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OpenJurist

Compare the Law Across All 50 States — and Federal Law

The same legal question is answered differently in every state. Each page below takes ONE narrow subject and lays out every state’s own statute on it, next to the federal provisions — every section linked to its full text in our code collections. Coverage is honest: where a state’s code has no matching section, the page says so.

Consumer Protection

  • Motor-Vehicle Lemon Laws

    Each state's "lemon law" on defective new vehicles — repair attempts, refunds, and replacement — beside the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

    52 jurisdictions · 203 statutes · includes federal law

Criminal Law

  • Self-Defense & Justifiable Force

    Each state's statute on when force — including deadly force — is legally justified in defense of self or others.

    52 jurisdictions · 260 statutes · includes federal law

Debtor & Creditor

  • Homestead Exemptions

    Every state's homestead exemption statute — the home equity shielded from creditors — beside the federal bankruptcy exemption.

    50 jurisdictions · 237 statutes

Employment & Labor

  • Minimum Wage

    The state statutes setting minimum wages, side by side with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act provisions.

    52 jurisdictions · 260 statutes · includes federal law

Energy & Environment

  • Balcony & Small-Scale Solar Devices

    What each state's code says about installing small solar energy devices — balcony panels, rooftop collectors, plug-in systems — including HOA/landlord limits and permitting, next to the federal provisions.

    49 jurisdictions · 226 statutes · includes federal law

Firearms

  • Concealed-Carry Permits

    The state statutes governing licenses to carry a concealed handgun, beside the federal firearms provisions.

    46 jurisdictions · 184 statutes

Health & Controlled Substances

  • Medical Marijuana

    Each state's medical-cannabis statute next to the federal Controlled Substances Act — the clearest state-federal conflict in modern law.

    49 jurisdictions · 224 statutes

Landlord & Tenant

  • Eviction Notice Requirements

    The state statutes setting how much notice a landlord must give before terminating a tenancy or filing eviction.

    50 jurisdictions · 239 statutes

  • Landlord Security Deposits

    Each state's statute on residential security deposits: how much a landlord may collect, when it must be returned, and the penalty for wrongly keeping it.

    51 jurisdictions · 242 statutes · includes federal law

Personal Injury

  • Personal-Injury Statutes of Limitations

    The deadline to file a personal-injury lawsuit in every state, from each state's own limitations statute.

    52 jurisdictions · 260 statutes · includes federal law

Privacy & Data

  • Data-Breach Notification

    Each state's statute requiring notice after a breach of personal information — the trigger, the deadline, and who must be notified.

    51 jurisdictions · 240 statutes

Property

  • Adverse Possession

    Every state's statute on acquiring title by adverse possession — the required years of possession and conditions — beside the federal rules.

    52 jurisdictions · 260 statutes · includes federal law

Sections are matched from the full text of the state codes we host and the United States Code, ranked per state by how squarely the section addresses the subject and how often courts cite it. Suggest a subject to compare →