Foreign Laws
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Finding foreign law on a particular topic can be difficult, and trying to locate laws from multiple countries can be overwhelming. If you find yourself in this pickle, Multinational Sources Compared (co-authored by Gallagher Law Library's own Alena Wolotira) can be a real time saver. This resource allows you to browse by subject area or jurisdiction to locate just the right materials to assist with your research. Once you locate a resource that looks useful, search for it by title or ISBN in the library catalog to determine where you can find it. Multinational Sources Compared is available through the Gallagher Law Library in both print and online as outlined below.
Multinational Sources Compared by Publication Date: 2017"Multinational Sources Compared" is a finding aid designed to direct researchers to sources most likely to cover 280 legal subjects and particular jurisdictions, with a fairly comprehensive, but certainly not exhaustive, selected list of resources available to researchers in either print or electronic formats. To enhance the usefulness and function of this resource, the entries include data points such as jurisdictions covered.
- Multinational Sources Compared by Alena L. Wolotira & Sherry L. Leysen
This online version of Multinational Sources Compared allows the user to search or browse by subject or jurisdiction.
Websites and publication from organizations that focus on the issue you're interested in can also be great resources. Below are a few examples of organizations that provide topic-specific compilations of the laws from multiple countries.
- Global Abortion Policies DatabaseFrom the World Health Organization, this database allows researchers to compare abortion laws, policies, standards, and guidelines across a number of countries.
- Law Library of Congress - Legal ReportsA collection of comparative topical reports created by the Law Library of Congress for members of Congress. Topics include things like intellectual property, banking and finance, taxation, family law, immigration, etc. The number of countries included in each report varies.
Secondary Sources
The secondary sources listed in this section of the guide will help you learn more about comparative law theory and practice for both common and civil law jurisdictions. As well as comparing the laws governing a particular subject in two or more jurisdictions.
Note that some of these print books are also available online.
The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law by Publication Date: 2019
The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Constitutional Law by Publication Date: 2012
Comparative Legal Traditions in a NutshellCall Number: REF K560 .G43 2016Publication Date: 4th ed. 2016Also available online on West Academic Study Aids.
Comparative Private LawPublication Date: 2015
Constitutions ComparedPublication Date: 2009
International Encyclopedia of Comparative LawPublication Date: 2007
International Legal Research in a NutshellPublication Date: 2017Consult Chapter 3: Foreign and Comparative Law.
Also available online on West Academic Study Aids.
An Introduction to Comparative Law Theory and MethodPublication Date: 201
