Annotated Codes Generally
Each state has an annotated code, mostly published commercially, and they generally contain many of the same features described for the commercial U.S. and Illinois Codes above. In summary, these features are:
- The text of the legislation is divided into a common numbering scheme. The divisions may be by title and/or chapter, section and/or paragraph, and sub-sections to these.
- Historical notes that indicate the number of amendments to a particular section, and short explanatory notes as to the impact of those amendments to the original text, and their effective dates.
- Cross-references to secondary materials such as law review articles, ALR annotations, and other material published by that Code’s publishing group. West published codes will also include references to topics and key numbers for West digests.
- Annotations to cases that have interpreted or significantly referred to that section of the code. Note that if there are multiple editions of a code by commercial publishers for a single jurisdiction, the list, description, and organization of the annotations will be subject to the editorial discretion of the individual editorial staffs.
- Updates by pocket parts or pamphlets. Closing dates for legislative activity and/or cases within significant reporters will be listed within the first several pages of these pamphlets.
- Advance Legislative Service pamphlets are published at various times throughout the year to supplement the pocket parts, indicating new legislative activity, new case annotations, or both.
