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Local Government Legal Resources: Directories, Ordinance Drafting/Case Law, Books, Law Reviews and Journals

Sources of information pertaining to municipal or county legal research, with a special emphasis on California local government.

Directory Sources to Locate City/County Clerk Offices

California Roster - This website maintained by the California Secretary of State contains a listing of California's public officeholders, including our United States government officials, the Constitutional officers, members of the State Senate and Assembly, the Judicial branch, county officials, and Incorporated city and town officials. Includes rosters from 2003-.

Municipal Yellow Book - As part of the Leadership Library, available through the publisher's website (Boalt affiliates only).
 

State and Local Government on the Net - Frequently updated directory of official state, county and city government websites.

Ordinance Drafting and Case Law

International Municipal Lawyers Association  (IMLA) - a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the interests and education of local government lawyers. Membership required to access most benefits.
 
IMLA Model Ordinance Service Collection of model ordinances, editor's comments, annotations, and drafting guidelines covering a variety of current local government topics. Membership required to access most information.
 
Municipal Lawyer - Bimonthly publication of the International Municipal Lawyers Association, coverage from 1996-.
KF5322.A15 M86
 
Municipal Litigation Reporter - Reports exclusively on decisions involving cities, counties, towns and townships, school districts, and other local government entities. Available on Lexis Advance (password required). From home page type municipal litigation reporter into search box and click on drop down link.
 
Matthews Municipal Ordinances, Text and Forms - [Thomas and Bryon Matthews, KF5313 .M31 1972-]. Practical guide to drafting ordinances used by cities.  Also available on Westlaw (password required). From home page type matthews municipal ordinances and click on drop down link.
 
Ordinance Law Annotations - Digest of cases interpreting or applying city & county ordinances. Available on Westlaw (password required). Type ordinance law annotations into the search box and click on the drop down link.

Law Reviews and Journals

Indexing and Abstracting Services

LegalTrac

Index to Legal Periodicals

Specialized Law Reviews and Journals

Urban Lawyer (HeinOnline, UCB affiliates only).

Westlaw and Lexis Advance

Search general law review and journal libraries for articles on local law topics (passwords required).

Books On Local Law

Treatises

Antieau on Local Government Law - excellent multivolume treatise. Available on Lexis Advance (password required). From home page choose "Content Type" tab and then go to Secondary Materials>Treatises, Practice Guides & Jurisprudence>Governments>Antieau on Local Government Law.

California Municipal Law Handbook [CEB, KFC752.A15 C35].  Provides a comprehensive summary of municipal law in California. Also available on OnLaw (UCB affiliates only)

Civil Actions Against State and Local Government: Its Divisions, Agencies, and Officers - Available on Westlaw (password required). Type civil actions against state in search box and click on drop down link.
 
Land Use Law - Available on Lexis Advance (password required).
 
Law of Municipal Corporations [Eugene McQuillen, KF5305 .M32]. Multivolume looseleaf on municipal law. Also available on Westlaw (password required). Type McQuillen in search box and click on drop down link.
 
Local Government Law - Includes citations to primary and secondary authorities. An excellent treatise for both municipal attorneys and elected municipal officials. Available on Westlaw (password required). Type local government law into search box and click on drop down link.
 
Williams and Taylor American Land Planning Law: Land Use and the Police Power [Norman Williams, Jr., John M. Taylor. KF5698 .W55]. Also available on Westlaw (password required). Type american land planning law into search box and click on drop down link.
 

Hornbooks and Handbooks

Eminent Domain: A Handbook of Condemnation Law [ABA, William Scheiderich, Cynthia M. Fraser, and David Callies, editors, KF5599 .E468 2011].

 
Local Government Law in a Nutshell [David McCarthy, Jr., and Laurie Reynolds, KF5300.Z9 M3 2003] Note - current edition shelved in Reserve area.
 
Land Use in a Nutshell [John R. Nolon and Patricia E. Salkin, KF5698.Z9 N65 2006] Note- current edition shelved in Reserve area.
 

 

 

 

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