To find Illinois-specific materials on particular legal topics, look for a subject heading in the online catalog that includes both the geographic and topical elements. Some suggested examples are:
Civil Procedure--Illinois
Legal Research--Illinois
Trial Practice--Illinois
You also can browse the shelves in the Law Library for print Illinois materials, which are shelved on the 3rd floor in the KFI call number range.
To locate books in libraries outside the Loyola University Chicago System, use the WorldCat database (valid Loyola ID and password required).
For a more detailed guide on Illinois legal research see the Law Library's LibGuide.
The IICLE Online Library is an important database to consult when researching an Illinois legal issue. It consists of publications of the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) that are aimed at legal professionals who need "to the point" discussions of issues and citations to relevant primary authorities. Note that only members of the LUC Law community may access this resource on campus.
The Illinois General Assembly is a bicameral body (House and Senate) that meets in Springfield, IL in two-year sessions, although special sessions may be called. The General Assembly website provides access to bills, Public Acts (bills passed into law), transcripts of debates, videos, and other legislative materials and information.
See this link for a more extensive list:
See the following links to learn more about the judicial, legislative, and executive branches in Illinois.
The current State of Illinois Constitution was ratified on December 15, 1970 by special election and has subsequently been amended ten times.
These are a few free WWW options for finding Illinois primary law. Note that both Westlaw and LexisNexis contain updated Illinois statutes and regulations, as well as case law.
NOTE: On May 31, 2011, the Illinois Supreme Court announced a new citation rule applicable to Illinois case law. The new rule took effect on July 1, 2011. Read more about it here: http://www.state.il.us/court/media/PressRel/2011/053111.pdf.
Secondary sources help you to locate and understand primary authorities. Practitioner materials tend to focus on practical, rather than theoretical legal questions and can help you understand and find primary authorities. Often they include helpful practice forms. A very limited selection of titles is set out here. Check the online catalog for many more. For Illinois periodicals that focus on legal developments, please see the "Legal Periodicals" tab.
This title is the second edition of a descriptive guide on conducting Illinois legal research.
See the links below for information on the Illinois courts system. Chicago is located in Cook County, which constitutes the First Judicial District of the Illinois Appellate Court. Cook County is also a single county circuit (Cook County Circuit Court).
The Law Library subscribes to The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (CDLB), a newspaper published on weekdays that covers Chicago, Illinois, U.S., and some international legal news. The current print issues are shelved on the 3rd floor of the Library. The RSS feed from the CDLB is posted below.
Another local legal publication is Chicago Lawyer. The monthly print issues are also available on the third floor of the Library.
