Statutes   Tags: iowa_law, iowa_legislation, statutes  

Please click the tabs above, or the links below for information on:

• The publication format of federal statues and where to find them 
• The publication format of state statutes and where to find them (including Iowa specific information)
• Strategies for finding statutes
• How to update statutory research

See Finding Library Materials for more information on how to find materials referenced in this guide.

A statute is a written law enacted by a legislature. The statutes you encounter most frequently in United States law are federal and state statutes. There are also local (city or county) statutes, usually call ordinances.

This guide is intended to introduce you to sources of federal and state statutes as they are first enacted and later codified. A list of city and county ordinances in Iowa can be found in our Iowa Municipal and County Law Research Guide.

For information about interpretation, see our separate guide to Statutory Construction and Interpretation.

To access the CALI lessons, you will need the school's authorization code provided during orientation. Drake Law students may ask at the Information Desk to request the authorization code.