Remote Access to Library Resources

Although many of the library's digital resources are restricted to students, staff, and faculty, there are some alternatives for members of the public researching online.
 

Westlaw is a database that provides case law, statutes, regulations, legal articles, and other primary and secondary sources. You can signup for a 14 day free trial of Westlaw by clicking here (must register with an email not previously associated with Westlaw, use limited to 14 days after registration and 20 hours total).

For research help, please contact the library's reference department at lawref@colorado.edu.

Many libraries offer free legal research guides, which provide alternatives to resources only accessible in the library.

• Our library's "Free and Frugal Legal Research Guide" is accessible here.
• The Library of Congress provides numerous guides—see, for example, their guide on "How to Locate Free Cases on the Internet."
• George Mason University has several suggested jumping-off points for conducting free legal research.
• Pace Law School provides a comprehensive breakdown of free legal resources, though some of its recommendations are specific to New York state.

Google Scholar contains a comprehensive collection of state and federal court opinions (select "Case Law" under the search bar). 

Federal Resources

• The U.S. Code is available at this link.
• The Code of Federal Regulations is available at this link.

Colorado Resources

• The Colorado Revised Statutes are available at this link.
• The Code of Colorado Regulations is available at this link.

• NOLO provides DIY legal resources, including resources for people representing themselves in court. Although some of NOLO's products require payment, free articles summarizing a variety of legal issues are available. To search these articles, visit NOLO at this link, then select "Articles" from the dropdown menu next to the search bar.

• Cornell's Wex Legal Encyclopedia contains legal definitions and overviews of various areas of the law.

• Visit https://www.coloradolegalservices.org/ for information on legal aid for low income Coloradans. 

• For COVID-19-related issues, visit the Colorado Legal Services Covid-19 Resources Page.