Interlibrary Loan FAQs

Primary law materials are publications that contain the text of laws, orders, decisions, rules or regulations issued by a governmental entity or official from one of the branches of government.

The Law Library should carry many of the common published primary law materials:

• Please consult the Law Library Reference Desk to help you locate a copy within the library's print and electronic collection for a copy.
• The U.S. Primary Sources & Topical Reporters Guide lists the Law Library's primary law resources, their locations and online access points if available.
• Check the Law Library's jurisdictional guides to locate state primary law resources.
• Check Finding Primary Sources in the Source Collection Information for Journal Staff guide, or Finding Primary Sources in the Source Collection Information for Faculty RAs.

Entire print volumes, or microfilmed reels, of primary law, such as codes, regulations or case reports, are not loaned by ILL libraries. However, sections within a code or regulation volume, or a specific case opinion in a reporter, may be obtainable as scans through ILL. Please submit an ILLiad PDF Request Form with an unambiguous citation for the specific code, regulation or case opinion.

Microfilm reels containing federal case briefs and court documents may be requested through ILL but the chances of a successful loan is slim. You may have to visit the library(ies) that carry the microfilm reels.

• First please consult the Law Library Reference Desk to help you determine what format and where your desired case briefs and court documents may exist.
• Check the Briefs, Dockets, Oral Arguments and Other Court Documents Research Guide.
• Check Finding Records, Briefs and Court Filings in Source Collection Information for Journal Staff, or Finding Records, Briefs and Court Filings in Source Collection Information for Faculty RAs.

Case briefs and court documents, regardless of format, that are only housed in court houses or at the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA) cannot be obtained through ILL service. Please contact the court clerk office or NARA directly for availability and reproduction services. You may have to visit NARA in order to find and make scans of the documents.