Best of the Web

  • U.S. Congressional documents and debates from 1774 to 1875.
  • Covers hiring a lawyer, finding free legal help, handling legal matters pro se, and locating sources of legal information.
  • Pro Bono programs listed by state.
  • Links to online sources of law for the United States and Canada, including an introduction to the legal systems of these countries.
  • The American Planning Association's New York Metro Chapter addresses planning issues that concern the physical, social, and economic environment in the metropolitan region encompassing New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley. The Chapter represents some 800 practicing planners and other people involved in the planning and design of the region's communities.
  • Offers biographical facts, key events of each presidency, presidential places, reference material, and a video archive.
  • Section 161.01 of the New York City Health Code lists the animals that may not be kept as pets in New York City.
  • This site helps you request a free, annual credit report from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

  • Guides to pro bono service opportunities in New York City and throughout New York State.

  • Access brochures regarding animal rights, including "Providing For Your Pet in the Event of Your Death or Hospitalization," "Bringing Rex Home: A Veterinarian/Boarding Kennel's Right to Hold Your Pet Because of an Unpaid Bill in New York," and "Keeping Spot and Fluffy Home: Companion Animals in New York City Apartments."

  • Provides online lawyer referrals within the New York metropolitan area.

  • Full-text documents in the fields of law, history, economics, politics, diplomacy, and government. The site has a search feature and is organized by century and then alphabetically by the name of the document.
  • A collection of hypertexted primary documents relevant to law, history, economics, politics, diplomacy, and government.
  • Legal documents dating from pre-18th Century to the present.
  • Yale University's Project Avalon makes available in digital format full text documents in the fields of Law, History, Economics, Politics, Diplomacy and Government. This phenomenal resource includes documents as varied as the ancient Code of Hammurabi, the Communist Manifesto, and the Treaty of Versailles.
  • Covers a wide variety of legal citations including electronic sources, judicial opinions, administrative agency material, books, law journals, constitutions, and statutes.
  • Check out a business or charity, file a complaint online, and access publications offering guidance on a variety of consumer issues.
  • The Better Business Bureau offers online publications on a variety of consumer topics in English and in Spanish.

  • Biographies of each of the more than 13,000 individuals who have served in the Congress of the United States since 1789 and in the Continental Congress between 1774 and 1789.

  • Includes information on election dates and candidates, voter registration statistics by borough, and links to related sites such as the League of Women Voters.
  • Find catalogs of worldwide legal resources on the Internet by topic, region, or special category.
  • The Center for an Urban Future is a New York City-based think tank that fuses journalistic reporting techniques with traditional policy analysis to produce in-depth reports and workable policy solutions on the critical issues facing our cities.

  • Working to promote democratic values and constitutional liberties in the digital age

  • A non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and its effect on elections and public policy. Look up political contributions by industry, politician's name, state, zip code, and other options.
  • This site provides access to the records and acts of Congress from the Continental Congress through the 43rd Congress.
  • A publication of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York which deals with issues related to the payment of child support and the legal process involved.
  • Full-text, historical documents dating back to pre-colonial times.
  • The Citizens Budget Commission is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic organization devoted to influencing constructive change in the finances and services of New York City and New York State government.
  • A non-partisan group, Citizens Union publishes a Voter Directory which lists and describes candidates in local and citywide races. (Citizens Union does indicate "preferred" candidates.)
  • Access Fact Sheets explaining what tenants should know about the court process, eviction, and other matters. Learn about the Task Forces telephone hotline and Information Tables which answer questions concerning landlord/tenant issues.
  • The regulations provided by this site oversee standards and methods of instruction, equipment and housing, catalogs, records, school advertisement, issuing certificates, teaching qualifications and a lot more.
  • Search for your representatives and identify candidates and their positions on the issues.
  • A database of House and Senate Documents, Senate Executive Documents, and Senate Treaty Documents beginning with the 104th Congress (1995-1996).

  • This Manual from the NYS Consumer Protection Board addresses the most common consumer questions regularly presented to New York's consumer advocates. It also contains consumer contact source lists.

  • CSG national and regional offices provide research analysis of:agriculture and rural policy, education,public safety and justice, health,the environment,fiscal conditions,infrastructure and state trends.
  • An overview of the structure of the New York State court system.
  • Contains basic contact information, as well as answers to frequently asked questions and a glossary of terms.
  • Find embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions throughout the world.
  • Provides concise address listings of major criminal justice agencies in New York State, including NYC courts, law enforcement agencies, correctional facilities, parole offices, youth agencies, and prosecution and defense associations.
  • News, country profiles, forecasts, statistics and more. Some material is "premium content" which is available by pay per view or by subscription.

  • Nonprofit group dedicated to protecting free speech, privacy, innovation, and consumer rights in the digital realm.

  • Working to protect privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values

  • Links to Western European (mainly primary) historical documents that are transcribed, reproduced in facsimile, or translated. They shed light on key historical happenings within the respective countries (and within the broadest sense of political, economic, social and cultural history). The order of documents is chronological wherever possible.
  • The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse provides sample letters: a short letter and a version that you can customize for your particular needs after you download it to your computer.
  • Complete text of the Fair Credit Reporting Act provided by the staff of the Federal Trade Commission.
  • Convenient question and answer format covers many useful subjects about debt collection, including how to report unfair practices or violation of law by debt collectors.
  • The Act specifies who a debt collector is and how they may acquire information. It also delimits the kinds of activities that constitute harassment or are abusive.

  • Links to court opinions and rules from the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and other federal courts and related agencies.

  • The Federal Election Commission regulates political spending. This site includes a database of campaign spending reports filed by House and Presidential campaigns, Parties, and PACs. Access to State campaign finance laws, legal documents, and historical voting data is also available.
  • A portal to federal documents, organized by agency and subject.
  • Information about identity theft from the Federal Trade Commission. Includes what to do if you suspect you have been a victim of identity theft.
  • A comprehensive index to legal materials on the Internet for legal professionals, businesses, students, and individuals. Resources include statutes, court cases, codes, legal news, reference tools, and an online career center.
  • Search the West Legal Directory for lawyers and law firms by name, location, or practice area.
  • Links to federal and state court forms.
  • The official U.S. gateway to government information.
  • The Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) is a nonpartisan research and education organization that focuses on the broad range of tax, budget, economic and related public policy issues that affect the quality of life and the economic well-being of New York State residents.
  • The official Websites of governmentsaround the world, often with direct linksto presidents and prime ministers, parliaments, ministriesand departments.
  • The Website for the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, which collects and distributes information on hundreds of nonprofit organizations, offers charity reports, tips on charitable giving, and other useful information.
  • A compilation of online primaryresources regarding Iraq which concentrates on government documents and information. The bulk of the resources are from the United States, but there are international entries as well.
  • Learning center for philanthropy issues, database with information on more than 650,000 nonprofits, collection of articles and web links for nonprofit subjects.
  • Find a wealth of information on a nonprofit's operations, programs, finances, and personnel on this indispensable site.
  • This site provides information on law firms worldwide, USA law firms, legal jobs, areas of practice, expert witnesses and law shcools worldwide.

  • This is the Federal Trade Commissions Website for information about identity theft. It includes steps to take, ways to place fraud alerts, and more. Additional useful links include access to federal and state laws [New York is NOT included], cases and scams.

  • An extensive collection of free business and personal legal forms.
  • A legal education portal designed for people learning, teaching, or researching law. Includes law guides, legal news, and legal scholarship resources.
  • The Legal Information Institute presents an overview of juvenile justice which includes federal and state statutes as well as New York Court of Appeals decisions.
  • Find links to information on domestic legal topics as well as on international law.
  • Alphabetical list of countries with links to their constitutions and governmental branches as well as to legal guides and other resources relating to the country.
  • A portal to full-text, free and premium content from top legal publications, including the latest headlines searchable by state as well as lists and rankings related to the legal profession.
  • Browse terms alphabetically or search by keyword.
  • Helps low- and moderate-income New Yorkers find legal help and information.
  • Contains general information on the provisions of the laws governing the employment of minors in New York State.
  • A non-partisan organization whose purpose is to promote informed and active citizen participation in government. Find out who your elected officials are and how to contact them.
  • The Association of Legal Writing Directors provides a Citation Manual which includes abbreviations for both courts and legal periodicals. Click on "Appendices -2nd Edition" in the navigation menu on the left side of the page, and then click on "Appendix 4" for Court Abbreviations or "Appendix 5" for Abbreviations for Legal Periodicals.
  • A comprehensive index to constitutions and codes, court opinions, and law arranged by topic, source, and jurisdiction.
  • A network of legal assistance programs and offices that make access to the legal system a reality for low-income people throughout New York City.
  • A step-by-step tutorial on how to compile the legislative history of a New York State law.
  • Offers free resources, including case law, legal forms, headline legal news, articles, and an extensive directory of legal Websites.
  • This site will give you an opportunity to see if the school you are attending or plan to attend has any actions against it by the State Department of Education. It also provides you with a live link to The Directory of Schools which lists the most current and comprehensive roster of institutions licensed and registered by the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision and their approved location(s) to conduct instruction.
  • This page provides a list of office addresses and phone numbers for the Manhattan Borough President and principal assistants in that office.
  • Search the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory for lawyers by name, firm, area of practice, location, or law school attended.
  • Organized by borough, this site provides the addresses and phone numbers of community boards with links to those community boards which are online.
  • A gateway to United States and international online legal resources featuring law topic pages, federal law, state law, local court rules, legal forms, lawyer information, and more.
  • A directory of legal Websites and resources pertaining to New York.
  • State, local, and municipal court links.
  • This site from George Washington University includes declassified U.S. documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
  • This database contains information from the Websites of the fifty state legislatures, the District of Columbia and the Territories. You can select to view specific Website content, such as bills, constitutions, press rooms, and statutes, from all states, one state or a selected list of states.

  • Search over 17,000 decisions decided by New York City agencies.

  • Discusses ways to find a lawyer, including using legal referral services and agencies providing legal help to people of limited income.
  • The Department of Buildings provides this Web version of the Building Code for reference and informational purposes only. The print version of the Building Code, together with any Local Laws (amendments) adopted by the City Council subsequent to the most recent update to the print version, remains the official version.
  • The Website of the New York State Legislature provides links to the online versions of the New York City Charter and Administrative Code. Click on the link "Laws of New York," and then scroll down to the bottom of the list to the "Miscellaneous Section." There you will find links to both the New York City Charter and Administrative Code.
  • Provides useful information from the Housing Court, Civil Court, and Small Claims Court regarding procedures and court related issues. Also includes hours of operations, travel directions, and judges profiles.
  • Detailed answers to questions about arraignments in New York City. Includes an alphabetical list of crimes that gives an idea of their seriousness by providing the offense level. Also helps find the penal law section number by the name of the crime.
  • Offers contact information, answers to frequently asked questions, and special projects regarding the Criminal Court.
  • Enter an address, borough block and lot, or street in order to view information such as Administrative and Political Districts, Zip Code, Block & Lot Number, Police Precinct, Cross Streets and more.
  • NYC agency for consumer and business assistance, consumer protection, complaint filing, business license applications and informative publications.
  • Find contact information and links to downloadable Family Court forms.
  • TenantNet provides the important factual and legal issues of selected NYC Housing Court cases. Includes a keyword search form to access decisions going back to February 1996.
  • New York City's housing maintenance code from the Website of the New York City Rent Guidelines Board (RGB).

  • Search for local laws and other legislation passed by the New York City Council since 1990. Searches are also available for Introductions and Resolutions.

Pages