20. Statutory Versions and the Path from Enactment to Code

20.1 Identify the legal text relevant to the event

The current code may differ from the law governing earlier conduct. Begin with the event date, the provision's effective-date terms, and any applicable transition or savings provisions. Keep enactment, publication, effective, amendment, and research dates distinct. The citation should identify the text used; the analysis should establish why that text applies.

Fictional example. A licensing condition changed on July 1, while the disputed application was submitted in May. A citation to today's web page does not resolve which condition governed. Locate both versions and the change's operative terms before drafting the conclusion.

20.2 Separate an act section from a code section

An enacted act may amend several code provisions, include uncodified instructions, and contain effective-date language. A code section may combine material from several enactments. Record both identifiers when the relationship matters. Do not assume section 4 of an act became section 4 of a code.

The Office of the Law Revision Counsel's classification tables help trace recent public laws into the United States Code. Treat them as a research map and inspect the underlying law and code provision. Classification tables.

20.3 Recognize positive-law status

The Office of the Law Revision Counsel explains the difference between titles enacted into positive law and other titles. Record the status when resolving a discrepancy between a code compilation and an enacted law. Do not infer positive-law status from the professional appearance of a website or from the fact that a title has existed for many years. OLRC explanation.

20.4 Keep divisions intact

Nested references such as subsection (a)(2)(B)(iii) are addresses, not decoration. Verify every level. A range should include only the intended subdivisions. If subdivisions are nonconsecutive, list them rather than using a dash that implies intervening provisions. When an amendment redesignates a subsection, retain the historical designation for a historical quotation and explain the relationship to the current provision if needed.

20.5 Cite notes for what they are

An editorial note, statutory note, source credit, or reference-in-text note has a different role from the main codified text. Identify the note when that is the material supporting the proposition. A statutory note may contain enacted provisions; an editorial explanation should not silently become enacted text. Open the linked act when the note directs you to operative law.

Research exit test. Another reader should be able to identify the jurisdiction, provision, version, relevant date, and amendment path without repeating your entire search. Save the source packet with those five items before moving to formatting.