The laws our ancestors lived by can tell us much about life in earlier times. Finding those laws, and the stories they tell, can be a daunting task, but—from colonial statutes to today, from the halls of Congress to the statehouses of 50 states—the choices legislators made about what laws were needed give a rich and deep context to family history.
Understanding the laws that shaped the lives of our ancestors is essential to uncovering their stories, and this is the focus of Judy Russell’s engaging webinar, From Statutes to Stories: Finding the Law for Family History. Hosted by the Board for Certification of Genealogists, this presentation highlights how statutes, charters, and common law can serve as valuable genealogical resources. Russell demonstrates how legal research, when applied systematically, reveals details often missing from traditional records, enriching family histories with context and depth. With her background as both an attorney and genealogist, she makes complex legal principles accessible and shows how to translate them into meaningful narratives about our forebears.
Laws as Hidden Genealogical Records – Statutes often hold information unavailable elsewhere, such as evidence of death benefits, marriage ages, or inheritance rules. By consulting the law, genealogists can uncover personal details—sometimes the only surviving record of an ancestor’s experience.
A Research Framework for Legal Sources – Russell outlines a clear methodology for identifying the correct law for a given time and place, beginning with the event date, locating the closest legal code, and then consulting session laws to close any gaps. This systematic approach ensures accuracy and efficiency when navigating complex legal resources.
Tools and Resources to Simplify the Process – From government databases like govinfo.gov to genealogical aids such as Cyndi’s List and Debbie Mieszala’s state-by-state law index, researchers have a wealth of “shortcuts” available. Russell emphasizes using these tools to avoid reinventing the wheel and to streamline the search for relevant statutes.
This webinar is a must-watch for anyone serious about moving beyond names and dates to capture the fuller stories of their ancestors. By applying Russell’s method, genealogists can transform dry legal texts into powerful narratives that explain not only what happened in an ancestor’s life but also why.
To explore these strategies in depth and gain access to the comprehensive list of resources Russell provides, view the full webinar in the BCG Webinar Library. The accompanying syllabus includes invaluable tools and references that will support your own legal research journey—an opportunity no genealogist should miss.
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Syllabus
Judy is always clear, informative and so entertaining. She speaks at a pace conducive to note-taking. I will take any lecture, seminar, or talk she presents: even subjects I’m not interested in become so in her hands.
Another most enjoyable, clearly stated in an economy of words presentation by Judy Russell. Thank you!
Judy Russell is a genealogy GOAT! I always learn so much from her webinars. I truly appreciate how she explains any topic in terms a beginning researcher can understand. This is the webinar for you if you want to learn how to use the law to enhance your genealogy research and tell your family’s stories. I highly recommend it to anyone, no matter your genealogy research experience.
I love learning from Judy, whatever the topic, and tonight was no exception. Her presentation was so clear and beautifully delivered and the handout is really useful. I plan to listen to the recording in case I missed anything.
Excellent webinar, as Judy Russell’s presentations always are. The decision tree and step-by-step research strategy are extremely helpful for guiding us through what could be very confusing research.
Judy Russel has a true gift for taking “TERRIFYING” (all caps) topics to a non-lawyer, and turning them into (lowercase) terrifying for the same non-lawyer 🙂 Her ability to take complex topics and put them into an easily followed research framework is a must-have for any researcher’s toolbox. Thank you for this most helpful information.
Judy Russell makes “legaleze” comprehensible! This gave me direction for researching that I was unaware of. Years ago she spoke at a genealogy convention I attended and she provided the same clarity. I will always trust her to provide a good foundation for whatever topic she provides.
Thank you Judy. I absolutely love your webinars. Syllabus + resources always needed. There are not enough hours in my day to read and reread this material as it pertains to my own ancestors.