New Free Beta U.S. Code, nice supplement, no substitute.

From our friends at the U.S. House of Representatives’ Office of the Law Revision Counsel (LRC), the federal version of Ohio’s Legislative Service Commission, appears its beta version of the online U.S. Code.

As the site explains, “The United States Code is a consolidation and codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States. It is prepared by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the United States House of Representatives.”

Additionally, Sue Altmeyer our Electronic Services Librarian points out:

This new online code is pretty up-to-date, and has a mechanism to show new public laws affecting that section.   The top of each code section indicates currency – both the date through which  laws in effect are incorporated and pending updates.   For an example of how pending updates are displayed, see 15 USC 638.   Also see currency information .  There is a citation checker which indicates “information about public law provisions that have been classified to the section or a note under the section but are not yet reflected in the Code”, as well as code history.

Another great feature is the Popular Name Table.

As the Law Library’s Federal Depository Library Coordinator, I would be remiss if I failed to add that the LRC site includes the following Disclaimer:

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure that the Code database on the website is accurate, those using it for legal research should verify their results against the printed version of the Code available through the GPO Bookstore. In addition, those using the USCprelim should verify the text against the printed slip laws available from GPO, the laws as shown on THOMAS (Library of Congress) and FDsys (GPO), and the final version of the Code when it becomes available.

Again, like most online sources, a nice supplement but not a substitute for the tangible formats.