Paralegal Certification PrepLegal Research and WritingMedium
A paralegal is conducting legal research for a case involving a dispute over a contract for the sale of goods. The contract specifies that it is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). To find the relevant provisions of the UCC as adopted in their state, which primary source should the paralegal consult?
- AThe annotated statutes of the state.
- BThe state's administrative code.
- CThe official reporter for the state's highest court.
- DA legal encyclopedia article on contract law.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. The annotated statutes of the state.
The Uniform Commercial Code is a model act that states adopt and codify into their statutory law. Therefore, to find the specific UCC provisions applicable in a given state, the paralegal must consult that state's codified statutes, typically found in an annotated statutes publication.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Administrative codes contain regulations promulgated by administrative agencies, not the codified statutes like the UCC.
- C. Official reporters contain judicial opinions, which interpret statutes, but do not contain the text of the statutes themselves.
- D. A legal encyclopedia is a secondary source that provides an overview of legal topics, not the primary text of codified laws.
State Annotated Statutes
Official compilations of a state's codified laws, often including historical notes, cross-references, and annotations to relevant court decisions that interpret the statutes.
- Primary source of law for statutory provisions.
- Includes uniform laws adopted by the state (e.g., UCC).
- Essential for researching current statutory law in a jurisdiction.
Memory trick: For state law, statutes annotated are your key.