, Greece, Japan, Poland, Romania, Korea (South), Italy, China, Finland, France, Norway, The Netherlands, Turkey, and Argentina.
For specific location, dates of coverage and currency of each volume, go to MadCat. Select Guided Search. In the search box, type "American Series of Foreign Penal Codes" (without the quotes), then select "as a phrase." in the drop down menu immediately to the right of the search box. Then, in the box labeled "Search By," select Series.
Comparative Criminal Procedure
Location: http://www.law.nyu.edu/library/foreign_intl/civilproc.html
A guide to print resources at the NYU Library and electronic resources. Arranged by country.
Foreign Penal Codes
Location: http://wings.buffalo.edu/law/bclc/resource.htm
From the Buffalo Criminal Law Center. Access to online criminal law
materials from the United States and throughout the world,
including, among other things, criminal codes, criminal procedure
codes, and enforcement codes. Last updated June 28, 2002.
Political Database of the Americas
Location: http://www.georgetown.edu/pdba/english.html
From Georgetown University. Information on
electoral and political systems, including election laws, from
around the world.
European Environmental Law
Location: http://www.eel.nl/
EU and European national legislation, case law and
other information.
Islamic Family Law - Global Profiles
Location: http://www.law.emory.edu/IFL/legal/
From the Law and Religion program at Emory University. Country by country summaries.
International Digest of Health Legislation
Location: http://www3.who.int/idhl-rils/frame.cfm?language=english
From the World Health Organization (WHO). "Contains a selection of national and international health legislation. Texts of legislation are summarized in English or mentioned by their title. Where possible, links are provided to other web sites that contain full texts of the legislation in question."
Drug Legislation
Location: http://www.unodc.org/unodc/legal_library/index-countries.html
From the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Links to full
texts of laws and regulations on control of narcotic drugs for over
100 countries in English, French, and/or Spanish.
Population and Family Planning:
Laws, Policies and Regulations
Location: http://www.unescap.org/esid/psis/population/database/poplaws/
By the Population and Social Integration Section of the Emerging Issues Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. Limited to selected countries in Asia.
Collection of Laws for Electronic Access (CLEA)
Location: http://clea.wipo.int/clea/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&2.0
From the World
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). A searchable database of
foreign and international intellectual property laws.
Copyright and Neighboring Rights Laws and Treaties . 6v.
Geneva : WIPO Sales and Distribution Unit, 1987-2001.
Location: Reference Collection K 1418 1987
Latest update is December, 2001.
Intellectual Property Laws and Treaties / World Intellectual Property Organization. 4v. Geneva : WIPO, [1998-2001]
Location:Periodicals, 3rd Floor
Continues in part
Industrial Property and Copyright : Monthly review of the World
Intellectual Property Organization (1995-1998). Check Madcat
to trace the complete history of the publication (Go to "Basic
Search," select "Journal Title" in the drop-down menu, and type
"Intellectual Property Laws and Treaties.")
International Copyright law and
Practice, by Melville B. Nimmer and Paul Edward, eds. New
York, NY : Matthew Bender, 1988-
Location: K 1420.5 I54 1988
Contains "national chapters" that focus on copyright laws for 23 countries. Focus is on international copyright law as well as the European Union. Kept up-to-date with supplements.
Uk Patent-Office Copyright
Location: http://www.patent.gov.uk/copy/index.htm
Overview of British copyright law, links to principal British
copyright legislation, information on EU copyright law, news, and
FAQs.
World Patent Law and Practice, compiled by John P.
Sinnott. New York : M. Bender, c1974-
Location: K 1504.15 1974
Patent statutes, regulations, and treaties; European intellectual property decisions. Kept up-to-date with supplements.
International Encyclopaedia for Labour Law and Industrial
Relations, by R. Blanpain, editor in chief. 14 v.
Deventer, Netherlands : Kluwer, 1977-
Location : Reference Collection K 1705
I54
See description in section VIII, infra.
Natlex
Location: http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex_browse.home
From the International Labor Office (ILO.) Abstracts and some full
text of legislation related to labor law in foreign jurisdictions.
Gour, Hari Singh. The Hindu Code : Being a Codified statement of Hindu law with commentaries and Relevant Acts and Annotated. 2v. 6th ed. Allahabad : Law Publishers, 1994.
Location: KN S479 G68 1994 (Non circulating)
Islamic Family Law - Global Profiles
Location: http://www.law.emory.edu/IFL/legal/
From the Law and Religion program at Emory University. Country by country summaries.
Taxation & Investment in
Central and East European Countries, by G. Erdos, managing
editor; w. Kuiper and J. Wheeler, editorial advisors. 3v.
Amsterdam: International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation
Publications, 1992 - .
Location: Reference Collection KJC 7105
T37
Kept up-to-date with supplements.
Tax Laws of the World. Foreign Tax Publishers.
Location: Reference Collection
K 4456.4 F67
This series provides the text of commercial laws
from foreign jurisdiction in English. The law library has volumes
for many countries, some of which are kept up-to-date with
supplements, and some of which are not. To see the library's
holdings, go to Madcat and choose "Basic Search." To search by
title, type "Tax Laws of the World." To search by call number, type
K 4456.4 F67.
V. Treaty Research - Private International Law/Conflict of Laws
Treaties relevant to conflict of laws research in the United States may be found indexed in Treaties in Force* under the heading "Judicial Procedure," under the subheadings "Interamerican Agreements" or "Hague Conventions"; under the heading "Law, Private International"; by looking under the specific area of law, e.g., "Investment disputes;" or, in the case of bilateral treaties between the U.S. and an individual country, by looking under the name of that country.
*See section V. of Research Resources in Public International Law.
For resources on researching treaties electronically and in print at the UW Law Library, see sections V and VI of Research Sources in Public International Law. See also section VII., "State Practice in International Law," which covers resources that provide references to treaty collections and to sources of diplomatic documentation and other materials relevant to customary state practice in international law.
The Web sites below offer links to and information about treaties that deal with private international law/conflict of laws issues:
Bilateral Investment Treaties
Location: http://www.worldbank.org/icsid/treaties/treaties.htm
From the World Bank Group. Lists of treaties chronologically and by country.
Hague Conference on Private International Law
Location:
http://www.hcch.net/e/index.html
The Hague Conference is a intergovernmental
organization that seeks "to work for the progressive unification of
the rules of private international law." The site contains links
to the texts of multilateral treaties on private international law,
status reports on the treaties, and more.
International Constitutional Law
Location: http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl
From the University of Bern. English translations of constitutions and related documents. For each country, there is a short constitutional background, a history, and news.
Multilateral Arbitration Conventions
Location:
http://www.asser.nl/ica/convent.htm
From the Asser Institute, an organization founded
by the Dutch universities, dedicated to promoting research and
education in various fields of international law, including private
international law.
Private
International Law
Location: http://www.state.gov/s/l/c3452.htm
From the U.S. Department of State. Among other things, this site "provide[s] a convenient location to find treaties in force for the United States, other international instruments, and information on current negotiations and projects covering the private international law of such areas as trade and commerce, finance and banking, trusts and estates, family and children matters, and international judicial assistance. This web site offers links to documents summarizing the current state of negotiations or ratification efforts concerning multilateral private international law conventions ... "
VI. Treatises and
other Texts
A. Foreign and Comparative Law
Comparative Law: An Introduction, Vivian Grosswald Curran, ed. Durham , NC : Carolina Academic Press, 2002.
Location: K 559 C66 2002
Comparative law in Global Perspective : Essays
in Celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Founding of the
SOAS Law Department. Ardsley, NY : Transnational Publishers,
2000.
Location: K 561 C657 2000
Comparative Law
in the 21st Century, by Andrew Harding and Esin �r�c�,
eds. London ; New York : Kluwer Academic, 2002.
Location: K 559 W124 2002
Comparative Legal Studies: Traditions and
Transitions, by Pierre Legrand and Roderick Munday, eds.
Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Location: K559 C665 2003
De Cruz, Peter. Comparative Law in a Changing World. 2nd ed. London : Cavendish Pub., 1999.
Location: K 559 D4 1999
Glendon, Marry Ann, Michael Wallace Gordon and Paolo G. Carozza. Comparative Legal Traditions in a Nutshell. 2nd ed. St. Paul , Minn. : West Group, 1999.
Location: Reserve Collection K 560 .G43 1999
Glenn, Patrick H. Legal
Traditions of the World : Sustainable Diversity in Law. Oxford
; New York : Oxford University Press, 2000.
Location: K 559 G545 2000
Global Prescriptions : The Production,
Exportation, and Importation of a New Legal Orthodox, by Yves
Dezalay and Bryant G. Garth, eds. Ann Arbor : University of
Michigan Press, 2002.
Location: K 236 G59 2002
Gruberg, Martin. Introduction to Law. Lanham, Md. : University Press of America, 2003.
Location: K 561 G78 2003
Handbook of Global Legal Policy. New York : M. Dekker,
2000.
Location: K 561 H365 2000
Law and Justice in a Multistate World : Essays in Honor of Arthur T. Von Mehren, by James A.R. Nafziger and Symeon C. Symeonides, eds. Ardsley, N.Y. : Transnational Publishers, 2002.
Location: K561 L384 2002
Markesinis, B.S. Comparative Law in the Classroom: The Story of
the Last Thirty-Five Years. Oxford ; Portland, Ore. : Hart,
2003.
Location: K 559 M385 2003
Markesinis, B.S. Foreign Law and Comparative Methodology: A Subject and a Thesis. Oxford, U.K. : Hart Pub., 1997.
Location: K 559.M37 1997
McHugh, James T. The Essential Concept of Law. New York : Peter Lang, 2002.
Location: K
559 M36 2002
Rethinking the Masters of Comparative Law,
by Annelise Rile, ed. Oxford ; Portland, Or. : Hart Pub., 2001.
Location: K 561 R68 2001
Themes in Comparative Law : In Honour of Bernard Rudden,
by Peter Birks and Arianna Pretto, eds. Oxford ; New York : Oxford
University Press, 2002.
Location: K 561 T47 2002
Toward Comparative Law in the 21st Century :
The 50th anniversary of the Institute of Comparative Law in Japan,
Chuo University. Tokyo : Chuo University Press,
1998.
Location:
K561 T67 1998
W.G. Hart Workshop (2000: Institute of Advanced
Legal Studies.) Comparative Law in the 21st Century.
London ; New York : Kluwer Academic, 2002.
Location: K 559 W124 2002
Zweiggert, Konrad and Hein K�tz.
Introduction to Comparative Law. 3rd rev. ed. Oxford :
Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1998.
Location: K 583 Z8513 1998
Block, Richard N. Labor Standards in the United States and Canada. Kalamazoo, Mich. : W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, 2003.
Location: Memorial Library
Stacks Regular Shelving HD 8072.5 B57 2003, NetLibrary
Contrasting Criminal Justice : Getting from
Here to There.
Aldershot, England ; Burlington, Vt. : Ashgate/Dartmouth, c2000.
Location: HV 7405 C657 2000
Criminal Procedure : A Worldwide Study, by Craig M. Bradley,
ed. Durham, N.C. : Carolina Academic Press, 1999.
Location: K 5401 C66 1999
Critical Studies in Ancient Law, Comparative Law and Legal
History, by John W. Cairns and Olivia F. Robinson, eds. Oxford
; Portland, Ore. : Hart, 2001
Location: K 590 C74 2001
Harutyunyan, Gagik. The Constitutional Review and its
Development in the Modern World : A Comparative Constitutional
Analysis. Yerevan ; Ljubljana : Hayagitak, 1999
Location: K 3175 H37 1999
Judicial Comparativism in Human
Rights Cases. London : United Kingdom National Committee of
Comparative Law : Distributed by the British Institute of
International and Comparative Law, 2003.
Location: K 3240 J82 2003
The Jurisprudence of Human Rights Law : A Comparative
Interpretive Approach, by Theodore S. Orlin, Allan Rosas and
Martin Scheinin, eds. Turku, Finland : Institute for Human Rights,
�bo Akademi Univ. ; Syracuse, NY : Distributed in the U.S.A. by
Syracuse Univ. Press, 2000.
Location:
K3240 J87 2000
Kahn, Robert A. Holocaust Denial and the Law : A Comparative
Study. New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
Location:
On Order. Ask librarian for status.
Koopmans, Thijmen. Courts and Political
Institutions: A Comparative View. Cambridge, UK ; New York :
Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Location: K2100 K66 2003
Maine, Henry Sumner, Sir. Ancient Law. New Brunswick, U.S.A. : Transaction Publishers, 2002. (Originally published: 3rd ed. London : J. Murray, 1866.)
Location: K 190 M35 2002
Mattei, Ugo. Comparative Law and Economics. Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, 1997.
Location: K487 E3 M38 1997
McHugh, James T. Comparative Constitutional Traditions.
New York : P. Lang, 2002.
Location: K 3165 M39 2002
McHugh, James T. The Essential Concept of Law. New York : Peter Lang, 2002.
Location: K 559 M36 2002
Port, Kenneth L. Comparative Law : Law and the Legal Process in
Japan. 2nd ed. Durham, N.C. : Carolina Academic Press,
2003.
Location: KNX 68 P67 2003
Simon, Rita James and Dagny A. Blaskovich. A Comparative Analysis of Capital Punishment : Statutes, Policies, Frequencies, and Public Attitudes the World Over. Lanham, Md. : Lexington Books, 2002.
Location: HV 8694 S54 2002
Thuronyi, Victor. Comparative Tax Law. The Hague ; New York : Kluwer Law International, 2003.
Location: K
4460 T48 2003
Youngs, Raymond. English, French, and German
Comparative Law. London : Cavendish Pub., 1998.
Location: KJC 147 Y68
1998
Venter, F. Constitutional Comparison : Japan,
Germany, Canada and South Africa as Constitutional States.
Cape Town : Juta/Kluwer Law International, 2000.
Location: K 3165 V46 2000
B. Private International Law/Conflict of Laws
The Changing World of International Law in the Twenty-First Century : A Tribute to the Late Kenneth R. Simmonds / editors, Joseph J. Norton, Mads Andenas, Mary Footer.
Location: K Z3092 C49 1998
A Conflict of Laws Anthology, by Gene R.
Shreve, ed. Cincinnati, Ohio : Anderson Pub. Co., 1997.
Location: KF 411 C57 1997
Dispute Resolution in the World Trade Organisation, by James Cameron & Karen Campbell, eds . London : Cameron May, 1998
Location: K 4600 D57 1998
Hay, Peter. Conflict of Laws. 3rd. ed. St.
Paul, Minn: West Pub. Co., 2000.
Location: Reserve Collection KF 412 H39
2000
International Conflict of Laws for the Third Millennium :
Essays in Honor of Friedrich K. Juenger. Ardsley, N.Y. :
Transnational Publishers, 2001.
Location: K 7041 I567 2001
Juenger, Friedrich K. Selected Essays on the Conflict of Laws. Ardsley, N.Y. : Transnational Publishers, 2001.
Location: K 7040 J844 2001
Law and Justice in a Multistate
World : Essays in Honor of Arthur T. von Mehren, by James A.R.
Nafziger and Symeon C. Symeonides, eds. Ardsley, N.Y. :
Transnational Publishers, 2002.
Location: K561 L384 2002
Loenfield, Andreas S. Conflict of Laws : Federal, State, and
International Perspectives. 2nd ed. New York: Matthew Bender,
1998.
Location: KF 410 L69 1998
Nanda, V. and David K. Pansius. Litigation of International
Disputes in U.S. Courts. 2v. St. Paul, Minn.: Thomson/West,
2003
Location: KF 8940 P75 N36 2003
Private law in the International
Arena : From National Conflict Rules Towards Harmonization and
Unification : Liber Amicorum Kurt Siehr, by J�rgen Basedow
... [et al.]., ed. The Hague, The Netherlands : T.M.C. Asser Press;
Cambridge, MA : Kluwer Law International, 2000
Location: K 7040 P76 2000
Reform and Development of Private International Law : Essays in
Honour of Sir Peter North, by James Fawcett, ed. Oxford; New
York : Oxford University Press, 2002
Location: K7041 R44 2002
Shany, Yuval. The Competing Jurisdictions of International Courts and Tribunals. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003
Location: KZ 6250 S53
2003
Siegal, David D. Conflicts in a Nutshell, 2nd ed. St.
Paul, Minn :West Pub. Co., 1994.
Location: Reserve Collection KF 412 S553 1994
Whincop, Michael J. and Mary Keyes (with a foreword by Richard
A. Posner.) Policy and Pragmatism in the Conflict of Laws.
Aldershot ; Burlington, VT : Ashgate, 2001.
Location: KD 680 W49 2001
VII. Dictionaries
Dictionaries and Directories
Location: http://www.law.nyu.edu/library/foreign_intl/dictionaries.html
A list of online dictionaries, compiled by New York University School of Law Library, many of which focus on law and international law.
Dictionary of International & Comparative Law. James R. Fox. 3rd ed. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana, 2003.
Location:
Reference Collection KZ 1161 F69 2003
*Elsevier's Legal Dictionary : in English,
German, French, Dutch, and Spanish, compiled by D.C. van Hoof,
D. Verbruggen, and C.H. Stoll. Amsterdam ; New York : Elsevier,
2001.
Location: Reference Collection K54 E45 2001
* The law library has many legal dictionaries. These may be searched in MadCat by doing a basic search using the name of the jurisdiction needed.( e.g. in the "subject browse" box, type "Law Mexico Dictionaries", without the quotes).
VIII. Encyclopedias
Canadian Abridgment, Encyclopedic Digest
Location: http://library.law.wisc.edu/elecresources/databases/treaties.php#encyclopedias
Encyclopedia of Canadian law arranged by subject. Includes both Ontario and Western editions. Similar to American Jurisprudence or Corpus Juris Secundum. Updated quarterly.
International Encyclopaedia for
Labour Law and Industrial Relations
Location: Law Library Reference Collection K 1705
I54
Information on labor relations with respect to foreign states and from an international law perspective. The case law & legislative volumes contain international and English translations of most of the important acts of over twenty nations.
International Encylopaedia of Laws, by Roger Blanpain, general editor. Kluwer Law Taxation and Publishers, 1991 -
Location:
Law Library Reference Collection K 48 I57
A series of reference works, each of which covers a major field of
law through country-by-country monographs that describe how each
country governs the particular field. Some volumes contain codexes
with national and international primary legislation, as well as
important case law from international courts. The law library had
the following volumes, some of which are kept-up-to date and some
of which are not. Check MadCat for currency:
Civil Procedure, Constitutional
Law, Contracts, Corporations and Partnerships, Criminal Law,
Environmental Law, Family and Succession Law, Insurance Law,
Medical Law, Social Security Law, Transport Law, Intellectual
Property.
International Encyclopedia of Comparative Law [Issued
under the auspices of the International Association of Legal
Science. Editorial Committee: R. David ... [et al.], -- Tubingen;
New York: J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck); Oceana [etc.], 1973 - .
Location: Law Library Reserve Collection K 530
I57
A multivolume work
covering comparative law and legal systems of the world. Many of
the volumes are subject specific (e.g. contracts, commercial
transactions, property and trusts, copyright and industrial
property, etc.)
Modern Legal Systems
Cyclopedia, by Kenneth Robert Redden, general editor. 10 v.
Buffalo, NY: W.S. Hein, 1984-1985.
Location : Law Library Reference
Collection K 530 M62
Provides general information about legal systems of the countries of the world. Kept up-to-date with supplements.
IX. Indexes
Current Index to Legal Periodicals. Current issues.
Location:
Law
Library Web site ; WESTLAW (CILP)
Published weekly. Updates Index to
Legal Periodicals and Books, infra..
Current Law Index
(1980 -)
Location: Periodical Index Tables, Grand Reading Room, 5th Floor, West.
Citations to
articles in more than 850 English language legal periodicals and
newspapers. Some articles have abstracts. See also Legal Resource Index,
infra.
European Legal Journals Index
Location: Periodical index tables, Grand Reading Room, 5th Floor West (1993-1999);
Covers journal titles which are published in Europe in English. Complements Legal Journals Index, infra.
Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals
Location:
Periodical index tables, Grand Reading Room, 5th Floor, West, s.
34; UW-Madison Libraries and Law Library web
sites, http://library.law.wisc.edu/elecresources/databases/allwithann.php#I;
WESTLAW:IFLP (1985-)
Index to world-wide legal literature on all forms of foreign (non-Angle-American) law. Covers foreign law, comparative law, and legal systems. Includes journal articles, reports, essays, yearbooks, and book reviews in a variety of languages.
Index to Legal Periodicals and Books.
Location:
Periodical Index Tables, Grand Reading Room, 5th Floor, West, s.
34(1908 - ); UW-Madison Libraries and Law Library web sites
(Index to Legal Periodicals Full Text),
http://library.law.wisc.edu/elecresources/databases/allwithann.php#I;LexisNexis: LAWREV;ILP; WESTLAW;ILP (1981
-)
Citations to articles, bibliographies, book reviews, and other titles from 891 legal periodicals (law reviews and law journals). Also contains citations to more than 2000 law books.
Location:
Periodical Index Tables, Grand Reading Room, 5th Floor West
(1986-1999);Westlaw: LJI-INDX(1986 - present).
Indexes articles from legal journals published in the United
Kingdom and Europe and journals covering topics pertaining to the
laws of the European Community and of its Member States. More than
430 United Kingdom and English language journals are covered.
Legal Resource
Index
Location:
LexisNexis: LAWREV; LGLIND; Westlaw: LRI (1980 - ).
An Expanded electronic version of Current Law Index , supra.
Public Affairs Information Service International .
Location: UW-Madison Libraries
and Law Library web sites, http://library.law.wisc.edu/elecresources/databases/allwithann.php#P;
WESTLAW (PAIS), 1992-
Indexes journal articles; books; government documents; statistical
compilations; committee reports; directories; serials; reports of
public, intergovernmental, and private organizations; and most
other forms of printed literature from all over the world.
X. Listservs
In Lists, Newsgroups and Networks (from ASIL's Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law), http://www.asil.org/RESOURCE/lists1.htm, Lyonette Louis-Jacques has created a guide that includes information on finding and subscribing to listservs that focus on foreign and international law.
Compiled by Sunil Rao
University of Wisconsin-Madison Law Library
Revised: October 2008
