Welcome LLM Students!

This week in the Law Library we’re welcoming our LLM students, reviewing basic legal research skills, and getting ready for Fall Semester.

August 12, 2025
1:3opm - 3:30pm
Room 240

Check out our LLM Success Guide for information on how Law Library services and resources can help you succeed during your time at UC Law.

Below are some Law Library resources to help you learn more about the US legal system.

• American Law and the American Legal System in a Nutshell
  • Available online through our West Academic study aid subscription, this is a comprehensive, though concise, survey of the American legal system — its structure and its methodology.
• A Brief American Legal History in a Nutshell
  • Available online through our West Academic study aid subscription, this is an accessible survey of the law throughout American history, written for lawyers and law students without an historical background as well as for those interested in American history without law school training.
• The International Lawyer's Guide to Legal Analysis and Communication in the United States
  • Available in print and currently on the display table, this text for international lawyers and LL.M. students offers a simple, straightforward approach to analyzing and communicating the law in the United States. Using extensive examples and exercises, McGregor and Adams shed light on the U.S. legal system, legal analysis, and legal writing, along with additional topics of particular interest to international lawyers and students.
• Introduction to the Legal System of the United States
  • Current edition in print on the display table. This book provides a general introduction to the structure and function of the legal system of the United States.
• Where Does Law Come From (CALI)
  • Available online  through our CALI subscription, this lesson provides an overview of the of the US government and how each branch makes law. If using CALI, you will need to create an account (if you have not already done so) using a Cincinnati Law authorization code. You can obtain this code from a reference librarian. 

Previously we covered:

• Basic tips to think about before starting a research project 
• Initial steps to take:
  • Identify the resources available to you at your place of summer employment and ask questions.
  • Develop a research plan. Read more about developing a research plan on our Research Strategy & Documentation Guide.    
• Using secondary sources to jump start your research. Learn more about secondary sources with our Researching Secondary Sources Guide or watch our videos on finding and searching within the various secondary source types.
• The structure and organization of annotated codes.
• Using Statutory finding tools.like indexes, tables of contents, parallel reference tables, and the popular names table to find the statutory sections you need.
• Checking the currency of your code and making sure your statutes are still good law.
• Effective dates of statutes and historical codes.
• Statutory surveys
• Using one case to find more cases
• Using citators for research and to validate your cases
• Federal Administrative Law

This week we will cover State Administrative Law.

Administrative law in the states operates similarly to the federal system, although there will be some differences in terminology, agencies and agency structures, and rulemaking requirements. Most states have a state publication similar to the Federal Register (but not necessarily published daily) and that can be called a register, bulletin, or journal. Most states also have an administrative code. The Law Librarians' Society of Washington DC has a useful page of State Legislatures, State Laws, and State Regulations; Website Links and Telephone Numbers.

Just like in the Federal system, state agencies hold hearings and issue decisions. Most agencies do not consider themselves strictly bound by their prior decisions under the doctrine of stare decisis. State agency decisions are much harder to find than Federal agency decisions. Agency websites are often the best place to find agency decisions. Most state websites have an A-Z listing of agency websites. Lexis and Westlaw also have some state agency decisions.

In Ohio, the Administrative Procedure Act is found in Ohio Rev. Code §§ 119.01-.14. An additional abbreviated rulemaking provision, that does not require notice and comment, is at Ohio Rev. Code § 111.15. In Ohio, when an agency intends to adopt a rule, the agency gives public notice of its intention to adopt the rule in the online Register of Ohio at least 30 days before its scheduled hearing on the proposed rule. At least 65 days before adopting the rule, the agency files the notice, the proposed rule, and a rule summary and fiscal analysis with the Secretary of State and the Legislative Service Commission. The agency also files the notice, proposed rule, and rule summary and fiscal analysis with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review for legislative review. The agency then holds a public hearing on the proposed rule. Sixty-six days after filing the proposed rule, and if the time for legislative review has expired, the agency may adopt the proposed rule and file it in final form. The final rule is published in the Register of Ohio and the Administrative Code. Ohio also has a publication called The Ohio Monthly Record which gives notice to the public of repealed rules and proposed rules in chronological order on a monthly basis.

The Ohio Administrative Code is divided into chapters by agency. To update the Ohio Administrative Code, use the Register of Ohio.

Just like you track Federal Regulations, you can track state regulations. Ohio has a regulation tracking website called Rulewatch Ohio. Using that site, you can either track individual rules or track rules by subject matter. You can also use the Register of Ohio to track a rule because it will tell you at which stage the rule is. Lexis Regulation Tracking and Westlaw Regulation Tracking also enable you to track regulations.

Finally, don’t forget to KeyCite or Shepardize your state administrative regulations.

For Ohio agency decisions, try the Ohio agency website. You can find links to all Ohio agency websites on the Ohio State Directory. Lexis and Westlaw also have some Ohio agency decisions available. You can see what is available on Lexis through the All Ohio Administrative Materials page and on Westlaw through the Ohio Administrative Decisions & Guidance page.

Posted August 11, 2025 by Susan Boland

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