Public law is the law governing the relationship between individuals (citizens, companies) and the state. Public laws can be divided into four branches: administrative law, constitutional law, international law and criminal law. Administrative law is the body of law that arises from the activities of administrative agencies of government. Constitutional law deals with the relationship between the state and individual, and the relationships between different branches of the state, i.e. the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. International law deals with the relationships among nations both in war and in peace. Criminal law deals with crime and the legal punishment of criminal offenses.
NOTE: The documents in this section contain public laws as passed and do not necessarily contain amendments added since passage. They should be used as a general guide to legislation, not as up-to-date legal code.
- Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
- Federal Register
- GPO Access
- Thomas - Legislation on the Internet
- U.S. Code
- Find Law: LawCrawler
- USA.gov: Laws and Regulations – General Reference Resources
- Legal Information Institute
- Legal Information Institute: State Statutes by Topic
- Meta-Index for U.S. Legal Research
- U.S. Courts
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Government Documents Ready Reference Collection
- NEPANet
- Civil Rights Act of 1964 Pub. L. 88-352, Jul. 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 241 (Title 28, Sec. 1447; Title 42, Sec. 197l, 1975a-1975d, 2000a et seq.)
- Civil Rights Act of 1991 Pub. L. 102-166, Nov. 21, 1991, 105 Stat. 1071
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- A Guide to Disability Rights Laws DOJ
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Statutory Language and Recent Issues - CRS Report
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Pub. L. 108-446, Dec. 3, 2004
- International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 Pub. L. 105-292, Oct. 27, 1998
- ADA Home Page DOJ
- USA.gov
- U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
- U.S. Department of Education, Special Education & Rehabilitative Services
- Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000 (CIPA) Pub.L. 106-554, Title XVII
- Children's Internet Protection Act - FCC Factsheet
- Children's Internet Protection Act: Study of Technology Protection Measures in Section 1703 - DOC Report 2003
- Internet: Status Report on Legislative Attempts to Protect Children from Unsuitable Material on the Web - CRS Report, Aug. 30, 2005
- Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003 (PROTECT Act) Pub. L. 108-21, Apr. 30, 2003
- Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) Legal FAQ American Library Association
- FCC Parents Place
- Federal Bureau of Investigation: Investigative Programs--Crimes against Children
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Antibribery Provisions
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ActPub. L. 91-452, Oct. 15, 1970, 84 Stat. 941 (Title 18, Sec. 1961 et seq.)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation--Public Corruption
- Fighting Corporate and Government Wrongdoing: A Research Guide to International and U.S. Federal Laws on White-Collar Crime and Corruption
- Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) Transparency
- USAID - Democracy & Governance
- Global Corruption Report
- Links to websites helping to fight corruption
- Transparency International-USA
- Anticorruption Initiatives
- Clean Air Act
- Content Source: Congressional Research Service
- The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 111th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices - CRS Report
- Major Environmental Laws EPA
- National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended
- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
- Superfund (The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act - CERCLA), 1980 42 USC 103, as amended in 1986
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency--Laws and Regulations
- Selected Internet Resources--The Environment
- American Geological Institute--Environmental Goesicence Program
- National Council on Science and the Environment
- A Citizen's Guide on using the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records
- The Freedom of Information Act 5 U.S.C. § 552, As Amended by Pub. L. 104-231, 110 Stat. 3048
- FOIA Update 1979-2000 -DOJ
- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Information and Privacy
- Electronic Privacy Information Center
- Freedom of Information and Privacy Act
- Federal Campaign Finance Laws [PDF]
- Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002: Campaign finance legislation enacted in 2002, often referred to as the McCain-Feingold law. [PDF]
- National Voter Registration Act NVRA or "Motor Voter Act"
- The Hatch Act Regulations
- Whistleblower Disclosures
- Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 Pub. L. 103-159, title I, Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1536
- Gun Control: Statutory Disclosure Limitations on ATF Firearms Trace Data and Multiple Handgun Sales Reports - CRS Report, May 27, 2009
- Gun Control Legislation - CRS Report
- Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 Pub. L. 103-322, Sep. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1796
- Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 -Fact Sheet, DOJ
- CRS Report for Congress - Gun Control Legislation (日本語訳-銃規制に関する法律)
- Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 Pub.L.104-132, Apr. 24, 1996
- Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996: A Summary - CRS Report, Jun. 3, 1996
- Aviation and Transportation Security Act Pub. L. 107-71, Nov. 19, 2001
- Immigration Reform Issues in the 111th Congress - CRS Report
- Legislation Related to the Attack of September 11, 2001
- Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT Act) Act of 2001 Pub. L. 107–56, Oct. 26, 2001
- War Powers Resolution Pub. L. 93-148, Nov. 7, 1973, 87 Stat. 555 (Title 50, Sec. 1541 et seq.)
- Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN_SPAM Act) Pub. L. 108-187
- Copyright Law of the U.S.
- Digital Millenium Copyright Act Pub. L. 105-304, Oct. 28, 1998
- Focus On: Intellectual Property Rights
- Why Protecting Intellectual Property Rights Matters
- Telecommunications Act of 1996 Pub. L. 104-104, Title V, Feb. 8, 1996
- Fact Sheet on the Telecommunications Act of 1996 IIP, DOS
- Export America: The Federal Source for Your Global Business Needs - DOC, Trade Information Center, Ask the TIC Q&A
- National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- U.S. Copyright Office US Library of Congress
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP.gov
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- Intellectual Property USTR
[Last Updated: 12/6/2010]