Keeping up with new case law and changing legislation can be tough for any attorney. Added to this State rules and legal statutes mean that the body of law is in constant flux and the legal community needs to keep up to date to ensure that they can best serve their clients. Between January 2015 and May 2016, there were 156 enacted laws according to GovTrack. Almost 300 new laws were enacted between January 2013 and January 2015.

More than 300 bills are currently awaiting Senate action. In the more than 200 years since the Constitution was first drafted, there have been 27 amendments to it. According to GovTrack, the largest number of laws enacted usually occur in October of the second year in the session. In fact, more than 50% of all enacted legislation is enacted only in the final quarter of the session. Despite this new enactments happen throughout the year. Having access to

With more than 1,2 million practicing licensed lawyers in the US in 2012 and that number set to grow, the demand for up to date legislative history materials is likely to increase. After all, legislative intent has formed the basis for construing state law for evidence in state courts for more than 100 years. Being able to trace the legislative history of a law or precedent is vital and can mean the difference between a successful case and an unsuccessful one.

Legal document archives and legislative history research services are to only useful for the legal profession. More than 15 years ago, the public in California were granted the right to obtain government records in both print and other forms, including electronic records. Such legislative archives can be invaluable in allowing the public to access legal documentation, legal statutes and precedents. Legal research websites can provide important access to needed documentation to help you clarify existing law and its cause or the circumstances leading to its enactment or amendment, and some services offer research services to help you find what you are looking for. Research staff can advise and guide the lawyer or legal secretary through the research process and point out ways to better pinpoint the needed documentation, which can make all the difference to the case.