Getting Started - Treaty Research - Basic Resources - LibGuides at University of San Francisco School of Law

Great Places to Start

Try these sites for quick access to most treaties. For more options, see the "Finding Treaties in Full Text" section of this guide.

Frequently-Cited Treaties - Univ. of Minn. Law Library
Links to reliable online versions of over 50 major multilateral treaties, plus citation information. [Free; no access restrictions.]
Flare Index to Treaties
Details of "over 2,000 of the most significant multilateral treaties concluded from 1353 onwards and a number of significant bilateral treaties signed between 1353 and 1815." Has links to online text (where available) and citations to print versions. [Free; no access restrictions.]
UN Treaty Collection
This site has an extensive collection of multilateral treaties but suffers from a cumbersome search engine. Includes the United Nations Treaty Series (UNTS) and the League of Nations Treaty Series (LNTS). [Free; no access restrictions.]

United Nations Law Collection - HeinOnline
Includes the United Nations Treaty Series, the League of Nations Treaty Series, and supporting materials. [For current USF students, faculty, and staff.]
United States Treaties and Agreements Library - HeinOnline
Exceptionally thorough collection of United States treaties from 1776 to the present. [For current USF students, faculty, and staff.]

The following web sites and books offer great advice on treaty research.

Guide to Treaty Research - Columbia Law Library
Explanations, advice, and links. (By Simon Canick & Silke Sahl.)
Treaties section of "Researching Public International Law" - ASIL
A good, brief introduction to treaty research. Part IIIA of ASIL's "Electronic Resource Guide."
Treaty Research - Georgetown Law Library
Links and advice. This guide includes a "Treaty Quick Finder" organized by party, organization, and topic.
Treaty Research Tutorial
Covers both U.S. bilateral treaties, and multilateral treaties. From Georgetown Law Library.
An Introduction to Sources for Treaty Research
Research advice, terminology, and links. (By Mark Engsberg & Mary Beth Chappell; last updated in 2016).
Researching U.S. Treaties and Agreements
Solid information from a leading expert in international law research. (By Marci Hoffman; last updated in 2001).
Treaties & International Agreements
Chapter 4 of International Legal Research in a Nutshell (2017), by Marci B. Hoffman & Robert C. Berring. In print, at KZ 1234 .H64 2017 Law Open Reserve.
International Law
Chapter 9 of Legal Research in a Nutshell, 13th ed. (2018), by Kent C. Olson. In print, at KF 240 .C54 2018 Law Open Reserve.