Michigan Legal Research: Primary Resources

This lesson is designed to provide students with both an overview of Michigan primary resources and a "how to" guide to researching various Michigan primary resources.

While the lesson aims to introduce the specifics of researching Michigan law to a researcher already familiar with the basics of legal research, it will also be helpful to students and professionals trying to understand those basics through the process of Michigan-specific research.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. List sources of primary law.
2. Explain the organizational structure of the Michigan statutes.
3. Explain the use of legislative history.
4. Distinguish the MCLA from the MCLS.
5. Describe the organizational structure of Michigan courts.
6. List the basic kinds of materials agencies produce.
7. Apply Michigan's Uniform System of Citation.