This research guide in Scottish legal history, with coverage of the feudal period through to 1901, was created to assist your research in the Georgetown Law Library. Resources on Scotland's move towards independence, particularly the upcoming referendum on September 18, 2014 have also been included. This historic referendum will determine whether Scotland remains apart of the United Kingdom or becomes a separate independent nation.
The library has a substantial collection of Scottish legal materials in several locations. The materials housed in the Special Collections Department in the Edward Bennett Williams Law Library are noted in the library catalog with a location of SPEC COLL and a status of SCCR Use Only. Special Collections items may be used only in the Special Collections Reading Room (Williams 210). Resources which are located in the Wolff collection are indicated by the abbreviation INT'L. There are also many useful resources in the library's microform collection as well as electronic sources for research. Members of the Georgetown University community can schedule research consultations with the Special Collections Librarian. The Special Collections Department is located at the west end of the Robert L. Oakley Reading Room in Williams Library (Room 210). Patrons may also seek assistance at the Williams reference desk.
A useful place to start your research in Scottish legal history is the library's catalog. There are many useful links for finding articles, monographs and electronic databases. You can also use the WorldCat database, a mega-catalog database, to locate resources which may not be available at the Law Center, and then use our Inter-Library Loan service to request the resources which you need. Among the useful research resources available here in the library are Lexis Nexis, Westlaw, HeinOnline, Index to Legal Periodicals, Index to Legal Periodicals Retro, J-Stor, Academic Search Premier and Project Muse. When researching Scottish legal history, consult early English print and electronic resources which are very useful and relevant. Links to these resources are throughout this guide.
Other related and useful guides which are available here in the library are:
Images of pre-1900 titles courtesy Georgetown Law Library Special Collections.
Created by Yasmin Morais with revisions, edits and updates by Erin Rahne Kidwell and Elizabeth A. Schiller.
Updated 8/13 (ES & EK)