When researching legal issues, there are usually four different types of documents people need to find.

The first is ordinances. Ordinances are laws enacted on the local level.  They apply to towns, townships, etc. 

Regulations (also known as quasi-legislation or bureaucratic laws) are rules issued by executive agencies. They are the means by which the agencies implement laws. In other words, the laws set out broad policy statements and the regulations spell out the details.

There are both state and federal regulations.

Laws/statutes are the laws passed by the legislature.

Court decisions happen on both the state and federal level.