Foreign Legal Research: Countries G-L
Please note that this page will be updated on a periodic basis. Please keep checking back for new information!
- Constitutions
- German and French (as amended, 2002)
- English (as of 1995, does not incorporate 2002 amendments) (International Consitutional Law)
- Documents (Venice Commission)
- Legislation
- DIP - Document and Information System for Parliament (Bundestag)
- Documents of State Governments (Landtag Nordrhein-Westfalen)
- Laws
- Bundesgesetzblatt (Official Journal) (Juristisches Internetprojekt Saarbrucken)
- Laws on the Internet (Ministry of Justice) contains the Civil Code (translated into English, html and pdf)
- Select Statutes in English (German Law Archive) also includes a Bibliography of where to find English translations.
- Selected Treaties (in German) from 1949
- Laws / Gesetzgebung (Landtag NRW) of the Lander parliaments)
- Doing Business: Germany (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Cases
- Decisions in German (Constitutional Court) English internface with selected decisions in English.
- Entscheidungen des Bundesgerichtshof (Federal Court) from 2000 in PDF.
- BGH-Free (RWS-Verlag) can go back to 1999 and full-text search. Not PDF.
- Translated Decisions (Institute for Transnational Law)
- Subscription Databases
- Gazette (German)
- Guides
- German Business and Commercial Laws: Guide to Translations into English and Select Auxiliary Sources (Research Guide, NYU Globalex)
- Germany (Institute of Advanced Legal Studies)
- National Documentation Packages: Germany (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada)
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Constitution (Judicial Service)
- Laws
- Doing Business: Ghana (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Guides
- Researching Ghanaian Law (GlobaLex)
- National Documentation Packages: Ghana (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada)
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Subscription Databases
- Constitution
- Legislative Materials
- Laws
- Gazette (Greek)
- Doing Business: Greece (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Guides
- A Description of the Structure of the Hellenic Republic, the Greek Legal System, and Legal Research (Research Guide, from NYU Globalex)
- National Documentation Packages: Greece (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada)
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Subscription Services
- Constitution
- Spanish (1982 Constitution, with amendments through 2005)
- Legislative Material
- Information about Bills (Congress) not full-text
- Laws
- GLIN (Library of Congress) full-text access to select laws
- Laws and Codes (Congress) not searchable
- Labor Laws (LeyLaboral)
- Doing Business: Honduras (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Guides
- Guide to Legal Research in Honduras (Globalex)
- National Documentation Packages: Honduras (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region)
- Basic Law
- Basic Law (Government Information Centre)
- Legislative Material
- Legislative Proposals (Legislative Council)
- Laws
- Gazette (Chinese, English)
- Laws (Bilingual Laws Information System) includes an English subject index and includes an English-Chinese Glossary of Legal Terms
- Westlaw: Hong Kong Legislation (HK-LEG)
- Treaties and International Agreements (Department of Justice)
- Case Law:
- Legal Reference System (Judiciary)
- Westlaw: Hong Kong Law Reports (HKL-RPTS) and Hong Kong Case Digests (HK-DIGEST)
- Guides and Reports
- AsianLaw Bibliography (University of Melbourne)
- National Documentation Packages: Hong Kong (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Legislative Material
- Legislative Activity (National Assembly)
- Laws
- Legislation (National Assembly)
- Statutes (CompLex)
- Laws and Orders (Ministry of Justice)
- Doing Business: Hungary (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Case Law
- Decisions (Constitutional Court) and can be searched. There are also selected decisions in English.
- Decisions (Supreme Court) look under "határozatok"
- Guides
- Introduction to Hungarian Legal Research (Research Guide, from NYU Globalex)
- National Documentation Packages: Hungary (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Constitution (English, 1949, as amended through 2004)
- Constitutions (INCODIS)
- Legislative Materials
- Parliamentary Bills (Legislative Department)
- Text of BIlls (Parliament) with information.
- Parliament: also available debates and committee reports.
- Laws
- India Code (INCODIS) see also Alphabetical Index to Acts
- Subordinate Legislation (Legislative Department)
- Legislation (CommonLII)
- Central Acts and State Acts (India Legal Information Institute Indlii)
- Environmental Laws (SanctuaryAsia)
- Bilateral Treaties (Ministry of External Affairs) from 1947. Look under "Bilateral Documents"
- Links to State Legislatures which often have State legal documents
- Law Commission Reports (INCODIS) searchable. Also available from CommonLII.
- Doing Business: India (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Case Law
- JUDIS database (Judgment Information System, case law from 1950-date) includes Supreme Court, High Courts and some District Courts. There is also a section which shows Case Status.
- Supreme Court, High Courts of Allahbad (Lucknow Bench), Andhra, Bombay, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Gauhati, Kerala, Madras, Orrisa and Punjab (CommonLII)
- Guides
- Guide to Indian Laws (Research Guide, NYU Globalex)
- Legal Research Guides: India (Library of Congress)
- India (CommonLII)
- AsianLaw Bibliography (University of Melbourne)
- National Documentation Packages: India (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Constitution (AsianLII)
- Constitution (Indonesian Legal Information) and amendments
- Laws
- Laws (Indonesian Legal Information) and Regulations. Also has historical laws.
- Laws and Regulations (AsianLII) as well as other legal instruments
- Indonesia: Commentary and Legislation (Asianlaw) in English
- Doing Business: Indonesia (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Cases
- Decisions of Constitutional Court (AsianLII) 2003-present
- Decisions of Supreme Court (AsianLII) 2003-2005
- Decisions of the Religious High Court - Pengadilan Tinggi Agama (AsianLII) from 2007
- Decisions (Supreme Court) from 1950. Select Yurisprudensi (not currently working).
- Guides
- The Indonesian Legal System: An Overview (LLRX)
- AsianLaw Bibliography (University of Melbourne)
- The Legal System in Indonesia (ASEAN Law Association)
- National Documentation Packages: Indonesia (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Subscription Databases
- Constitution
- Constitution (English, 1979, as amended through 1989)
- Laws
- Iran Law (Tehran Justice Administration) in Persian
- Selected Legislation in English (Alaviandassociated.com)
- Banking Laws (Central Bank) in English
- Selected Laws in English (Center for Advanced Research and Studies on Islamic Common Market).
- Trade Laws (Ministry of Commerce)
- Doing Business: Iran (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Guides
- A Guide to the Legal System of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Research Guide, NYU Globalex)
- Iran Law Guide (Pars Times) includes links for full-text of laws
- National Documentation Packages: Iran (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Legislative Material
- Bills (through the Parliament, or two houses of the Oireachtas, 1997 - date) also includes Parliamentary Debates and Committee Reports
- Irish Law Reform Commision Reports and Papers (through BAILII)
- Laws
- Iris Oifigiu'il (Official Gazette) in English from 2002
- Irish Statute Book (Attorney General)
- Irish Legal Information Instiative (ILII) includes Statutes to 1999 and Statutory Instruments to 2002.
- British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII) includes Legislation and Statutory Instruments to 1922.
- Progress on Government Legislation Program (Department of the Taoiseach) also White and Green papers.
- Doing Business: Ireland (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Case Law
- Index of Cases (ILII) includes Supreme Court and High Court and Leading Cases by subject
- Ireland Case Law (BAILII) includes Supreme Court, High Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, Competition Authority Decisions and Information Commissioner Decisions.
- Judgments (Court Service) includes Supreme Court, High Court and Court of Criminal Appeals
- Guides
- Guide to Irish Law (University College Cork)
- A Guide to Irish Law (Research Guide, NYU Globalex)
- Periodical Index (ILII)
- Ireland (Institute of Advanced Legal Studeis)
- National Documentation Packages: Ireland (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Basic Laws (Knesset)
- Constitutional Information (ICL)
- Legislative Information
- Reports (Knesset Research and Information Center) in English. Also have abstracts of the Hebrew Reports.
- Laws
- Laws (Knesset) in Hebrew. Includes regulations.
- Selected Laws (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) in English.
- Laws of Special Interest (Knesset) in English
- Selected Laws (Ministry of Justice) in English.
- Treaties:Agreements related to Peace Process
- Doing Business: Israel (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Cases
- Supreme Court (some decisions in English, many in Hebrew)
- Decisions (Judicial Authority) in Hebrew
- Guides
- A Guide to Legal Research in Israel (Research Guide, NYU Globalex)
- Israeli Law Guide (LLRX)
- Legal Research Guide: Israel (Library of Congress)
- National Documentation Packages: Israel (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Commercial Databases
- Constitution
- English (ICL)
- Italian (Senate) with Constitutional Bills (Camera dei Deputati)
- Constitutional Documents (Consulta Online) inlcudes articles
- Legislative Material
- Bills (Camera dei Deputati) seach by number. Also includes Government Bills and Reports
- Advanced Search (Senate)
- Laws
- Gazette (Ministry of Economics and Finance) also available at Aesinet.
- Laws (Camera dei Deputati)
- Laws (Parliament) arranged chronologically and includes listing of important laws.
- NormeInrete (Ministry of Justice) includes laws, decrees, bills and many other types of legal material.
- Codes (NotarLex)
- Database of Regional Laws (Camera dei Deputati)
- Archive of Laws from 1889 (DADA.net)
- Doing Business: Italy (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Legislation of Medici Florence (1532-1737) (ITTIG)
- Cases
- Decisions (Constitutional Court) can be searched or researched by annual index. There are abstracts in English.
- Decisions of the Constitutional Court (Consulta Online)
- Civil Decisions, Criminal Decisions, and Constitutional Decisions (Surpeme Court of Cassazione)
- Decisions (Corte dei Conti)
- Decisions (Guistizia Administrativa) with an analytic index. Also includes studies.
- Guides
- Guide to Italian Legal Research and Resources on the Web (Research Guide, NYU Globalex)
- Bibliographical Database for Business Law (Iusimpresa) need to register.
- Italy (Institute of Advanced Legal Studies)
- What is the Constitutional Court? (Constitutional Court)
- National Documentation Packages: Italy (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Constitution (Georgetown University)
- Laws
- Laws of Jamaica (Ministry of Justice)
- Doing Business: Jamaica (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Cases
- Judgments (Supreme Court of Jamaica) from 1997, see also Decisions of the Supreme Court (CommonLII)
- Court of Appeal Decisions (CommonLII)
- Privy Council (BAILII)
- Guides
- Guide to Caribbean Law Research (GlobaLex)
- National Documentation Packages: Jamaica (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Birth of the Constitution of Japan (National Diet Library) includes Constitution in English along with other historical documents.
- Reports (Deliberative Council on the Constitution)
- Legislative Materials
- Minutes of the Diet (National Diet Library)
- Law Making Process (Cabinet Legislation Bureau)
- Laws
- Gazette (in Japanese)
- Current Laws and Regulations (Administrative Management Bureau of Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications)
- Statutes (National Diet Library)
- Legislation (National Diet) from 1st session.
- Index to Laws, Regulations and Bills (National Diet Library)
- Translations of Laws and Regulations (Cabinet Secretariat) English translations of selected laws.
- English Translations of Japanese Laws (Mika's Page) links to translations of Japanese laws.
- Translation Project of Japanese Statutes (Nagoya University)
- Doing Business: Japan (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Cases
- Guides
- Searching for a Law and Searching for Cases (Keio University)
- Japanese Law via the Internet (Research Guide, NYU Globalex)
- Japan Law Links (Center for Japanese Legal Studies - Columibia University)
- National Archives of Japan - includes government documents
- AsianLaw Bibliography (University of Melbourne)
- National Documentation Packages: Japan (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Constitution
- Constitution (Parliament)
- Decisions of the (Constitutional Council) in English
- Laws
- Legislation (Internews) selected English translations.
- Selected Legislation (LegislatiOnline)
- Laws (Ministry of Justice) in Russian
- Legislation (JurInfo) appears to have selected laws for free
- Presidential Decress (President)
- Doing Business: Kazakhstan (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Guides
- Legal articles (Supreme Court) in English.
- The Legal System of the Republic of Kasakhstan
- AsianLaw Bibliography (University of Melbourne)
- National Documentation Packages: Kazakhstan (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Subscription Database
- Constitution
- Constitution (proposed 8/23/05, from the Kenya Gazette, Supplement 2005, English)
- Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CommonLII)
- Report of Standing Committee on Constitution Review (Law Society of Kenya)
- Legislative Material
- Bills (Kenyalaw.org)
- Hansards (Parliament) also Sessional Papers
- Laws
- Gazette (Kenyalaw.org) in English
- Laws of Kenya (Kenyalaw.org)
- Doing Business: Kenya (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Cases
- Case Search (Kenyalaw.org) must register but free access to full-text decisions.
- Guides
- Researching Kenyan Law (Research Guide, NYU Globalex)
- National Documentation Packages: Kenya (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Constitution (Parliament)
- Constitution (PACLII)
- Kiribati Independence Order of 1979 (University of the South Pacific)
- Legislative Material
- Hansard's (Parliament)
- Laws
- Acts (Parliament)
- Sessional Laws (PACLII) and Consolidated Legislation (PACLII)
- Doing Business: Kiribati (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Cases
- High Court of Kiribati and High Court of Gilbert Islands (PACLII)
- Court of Appeal (PACLII)
- Privy Council Decisions (BAILII)
- Guides
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Constitution (AsianLII) in English
- Constitution (National Assembly) in English
- Legislative Materials
- Laws
- Official Gazette (Government)
- GLIN (Library of Congress) full-text. See AsianLII interface.
- Recently Enacted Laws (National Assembly) abstract in English. Full-text of foreigner related laws. See also Laws.
- Laws (Supreme Court)
- Comprehensive Legal Information Service System (Ministry of Government Legislation)
- Doing Business: Korea (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Cases
- Decisions (Constitutional Court) also Major Decisions in English and can search Engish abstracts of cases. Also access to publications of court.
- Constitutional Court Decisions (AsianLII) 1998-2004 in English
- Supreme Court Decisions (AsianLII) 2000-present in English
- Selected Decisions (Supreme Court) in English
- Guides and Reports
- AsianLaw Bibliography (University of Melbourne)
- National Documentation Packages: Korea (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Subscription Database
Kyrgyzstan
- Constitution
- Constitution (Central Asia Law Initiative)
- Laws
- Codes (Central Asia Law Initiative)
- Doing Business: Kyrgyz Republic (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Guides
- National Documentation Packages: Kyrgyzstan (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Constitution
- Constitution (National Assembly) and some Basic Laws in English
- Constitution (AsianLII)
- Laws
- Selected Laws (AsianLII) in English
- Investment Laws (Department of Domestic and Foreign Investment) in English
- Doing Business: Lao PDR (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Guides and Reports
- Bibliography of Articles on Lao PDR (University of Melbourne)
- National Documentation Packages: Lao PDR (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Constitution (Constitutional Court) in English
- Constitution and Normative Acts (Ministry of Justice)
- Constitution and Regulatory Acts (Cabinet of Ministers) in English.
- Constitution (ICL)
- Legislative Material
- Laws
- Latvijas Vestnesis (Government) official gazette with English interface from N-Lex.
- Likumi/Laws (Government) listed alphabetically and chronologically.
- Selected Laws (LegislatiOnline) in English.
- Selected Laws and Regulations (Translation and Terminology Centre) also has Civil Law in English.
- Doing Business: Latvia (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Cases
- Cases (Constitutional Court) selected decisions in English.
- Decisions (Supreme Court) interface in English. Also have compilations by subject-area..
- Guides
- Latvian Law Guide (LLRX)
- National Documentation Packages: Latvia (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Subscription Databases
- Constitution
- Laws
- Doing Business: Lebanon (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Guides
- Legal Research Guide: Lebanon (Library of Congress)
- Guide to Lebanon Tax Law Research (Ministry of Finance)
- National Documentation Packages: Lebanon (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Constitution (Government)
- Laws
- Lesotho Legislation (CommonLII)
- Doing Business: Lesotho (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Guides
- National Documentation Packages: Lesotho (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Legislative Materials
- Laws
- LiLex (LLV) includes all law and is supplemented by most recent publications
- Important Laws (Juris Verlag) organized by subject and searchable.
- Documentation of EU and EEA (LLV)
- Cases:
- Decisions (State Court) select Entscheidungsauswahl and select the year.
- Guides
- Finding the Law: the Micro States and Small Jurisdictions of Europe (LLRX)
- National Documentation Packages: Liechtenstein (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Lithuanian (Constitutional Court) also in English
- Legislative Material
- Proposed Legislation (Government website)
- Bills (Parliament)
- Laws
- Legal Acts (Parliament) some documents are available in English.
- Acts (Government website)
- Codes (Parliament)
- Some Laws (LitLex) in English.
- Selected Laws (LegislatiOnline)
- Doing Business: Lithuania (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Case Law:
- Decisions (Constitutional Court) in English
- Guides
- A Guide to the Lithuanian Legal System (Research Guide, NYU Globalex)
- Lithuania (WorldLII)
- National Documentation Packages: Lithuania (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
- Constitution
- Constitution (Conseil D'Etat)
- Constitution (ICL)
- Legislative Material
- Bills and Reports (Chambre des Deputes/Parliament) in reverse chronological order. Public Documents can also be searched.
- Laws
- Memorial (Legislux) Official Gazette from 1839. Part A is legislative, Part B is administrative. Also includes consolidated versions of laws.
- Opinions (Conseil D'Etat)
- Opinions (Cours des Comptes)
- Doing Business: Luxembourg (World Bank) - commercial laws in English
- Cases
- Decisions (Ministry of Justice) of the Constitutional Court. Also available in Memorial A - search for "Arret".
- Guides
- Luxembourg (Institute of Advanced Legal Studies)
- National Documentation Packages: Luxembourg (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - information about legal environment for asylum cases
- Multinational Collections Database (Library of Congress) collections of laws in print format.
If you have any questions or would like some assistance with your foreign legal research project, please stop by the Reference Desk, Pappas Law Library Reading Room, or submit a research appointment request or email the Reference staff your question.
Page maintained by Stefanie Weigmann
Last updated:
May 2008