Tip: search the History field (Lexis+ and Nexis Uni) or Credits field (Westlaw), using the proposition number and/or year of the election approving it (note that the proposition number is not always given). Example searches:
Current code text typically does not refer to proposition numbers; if you do not have access to History (Lexis+/Nexis Uni) or Credits (Westlaw) annotations, or if that search does not find relevant results, try:
Case law regarding statutes or constitutional provisions affected by ballot initiatives may be found using the usual methods of case research, including using annotated codes or direct case searching.
Check case annotations regarding statutes or constitutional provisions created or affected by a proposition—see the 1L Research Guide on Statutory Research for tips on using West's and Deering's case annotations. To use this method with Deering's California Codes Annotated via Nexis Uni, locate the statute or constitutional provision and click the link to "Find references to this code" (under "Related Content" in the "About this Document" box on the right side of the screen). Case annotations may include cases challenging to ballot measures that affected or sought to affect the law.
In addition to case annotations, the annotations of a statute may include Citing References (Westlaw) or Other Citing Sources (Lexis+ and Nexis Uni) that may include a "Secondary Sources" category—these may be articles or legal treatises that discuss or interpret the statute, and may include discussion of the proposition that created or affeccted the law.
Search California's Supreme, appellate, and selected trial court opinions and orders; consider including federal courts with jurisdiction in California:
See the "Legislative History" tab for tips on finding materials about the legislative intent and history behind ballot measures.
See "Research the Process" tab for tips on finding caselaw and other materials about the statutory and constitutional framework of the initiative process.