Foreign Law Research Guide

Foreign law is the law of jurisdictions outside of the United States, such as French law. International law is the law between nations, such as treaties. Comparative law is the study of differences and similarities of the laws of different countries, as well as the differences and similarities of the legal traditions of different countries.

If you are looking for an overview of a jurisdiction or documents in English start with the Introduction to Foreign Legal Research. This sets out the basics: how to start a foreign legal research project, the best secondary sources for this type of research, and major sources for primary law material. If you are looking for the text of a foreign law it is often possible to find it in a subject-specific complication.

If you are looking for native language sources you might try the resources from the particular countries:

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Antigua and Barbados
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain

Bangladesh
Barbados

Belarus

Belgium
Belize

Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Botswana
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada

Cayman Islands
Chile

China
Colombia

Costa Rica
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Estonia
Federated States of Micronesia
Fiji
Finland
France
Ghana
Germany
Greece
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kazakhstan

 

Kenya
Kiribati
Korea (South)
Lao PDR
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Mauritius
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Norway
Pakistan
Papau New Guinea
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russian Federation
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka

Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania

Thailand
Timor Leste
Tonga
Trindad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
--- England and Wales
--- Northern Ireland
--- Scotland
Uruguay

Venezuela
Vietnam

Zambia

 

Finally, don't forget to check out International & Foreign Law Web Pages for a selection of excellent sites that can help jumpstart your foreign legal research project.

Guide maintained by Stefanie Weigmann

July 18, 2008