Research Guides: Foreign Law Research: Introduction

Beginning Foreign Law Research

"Foreign law" is the domestic law of a country (other than your own).

When researching the laws of another country, you will use many of the same skills you use for U.S. legal research; however, there are some additional processes you might need to implement as well as additional resources you might need to consult. You will frequently need to use at least some of the following procedures:

Obtain background information about the country.
Evaluate the structure of the country's legal system (i.e. determine the type of legal system and sources of law for the country in question).
Consult secondary sources of law from/about that country.
Consult primary sources of law for that country.

Foreign and International Law Reference Works

Max Planck Encyclopedias of International Law This link opens in a new window
The Max Planck Encyclopedias of International Law is a comprehensive, analytical resource containing peer-reviewed articles on every aspect of international law. This definitive reference work contains both the Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law and the Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law.

Access Information: Available on campus. Off campus access for UNL faculty, staff, and students only. Information for off campus access.

Parry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law by John P. Grant; J. Craig Barker; Clive Parry
ISBN: 9780195389777
Publication Date: 2009-10-02

Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations
This database allows you to search for the meaning of abbreviations for English language legal publications, from the British Isles, the Commonwealth and the United States, including those covering international and comparative law.