Introduction to Special Issue: Determining Legislative Intent in State Courts, Selected Methods and Sources
30 Legal Ref. Serv. Q. 1, 2011
Posted: 13 Aug 2015
Date Written: 2011
Abstract
Judges and legislators alike have expressed a desire for more certainty on how and when legislative history should be used, both in the interpretation of statutes and to ascertain intent. This is an evolving area of the law, and states appear to be taking the lead in experimenting with methods to provide clarity to what has traditionally been a murky issue. These changes will have an impact on researchers in the future. The articles included in this issue were selected to demonstrate a range of approaches in the areas of legislative process, the history of courts and legislatures addressing the need for and use of legislative history in confronting the uncertainties that inevitably arise in the application of laws, and resources available in each state.
Keywords: Legal research, legislative history, states, research methods, state court, legislative intent
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation