Administrative Law Research Guide

This guide outlines the federal administrative process and materials.

Contents

Key to Icons

  • Georgetown only
  • On Westlaw
  • On Lexis
  • On Bloomberg
  • PDF
  • More Info (hover)
  • Preeminent Treatise
  • Study Aid

Finding Administrative Decisions

Unlike proposed and final regulations, and there is no one place where all administrative decisions are published. In fact, some agencies do not publish their decisions. Administrative decisions may be available through agency websites, subscription databases, looseleaf services, or official reports of decisions.

Agency Websites

Administrative decisions are often available on agency websites. In general, decisions that are available online are from recent years.

Subscription Databases

Official Reports of Decisions

Some agencies publish official reports of their decisions. The Bluebook lists official administrative publications in Table 1.2. Once you have the reporter's title, search for it in the library’s collection.

Looseleaf Services

Most looseleaf services (also known as topical reporters) publish administrative decisions in their subject areas. For older administrative decisions, looseleafs are often the only source. The Bluebook lists major looseleaf services in Table 15. 

Once you have the service's title, find it in the below chart of topical reporters, which includes links to our catalog record for a publication's print edition and access to the publication's digital formats. If a looseleaf service is not listed there, search the Law Library's catalog or check the resources listed below for specific publishers and subject areas.

For looseleafs published by Commerce Clearing House (CCH), check VitalLaw.

VitalLaw (formerly Cheetah) is a searchable database of forms, articles, tables, legal decisions and laws pertaining to human resources, labor and employment law, payroll, pensions and benefits, employee safety, workers' compensation, health law, food and drug regulations, unemployment, and social security.

For looseleafs published by Bloomberg BNA, check Bloomberg Law. 

For information about looseleaf services in specific subject areas, check our Research Guides on those subject areas (such as tax).

Topical Reporters

Reporter Title Digital & Print Access for Georgetown Law For in-depth coverage on this legal topic, check:
ABA/BNA Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct (Laws. Man. On Prof. Conduct (ABA/BLAW)), ABA/Bloomberg Law Lawyers' Manual on Professional Conduct (ABA/BLAW) Bloomberg Law Legal Ethics Research Guide
All States Tax Guide or State and Local Taxes (All St. Tax Guide (RIA)) Checkpoint, Westlaw Tax Research - State and Local Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
American Federal Tax Reports, Second Series (A.F.T.R.2d (RIA)) Checkpoint, Westlaw Tax Research - Federal Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises, Tax Policy Research Guide
Antitrust & Trade Regulation Report (Antitrust & Trade Reg. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Antitrust News and International Trade News) Antitrust Law Research Guide, Antitrust Treatises
Aviation Law Reporter (Av. L. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Aviation Law Research Guide
Benefits Review Board Service (Ben. Rev. Bd. Serv. (MB)) Lexis  Labor and Employment Law Research Guide, Labor and Employment Treatises, Employee Benefits Research Guide
BNA’s Banking Report (Banking Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Banking News) Banking Law Research Guide, Banking Law Treatises
Bankruptcy Law Reports (Bankr. L. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Bankruptcy Law Research Guide, Bankruptcy Law Treatises
Blue Sky Law Reporter (Blue Sky L. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw (Report Letter) Securities Law Research Guide, Securities Law Treatises
Business Franchise Guide (Bus. Franchise Guide (CCH)) VitalLaw Commercial Law Research Guide, Commercial Law Treatises
Chemical Regulation Reporter (Chem. Reg. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Environment & Energy News) Environmental Law Research Guide, Environmental Law Treatises
Commodity Futures Law Reporter (Comm. Fut. L. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Securities Law Research Guide, Securities Law Treatises
Consumer Credit Guide (Consumer Cred. Guide (CCH)) VitalLaw Consumer Law Research Guide, Consumer Law Treatises 
Consumer Product Safety Guide (Consumer Prod. Safety Guide (CCH)) VitalLaw Consumer Law Research Guide, Consumer Law Treatises, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law Research Guide 
Contract Appeals Decision (Cont. App. Dec. (CCH)) VitalLaw (Report Letter) Government Contract Law Research Guide, Government Contracts TreatisesContract Law Treatises
Copyright Law Reporter (Copyright L. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Copyright Law Research Guide, Intellectual Property Treatises 
Corporate Finance and the Securities Law (5th ed., Charles J. Johnson Jr. et al, eds., Wolters Kluwer) VitalLaw Securities Law Research Guide
Cost Accounting Standards Guide (Cost Accounting Stand. Guide (CCH)) VitalLaw Accounting Research Guide, Securities Law Research Guide, Securities Law Treatises
Criminal Law Reporter (Crim.L. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in White Collar & Criminal Law News) Criminal Law Research Guide, Criminal Law Treatises 
Daily Labor Report (Daily Lab. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law  Labor and Employment Law Research Guide, Labor and Employment Treatises, Employee Benefits Research Guide, Disability Law Treatises
EEOC Compliance Manual (EEOC Compl. Man. (CCH)) VitalLaw Labor and Employment Law Research Guide, Labor and Employment Treatises, Employee Benefits Research Guide, Disability Law Treatises  
Employment Safety and Health Guide (Empl. Safety & Health Guide (CCH)) VitalLaw: Decisions, Newsletters, State Plans, Topical Index Labor and Employment Law Research Guide, Labor and Employment Treatises, Disability Law Treatises
Environment Reporter (Env’t Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Environment & Energy News) Environmental Law Research Guide, Environmental Law Treatises
Exempt Organization Reports (Exempt Org. Rep. (CCH)) Lexis (Table of contents only) Non-Profit Organization Research Guide 
Family Law Reporter, (Fam. L. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018) Family Law Research Guide, Family Law Treatises 
Federal Banking Law Reporter (Fed. Banking L. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Banking Law Research Guide, Banking Law Treatises 
Federal Contracts Report (Fed. Cont. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Federal Contracting News) Government Contract Law Research Guide, Government Contracts TreatisesContract Law Treatises
Federal Estate and Gift Tax Reporter (Fed. Est. & Gift Tax Repo. (CCH)) VitalLaw, Lexis (Table of contents only) Estate Planning Research Guide, Estate Planning Treatises, Tax Research - Federal Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
Federal Excise Tax Reporter (Fed. Ex. Tax Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Tax Research - Federal Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
Federal Income, Gift and Estate Taxation (Fed. Inc. Gift & Est. Tax’n (MB)) Lexis (including Index) Tax Research - Federal Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises, Estate Planning Research Guide, Estate Planning Treatises
Federal Securities Law Reporter (Fed. Sec. L. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw, Law Library Call Number: KF1068.4 C58 Closed Stacks South (print currently updated in Law Library) Securities Law Research Guide, Securities Law Treatises
Federal Tax Coordinator Second (Fed. Tax. Coordinator 2d (RIA)) Checkpoint, Westlaw, Law Library Call Number: KF6285 .F4 1984 Stacks  Tax Research - Federal Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
Food Drug Cosmetic Law Reporter (Food Drug Cosm. L. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law Research Guide, Consumer Law Research Guide, Consumer Law Treatises   
Government Employee Relations Report (Gov’t Empl. Rel. Repo. (BNA)) Law Library Call Number: KF3365 .B95 Closed Stacks South (last updated with v.44) (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Daily Labor Report) Labor and Employment Law Research Guide, Labor and Employment Treatises
Immigration Law Service (Immigr. L. Serv. (West)) Westlaw  Immigration Law Research Guide, Immigration Law Treatises 
Insurance Law Reports: Life, Health & Accident Insurance Cases 2d (Life Health & Accid. Ins. Cas. 2d (CCH)) VitalLaw Insurance Law Treatises 
Insurance Law Reports: Personal and Commercial Liability (Personal and Comm. Liab. (CCH))   Insurance Law Treatises 
International Environment Reporter (Int’l Env’t Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Environment & Energy News) International Environmental Law Research Guide, International Environment and Development Treatises 
International Trade Reporter (Int’l Trade Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in International Trade News) International Trade Law Research Guide, International Trade Law Treatises 
IP and Antitrust: An Analysis of Antitrust Principles Applied to Intellectual Property (CCH) VitalLaw Antitrust Law Research Guide, Antitrust Treatises
IRS Positions (IRS Pos.(CCH)) VitalLaw Tax Research - Federal Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
Labor Arbitration Awards (Lab. Arb. Awards (CCH)) VitalLaw Labor and Employment Law Research Guide, Labor and Employment Treatises, Employee Benefits Research Guide
Media Law Reporter (Media L. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2019; coverage continued in Tech & Telecom Law News) Communications Law Research Guide, Communications Law Treatises 
Medical Devices Reporter (Med. Devices Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law Research Guide, Health Law Research Guide, Health Law and Policy Treatises 
Medicare and Medicaid Guide (CCH) VitalLaw Health Law Research Guide, Health Law and Policy Treatises 
Mergers, Acquisitions, and Buyouts (CCH) VitalLaw, Law Library Call Number: KF6297 .A45 H452 Reading Room Study Aids (print currently updated in Law Library)  
Mutual Funds Guide (Mut. Funds Guide (CCH)) VitalLaw: Explanations and Annotations, Report Letter, Regulations, Headnotes, Archive Securities Law Research Guide, Securities Law Treatises, Banking Law Research Guide, Banking Law Treatises
National Reporter on Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility (Nat'l Rep. Legal Ethics (Univ. Pub. Am.)) Lexis ("not currently updated"), Law Library Call Number: Stacks KF308.A6 N37 (last updated in 2008) Legal Ethics Research Guide
Occupational Safety & Health Reporter (O.S.H. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Occupational Safety News) Labor and Employment Law Research Guide, Labor and Employment Treatises, Disability Law Treatises
Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal (Pat. Trademark & Copyright J. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Intellectual Property Law News) Patent Law Research Guide, Trademark Law Research Guide, Copyright Law Research Guide, Intellectual Property Treatises   
Pension & Benefits Reporter (Pens. & Ben. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Benefits & Executive Compensation News) Employee Benefits Research Guide
Pension Plan Guide (Pens. Plan Guide (CCH)) VitalLaw Employee Benefits Research Guide
Product Safety & Liability Reporter (Prod. Safety & Liab. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Product Liability & Toxics Law News) Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law Research Guide, Consumer Law Research Guide, Consumer Law Treatises   
Products Liability Reporter (Prod. Liab. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law Research Guide, Consumer Law Research Guide, Consumer Law Treatises   
Secured Transactions Guide (CCH) VitalLaw Securities Law Research Guide, Securities Law Treatises, Commercial Law Research Guide, Commercial Law Treatises
Securities and Federal Corporate Law Report (Sec. & Fed. Corp. L. Rep. (West)) Westlaw  Securities Law Research Guide, Securities Law Treatises
Securities Regulation & Law Report (Sec. Reg. & L. Rep. (BNA)) Bloomberg Law (discontinued in 2018; coverage continued in Securities Law News) Securities Law Research Guide, Securities Law Treatises
Social Security Reporter (Soc. Sec. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Poverty Law Research Guide 
Standard Federal Tax Reporter (Stand. Fed. Tax Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw, Law Library Call Number: KF6365 .C58 Reference (print currently updated in Law Library) Tax Research - Federal Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
State Tax Guide (St. Tax Guide (CCH)) Lexis (Table of contents only)  Tax Research - State and Local Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
State Tax Reporter (St. Tax Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw: Tax - Sate & Local, select state from State & Local drop down box, find [State] State Tax Reporter, or in library catalog search for [State] State Tax Reporter Tax Research - State and Local Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
Tax Court Memorandum Decisions (T.C.M. (CCH)) VitalLaw, Lexis, Law Library Call Number: KF6324 .A515 Closed Stacks South (print last updated with v.101 in Law Library) Tax Research - Federal Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
Tax Court Memorandum Decisions (T.C.M. (RIA)) Checkpoint, Law Library Call Number: KF6324 .A51 Stacks (print last updated in 2008 in Law Library) Tax Research - Federal Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
Trade Regulation Reporter (Trade Reg. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Antitrust Law Research Guide, Antitrust Treatises, Customs Law Research Guide
Unemployment Insurance Reporter (Unempl. Ins. Rep. (CCH)) (Federal) VitalLaw Labor and Employment Law Research Guide, Labor and Employment Treatises, Poverty Law Research Guide 
Unemployment Insurance Reporter (Unempl. Ins. Rep. (CCH)) (State) VitalLaw (search "[State]: Unemployment Insurance Reporter")  
United States Law Week (U.S.L.W.) Bloomberg Law, Law Library Call Number: KF105 .U6 Reading Room (print ceased with Aug. 2018) In general, Case Law Research Guide, Supreme Court Research Guide, Supreme Court Nominations Research Guide, Briefs, Oral Arguments and Other Court Documents 
U.S Tax Reporter (U.S. Tax Rep. (RIA)) Checkpoint, Westlaw  Tax Research - Federal Research Guide, Tax Law Treatises
U.S. Tax Treaties Reporter (U.S. Tax Treaties Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw International and Foreign Tax Law Research Guide 
Utilities Law Reports (Util. L. Rep. (CCH)) VitalLaw Energy Law Research Guide, Energy Law Treatises, Public Utilities Law Treatises  

Updating Administrative Decisions

Citator services (KeyCite on Westlaw or Shepard's on Lexis) will provide reports for some federal administrative decisions. However, not all federal administrative decisions have comprehensive reports or reports at all. Supplement reports from citator services by searching for references to administrative decisions in administrative materials and case law.