LibGuides: Iowa Legal Research: Sources of Iowa Law: Starting Points

Reading Legal Citations

Legal citation is rather unique. In brief, the part of a legal citation that indicates where something is published typically includes the following elements:

Volume or Title number
Publication (usually appears in an abbreviated form). This may be followed by a series designation.
First page or section number Note: the symbol § means section.

Examples:
421 N.W.2d 877 refers to volume 421 of the North Western Reporter, Second Series page 877

44 U.S.C. § 1901 refers to Title 44 of the United States Code, section 1901

Iowa Code § 336.8 refers to section 336.8 of the Code of Iowa

I.C.A. § 336.8 refers to section 336.8 of the Iowa Code Annotated.

For a more extensive explanation of legal citation, see

Introduction to Basic Legal Citation
Peter W. Martin of Cornell Law School maintains this guide, which is keyed to the most recent editions of ALWD and the Bluebook.
Legal Writing Citation in a Nutshell
Library location: Law Library Stacks KF245 .T47
Legal Abbreviations (Drake Law Library Guide)
This guide lists legal abbreviations for frequently used sources and provides an overview of how to read a legal citation.

Starting Points: Legal Research Guides

Iowa Legal Research
This book explains the basic legal structures and sources in Iowa.
Library location: Law Library Reserve KFI4275 .I587 (older editions in stacks)
Iowa Legal Research Guide
This book offers starting points for conducting specific kinds of legal research in Iowa.
Library location: Law Library Reserve, Ready Reference, Iowa Wing, KFI4275.E339 2003
People's Law Library of Iowa
Provides legal information on selected topics, offers tips for researching legal issues and finding an attorney, and defines terminology. Links to Iowa judiciary legal forms relevant to the topics covered.

Starting Points: Research Tasks

Starting with a Code Section
If you have an Iowa Code reference (e.g., Iowa Code Section 256.57), look up the code section in Iowa Code Annotated (Ready Reference). Code sections are followed by other helpful material, such as references to related court cases, statutes, and regulations; references to law review articles and other secondary materials; and stautory history.
Starting without a Code Section
If you do not have a specific code section, begin with the General Index to the Iowa Code Annotated. The General Index is a subject index to the provisions of the code. For example, if you look up the subject "Long Term Care Facilities," you will find a listing of all the code sections that refer to some aspect of long term care facilities.
Finding Appellate Cases by Party Name
If you need to find an Iowa case heard by the Court of Appeals or Iowa Supreme Court and you only have the names of the parties, go to the Table of Cases in the Iowa Digest (in the Law Library Ready Reference collection). In the Table of Cases, cases are listed in alphabetical order along with the appropriate citation for the case.
Finding Appellate Cases by Topic
If you want to find Iowa Court of Appeals and Supreme Court cases on a particular topic, refer to the Iowa Digest. In a subject arrangement, the Iowa Digest provides a list of cases (with citations) pertaining to that subject along with summaries of each case's points of law. (Note: the Law Library cancelled its print subscription to the Iowa Digest in 2019).
Finding Trial Level Cases: Iowa Courts Online
Access court docket information. This system can be searched by case number, party name, or attorney name.
Using Secondary Sources
It can be easier to start with a secondary source that discusses the law than jump straight into the law itself. The linked Secondary Sources guide explains more and identifies specific resources.

Starting Points: CALI Lessons

These online tutorials are available to all Drake Law School students.

Iowa Legal Research: Sources of Iowa Law: Starting Points

Reading Legal Citations

Starting Points: Legal Research Guides

Starting Points: Research Tasks

Starting Points: CALI Lessons

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