This guide is revised as of April 2008. Please be certain to verify and update any research as publications below may not reflect changes or amendments to the Mexican law. This information is for reference use in the Underwood Law Library and is not intended as a substitute for obtaining legal advice. Only relatively recent publications in the library are cited. Search PONI, the online catalog, for all holdings in the collection. Databases cited in this guide that indicate access via the law school network, VPN, or the library's Research Database page, are restricted to SMU law students and faculty.
Federal: Constitutions of the Countries of the World, vol. 12 [4th fl.: K3157 .E5 B42]. In electronic format see Oceana Online: Constitutions and Countries on the World on the library's Research Databases web page. (Access via law school network or VPN.)
For individual Mexican states see: Constitutions of Dependencies and Territories, vol. 4 [4th fl.: K3157 .E54 C6]. The editor notes that features of the 31 Mexican state constitutions do not vary significantly. This looseleaf publishes the following selected state constitutions: Baja California, Hidalgo, Michoacán, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, and Yucatán.
Commercial Laws of the World—Mexico (2 vol. looseleaf) [4th fl.: K1004 .M6].
Federal Civil Code of Mexico: English and Spanish (2005) [4th fl.: KGF7611 A311928].
Mexican Customs Law and Regulation: Translation of Mexico’s Ley Aduanera and Reglamento de la Ley Aduanera (1997) [4th fl.: KGF4804.51996 .A7 1997].
Julio Romanach, Jr., Commercial Code of Mexico: Selected Substantive Provisions (2003) [4th fl.: KGF1054.31889 A52 2003].
William D. Signet, Mexican Law Library Commercial Codes [4th fl.: KGF1054 1997]. This now dated set contains English language translations of the following Mexican statutes: business and commercial codes, tax, financial services, foreign trade, specific economic sectors, environment and natural resources.
Tax Laws of the World—Mexico (3 vol. looseleaf) [4th fl.: K4504 .M6].
There are no publications that systematically publish English translations of Mexican state statutes. English language translations of some state statutes may be published in periodical articles, treatises, or looseleaf services described below.
There are no publications that systematically publish English translations of Mexican court decisions. Keep in mind that Mexico is a civil law jurisdiction. Note that decisions of the Mexican Supreme Court of Justice may constitute “jurisprudencia,” a form of precedent arising when the court has decided five consecutive cases on a legal issue in the same way. English translations of some Mexican court decisions may be published in secondary sources such as periodical articles or treatises.
There are no publications that systematically publish English translations of Mexican administrative regulations and agency decisions. English translations of some administrative regulations and agency decisions are published in periodical articles, treatises, or looseleaf services described below.
Thomas H. Reynolds and Arturo A. Flores, Foreign Law: Current Sources of Codes and Legislation in Jurisdictions of the World, Vol. I-A, Mexico (Looseleaf updated 2006.) [2nd fl.: Reference K38 .R49 1989 v. 1A]. Invaluable starting place that identifies official publications and indexes Mexican codes by subject matter. Entries may identify sources of English language texts.
Martindale-Hubbell International Law Digest (last updated 2005) [2nd fl.: Reference KF190 .M374]. This publication provides a summary of the law of Mexico arranged by subject. Some statutory citations are provided.
Nicasio del Castillo, et al., Business Operations in Mexico, Tax Mgt. Foreign Income Portfolio No. 972-3rd (Updated 2005) [2nd fl. Reserve].
Lefler, Susan, ed., Doing Business in Mexico (updated 2005). [Reserve: KFG1059 D64 1980].
Stephen Zamora, et al., Mexican Law (2004) [4th fl.: KGF327 Z36 2004].
American Law Institute, International Statement of Mexican Bankruptcy Law (2003) [2nd fl. Reserve: KGF1479 T73 2003].
Marcelo Serrano, Taxation and Investment in Mexico (looseleaf) (Int'l Bureau of Fiscal Documentation 2003) [4th fl.: KGF4861 T21].
Francisco Avalos, The Mexican Legal System, 2nd ed. [4th fl.: KGF150 .A95 2000].
Juan Manuel Trujillo and John F. Molloy, Guide to Incorporating a Business in Mexico [4th fl.: KGF1059 .G85 2000].
Francisco Breona Garduono, Mexican Labor Law Summary [4th fl.: KGF1789 .B74 1998].
Jorge Vargas, Mexican Law: A Treatise for Legal Practitioners and International Investors [4th fl.: KGF333 .B86 M48 1998].
American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law, The Competition Laws of NAFTA, Canada, Mexico, and the United States: A Practitioner’s Guide [4th fl.: KDZ758 .C66 1997].
Julio Romanach, Jr., Mexican Law of Sales: A Primer [4th fl.: KGF1103 .R66 1997].
Anna L. Torriente et al, Mexican and U.S. Labor Law and Practice: A Practical Guide for Maquilas and Other Businesses [4th fl.: KDZ 432 .T67 1997].
Philip T. Von Mehren, Cross-Border Trade and Investment With Mexico: NAFTA’s New Rules of the Game [4th fl.: KGF4809 .V66 1997]. Guillermo Floris Margadant, An Introduction to the History of Mexican Law [4th fl.: KGF292 .M37 1981].
The most direct method for locating legal periodical articles is using an appropriate index. The principal indexes are:
LegalTrac (1980-present). This electronic database indexes legal periodicals published in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other English speaking countries. Coverage dates from 1980 for most periodicals indexed. The database is accessible via the Underwood Law Library's Research Databases web page. (Access from law school network or VPN.) The LegalTrac database is also accessible on the computer stations located on the second floor near the state codes. LegalTrac is also renamed and available as the Legal Resource Index on LexisNexis (“Lawrev” library, “LGLIND” file) and Westlaw (“LRI” database). (LexisNexis and Westlaw require subscriber ID.)
Current Law Index (1980-present). This is the print version of LegalTrac, except that the Current Law Index does not index legal newspapers and some legal newsletters found in LegalTrac. The Current Law Index is shelved on the Periodical Indexes counter at the north end of the 3rd floor.
Index to Legal Periodicals and Books (1908-present). This is the most significant index for legal periodical literature for the period of 1908-1980. The ILP&B indexes selected treatises in addition to law journals. Legal newspapers and newsletters are excluded from coverage. It is shelved on the Periodical Indexes counter on the north end of the 3rd floor. An electronic version of this index, the Wilson Index to Legal Periodicals and Books Online, is available on the library's Research Databases web page and includes links to selected full text articles after 1995. (Access via law school network or VPN.) Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals (1960-present).
The IFLP indexes over 300 periodicals, primarily from countries outside the common law system. There is some overlap with the indexes listed above, because materials from selected Anglo-American periodicals are included. In addition to subject and author indexes, there is a geographical index that groups index entries by the subject country or region. Many of the indexed articles are in languages other than English. The electronic version of this index is also available via the library's Research Databases web page. (Access via law school network or VPN).
Periodicals Focusing on Mexican Law:
Law and Business Review of the Americas, formerly NAFTA, Law and Business Review of the Americas [3rd fl. Periodicals]. This quarterly journal frequently contains articles on Mexican commercial and trade law.
United States-Mexico Law Journal [3rd fl. Periodicals].
LexisNexis contains, in Spanish, the full text of the Mexican Constitution, federal legislation, federal district of Mexico legislation, selected state legislation, and Mexican Supreme Court cases. In addition, LexisNexis provides access to news information, country profiles, and business information through the News and Business tab of the LexisNexis menu. English language materials include news stories about Mexico, Mexican business analysis, and company information. For further details, see the latest LexisNexis Directory of Online Sources, in electronic format, or in print at the Underwood Law Library. (LexisNexis requires a subscriber ID.)
English language databases on Mexican law are also limited on Westlaw. (Westlaw requires a subscriber ID.) Materials in Spanish or English include the following.
Diario Oficial de la Federacion (MX-DIARIO) in Spanish. Official gazette for federal legislation.
Mexico Environmental, Health, and Safety Regulations (ENFLEX-MX)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Sourcemex Economic News & Analysis on Mexico (SMXECON). Newsletter on Mexican economic news.For further information, see the most recent Westlaw Database Directory, located at the Underwood Law Library or online. A variety of business and general news publications are also available on Westlaw. See the entries in the Westlaw directory under "International/Worldwide Materials-->North America-->Individual Country Materials-->Mexico."
Foreign Law Guide. This subscription database, which is the electronic version of Thomas H. Reynolds' and Arturo A. Flores' Foreign Law: Current Sources of Codes and Legislation in Jurisdictions of the World, is available through Underwood's Research Database's page which is accessible only from the law quad, where the active link to the subscription database is located, or VPN.
Mexico and its Legal System. A usesful overview of the Mexican legal system that includes a host of links. http://www.llrx.com/mexicolegalsystem.htm.
Electronic Guide to Mexican Law. A useful overview of the Mexican legal system that includes a host of links. http://www.nyulawglobal.org/Globalex/mexico.html (last updated November, 2005).
The National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade. Internet resource for obtaining Mexican legal materials in English; however, most English translations are available only by purchase. http://www.natlaw.com/index.htm. The Center's InterAm Database is accessible for law faculty and students from the library's Research Databases web page. (See a reference librarian if you have questions.)
Mexican Law web site maintained by Professor Jorge A. Vargas of the University of San Diego School of Law. This site provides contains a brief treatise on Mexican law, brief synopses of major commercial and business laws and recent developments in Mexican law in the areas of business, investment, and international trade, and links to other areas of Mexican law. www.mexlaw.com.
Law Library of Congress: Mexico. Useful collection of web links to governmental materials and secondary sources in both English and Spanish at: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/guide/nations/mexico.html.
CIA World Factbook - Mexico entry at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html.
Mexican Laws in English: Service for Mexican law translations, however, this is a commercial site not available through SMU. Located at http://www.mexonline.com/mexicanlaws.htm.
Revised April 2008
