Legal Definitions - blue books

"Blue books" is an informal term commonly used to refer to the official publications that compile the laws passed by a legislative body during a specific session. These volumes are more formally known as session laws. They contain the statutes exactly as they were enacted, in chronological order, before they are organized by subject matter into a legal code or revised statutes. The term "blue books" likely originated from the common color of the covers of these bound volumes in some jurisdictions.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of "blue books":

• Example 1: Tracing Legislative Intent

  Imagine a legal scholar researching the original intent behind a state's environmental protection act passed in 1975. To understand the precise language and scope of the law as it was first enacted, the scholar would consult the state's "blue books" from the 1975 legislative session. These volumes would present the environmental act in its original, unamended form, alongside all other laws passed during that specific session, providing a direct snapshot of the legislature's output at that time.

  This illustrates "blue books" as the chronological record of laws, allowing researchers to see the exact text of a statute as it was originally passed, which is crucial for interpreting legislative intent.

• Example 2: Historical Legal Research

  A historian is writing a book about the evolution of labor laws in a particular U.S. state during the early 20th century. To accurately document the sequence and content of new laws related to worker safety, minimum wage, and union rights, the historian would need to review the state's "blue books" for each legislative session between, say, 1900 and 1930. These volumes would provide the definitive record of every statute enacted by the legislature during those years, showing how labor laws were introduced and changed over time.

  Here, "blue books" serve as a primary historical source, offering a chronological and complete record of legislative action, essential for understanding legal and social changes over time.

• Example 3: Citing Newly Enacted Legislation

  A lawyer is preparing a brief for a case that involves a very recent amendment to a federal tax law, which has not yet been incorporated into the main body of the U.S. Code. To cite the specific amendment accurately, the lawyer would refer to the "blue books" (or federal session laws, known as Statutes at Large) from the current legislative session. The citation would include the public law number and the page number within the session law volume where the amendment can be found, ensuring the court can locate the exact, most up-to-date statutory language.

  This example demonstrates the practical use of "blue books" for citing new laws that have not yet been codified, providing the authoritative source for the exact text of recently passed legislation.