This week we are featuring a guest post by Caitlin Hunter, author of the renowned title California Administrative Law: A Legal Research Guide.
Order this title by September 18, 2020, and save $10.00!
About the Author
Caitlin Hunter
Caitlin Hunter is a Reference Librarian at UCLA School of Law. She previously worked as a Reference Librarian and International and Foreign Law Librarian at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and a Reference, Circulation, and Technical Services Assistant at the University of Denver Law Library. She earned her J.D. from the University of California, Davis, and her M.L.I.S. from the University of Denver. Before attending law school, she worked for a lobbyist in Sacramento, attending meetings of California administrative agencies and tracking proposed California regulations and legislation.
Why Write about California Administrative Law?
Caitlin remarks, “I first became interested in California administrative law fresh out of college, interning and then working as an administrative assistant for a lobbyist in Sacramento. Much of my time was spent reading and summarizing the latest California health care regulations. I remember how excited I was to give my first work presentation, explaining the California rulemaking process to my boss and the other lobbyists in her office. A few years ago, I was given the opportunity to help update a chapter of Henke’s California Law Guide and immediately jumped on the chance to update the administrative law chapter. Eventually, the chapter took on a life of its own and was published as a stand-alone Hein research guide.
More than any other area of law, administrative law impacts the quality of our day-to-day lives, influencing the safety of the air we breathe and the water we drink; the proficiency of our teachers, doctors, vets, and accountants; and our ability to access benefits if we are injured on the job, unemployed, or cannot afford health insurance. However, California administrative law is complex and confusing, even for attorneys. The rulemaking process involves three separate publications, none of which are systematically preserved and searchable online. Some administrative decisions are published in half a dozen different print sources, while others can only be dredged up on archived versions of agency websites. Writing this guide to California administrative law gave me the chance to learn about these important sources of California law, understand how they fit together, and (I hope!) smooth the path for future researchers.”
About This Title
California administrative law research can baffle new associates and experienced librarians alike. Sources are scattered across websites, print, and microfiche, with many major sources available only by contacting the state archives or finding a library with enough foresight to purchase duplicate print copies. Publications disappear, reappear, and change names frequently, usually due to short-term political scuffles rather than careful long-term planning.
California Administrative Law: A Legal Research Guide aims to cut through the chaos by providing background and practical tips for researching California administrative law.
- Part II provides an overview of the history of California administrative law, emphasizing the legislative reforms and political struggles that have shaped the rulemaking and administrative adjudication processes and the often-confusing array of administrative materials.
- Part III explains how to access and use current California regulations, including where to find them and how to use them in print and on Lexis, Westlaw, Bloomberg, and free websites.
- Part IV explains how regulations are made, how to track proposed regulations, and how to compile comprehensive regulatory histories.
- Part V describes how to locate other types of administrative materials, with an emphasis on administrative decisions.
- Finally, Part VI provides a bibliography of additional materials both for those seeking more in-depth information on specific areas of California administrative law and for those seeking more basic introductions to administrative law research.
