Understanding Metadata

This section helps identify the information a researcher needs to be on the look out for when interacting with legislation.

What is Legislation Metadata?

Legislation metadata: refers to structured information about a piece of legislation that helps identify, organize, and manage it. This metadata provides key details that describe the legislative document and makes it easier to search, categorize, and understand the context or status of the law.

Common Elements of Legislation Metadata

1. Title: The official name of the legislation, such as “Nursing Act, 2007.”

2. Citation/Reference Number: Unique identifiers, such as act numbers or statutory instrument numbers, that distinguish the legislation.

3. Date of Enactment and Commencement: The dates when the legislation was passed and when it came into effect.

4. Jurisdiction: Specifies the geographical area (e.g., country, state, province) where the legislation applies.

5. Amendment History: Information on any amendments or modifications, including dates and related acts.

6. Status: The current status (e.g., “in force,” “repealed,” “amended”) indicating if the law is active or has been changed.

7. Provisions/Sections: Metadata that includes individual sections, clauses, and other specific parts of the legislation.

8. Taxonomy topics/Subjects: Tags or keywords that describe the content of the legislation, such as “labor,” “environment,” or “taxation,” to aid in thematic searching.

9. Responsible Entity: The government body or agency responsible for enforcing or overseeing the legislation.

10. Related Legislation: References to other laws that relate to or impact the legislation in question.

Purpose of Legislation Metadata

Legislation metadata is essential for:

• Legal Research: Helps users quickly locate relevant laws.

• Version Control: Tracks changes to laws over time.

• Cross-Referencing: Links related legislation or case law.

• Accessibility: Makes legal information more searchable and organized in databases or digital libraries.

Legislation metadata is especially important in legal information systems, enabling accurate retrieval and clear organization of laws across various jurisdictions and periods.

When keying in data, this section of the guide should be read together with the terminology guide.