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Bill (hr 1584) on court citations



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TAXPAYER ASSETS PROJECT - INFORMATION POLICY NOTE
Crown Jewels - Legal Information
May 17, 1995  

 -      Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) introduces legislation
        that would bar judges from requiring a copyrighted citation, 
        when a non-copyrighted citation is available.  

-       Bill would force courts to address West monopoly on court 
        citations, and lead to broader access to court opinions.

    Here is the full text of the bill.  jamie (love@tap.org)

104th Congress H. R. 1584  As Introduced in the House

Note: This document is the unofficial version of a Bill or Resolution.
      The printed Bill and Resolution produced by the Government Printing
      Office is the only official version.

VERSION   As Introduced in the House
CONGRESS  104th CONGRESS
           1st Session
BILL                                   H. R. 1584
TITLE     To provide that Federal and State courts and agencies may not
              require that legal citations in which copyright subsists be the
              only acceptable submission to such courts and agencies where
              alternatives exist.
                                  --------------------
                            IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                      MAY 9, 1995
          Mr. Frank of Massachusetts introduced the following bill; which was
              referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
                                  --------------------
TEXT                                     A BILL
          To provide that Federal and State courts and agencies may not
              require that legal citations in which copyright subsists be the
              only acceptable submission to such courts and agencies where
              alternatives exist.
            Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
          United States of America in Congress assembled,
          SECTION 1. LEGAL CITATION REQUIREMENTS.
            No State or Federal court, agency, or department, or other
          authority of a State or the Federal Government may require that, in
          documents submitted to such court, agency, department, or
          authority, a system of citation to State or Federal laws,
          regulations, judicial opinions, or administrative decisions be used
          in which copyright subsists, unless another system of citation to
          such laws, regulations, opinions, or decisions may also be used in
          which copyright does not subsist.
          SEC. 2. DEFINITION.
            As used in this Act, the term `State` means each of the several
          States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory,
          or possession of the United States.

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