UELMA: The Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act

At the federal, state, and local levels, primary legal materials are increasingly being made available to the public in electronic format. It is a matter of great concern to attorneys and legal researchers that these electronic resources routinely include caveats and disclaimers regarding their authenticity and official status. Until recently, however, state and local governments have seldom guaranteed that these resources would be updated, maintained, and securely archived for the benefit of their citizens. In July 2011, the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws approved the text of the Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act (UELMA). As drafted, this uniform law clearly outlines the rationale, methodology, and standards for authenticating and permanently preserving official legal materials published exclusively in electronic format