Nevada Supreme Court Law Library: Uniform & Model Laws

The Uniform Laws Annotated (ULA) is a tool that helps you see how different states use and change uniform laws. The Uniform Law Commission website shows the basic law and which states use it, but the ULA gives more details. It shows how each state has made changes to the law and includes notes about court cases that use these laws. You can find the ULA on Westlaw, which is organized by topics like business or family laws. It also has charts that show which states use each law and gives more history about the laws. This makes it a great resource for learning more about how uniform laws are used in different states.

The Uniform Laws Annotated (ULA) enhances uniform law research by providing additional insights beyond what the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) website offers.

• ULC:

  • Provides final versions of uniform laws.
  • Lists state enactments without detailing modifications or specific provisions adopted.

• ULA:

  • Includes detailed analysis of how states have adopted and modified the uniform laws.

Step 1: Accessing ULA

• Type "ULA" into the search bar on Westlaw to get a direct link to the Uniform Laws Annotated.

Step 2: Finding Your Law

• Select your desired uniform law from the organized list by broad subject areas.
• Example: Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act of 1982.

Step 3: Checking State Adoptions

• Select “ULA Com Interest Refs & Annotations” to view adoption details.
• A chart will display:
  • States that adopted the law.
  • Citations to session laws.
  • Effective dates.
  • Statutory code references (note: statutes are not hyperlinked).

Step 4: Understanding Intent

• Scroll to the “Prefatory Note” section for insights into why the law was drafted and its intended uniformity purpose.
• This section provides legislative history for the uniform law itself, not individual state modifications.

Step 5: Further Research

• The page may include references to law review articles discussing the uniform law in depth.

There are two ways to find state-specific details, such as Nevada’s adoption and modifications of a uniform law:

1. Using the History Tab in Refs & Annos

• While viewing the Refs & Annos section of your uniform law, select the History tab.
• Scroll down to locate Nevada (if available).

2. Using the History Tab for Specific Sections (Recommended)

• Navigate to a specific section of the uniform law and select the History tab.
• This method provides section-specific details, offering more precise insights.