 Find
a Court Case
The library subscribes to two major legal databases: Westlaw Campus and Lexis Nexis Academic. Both are available to anyone using the UCSC libraries, or to UCSC faculty, students, and staff
through the campus network or via Sluglink.
To access these databases, go to the library Research page (library.ucsc.edu/research.html) and enter the name of the database in the box titled "Fast Find Online Resources by Title".
WHEN YOU KNOW THE NAME
OF THE CASE
|
Westlaw:
Enter case name in "Find a document by Title" search box
|
LexisNexis Academic:
Enter case name on search screen under "Get a Case"
Or use pulldown menus: Legal Research>Federal Case Law>
Supreme Court
|
In Print: United States Supreme Court Digest Ref Law KF 101.1 U5 Tip: Use the "Table of Cases" in volumes 14 & 15
U.S. Appeals & District Courts cases: |
|
Westlaw:
Enter case name in "Find a document by Title" search box
|
LexisNexis Academic:
Enter case name on search screen under "Get a Case".
Or use pulldown menus:Legal Research> Federal Case
Law> Court of Appeals or Legal Research>Federal Case
Law> District Courts |
California Supreme & Appeals Courts cases: |
|
Westlaw:
Enter case name in "Find a document by Title" search box
|
LexisNexis Academic:
Enter case name on search screen under "Get a
Case". Or use pulldown menus: Legal Research>
State Case Law> California |
Note: Cases tried in lower courts are NOT published (i.e. municipal or superior court trials).
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Legal citations to court cases are always given in this form: volume number - source abbreviation - page number.
Therefore, 410 US 113 refers to volume 410 of United States Reports, page
113.
Westlaw:
Enter case citation in "Find a document by Citation " search box
|
LexisNexis Academic:
Select "Get a Case". Enter citation in search box
|
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DETERMINE IF THE CASE IS STILL VALID LAW
|
Westlaw:
Check status of Court cases, statutes, and regulations
- Click the KeyCite symbol (a flag or a letter) at the top of the document, or next to the citation.
- Select the word KeyCite to see a key to symbols.
- Examine the left frame for links to AmJur and ALR
- Select Citing References from the left frame to see which cases cited yours
|
LexisNexis Academic:
SUPREME COURT CASES ONLY
- Select "Shepard's® for U.S. Supreme Court"
- Enter the Supreme Court citation
Scroll down to Tips for help understanding results
|
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LEGAL ENCYCLOPEDIAS THAT
PROVIDE CASES BY TOPIC
|
Use the Index volumes to locate your topic
Each of these sources describes, summarizes and analyzes the law and provides citations to cases and law review articles. They are useful for gaining a general overview of a topic as well as an understanding of sensitive, controversial, or incongruous decisions.
American Jurisprudence (Am Jur):
—Describes and provides overview of federal law
|
McH Ref Law KF 154 .A42 or Westlaw Campus |
American Law Reports (ALR):
—Analyzes cases with similar fact patterns |
McH Ref Law KF 105 .A54 or Westlaw Campus |
California Jurisprudence (Cal Jur):
—Describes and provides overview of Calif. Law
|
McH Ref Law KFC 80 .C29 |
| These sources may provide more cases than you
need. However, read the introduction to your topic to gain an overview
of the subject. |
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- A Practical Companion To The Constitution : how the supreme
court has ruled on issues from abortion to zoning.
|
Gov Pubs Ref KF 4548 .L54 1999 |
- Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court decisions.
|
GovPubs Ref Desk KF 4548 .O97 1999 |
- Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Citations : reference guide for
attorneys, legal secretaries, paralegals, and law students.
|
GovPubs Ref Desk KF246 .P73 1997 |
- Guide to the U.S. Supreme Court (Table of Cases in vol. 2)
|
GovPubs Ref Desk JK 1571 .C65 1997 |
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FIND PERIODICAL ARTICLES AND BOOKS
|
Westlaw Campus: Library Research Page> enter "Westlaw" in box labeled "Fast Find Online Resources & Databases by Title"
Note: if you are unsure of correct legal terms for your topic, use the Natural Language search (default setting)
1. Enter your search terms ex: Miranda warning
2. Select the Journals and Law Reviews database. Scroll down to "All Journals and Law Reviews"
3. Click GO
LexisNexis Academic:
Library Research Page> Shortcuts to popular research tools> Select "Legal Research" from left menu
- Legal News: Select News>Guided Search> Pull down menu
to "Legal News".
Find recent information about a case or topic
- Law Reviews: Select Legal Research> Law Reviews
Find scholarly interpretations of cases and analysis of topics and issues
raised in cases. Law reviews cite numerous court cases to support their
points.
Expanded
Academic ASAP: Library Research Page>
Shortcuts to popular research tools
- Type in words or terms that describe your topic. Ex: "abortion
cases"
- Select at least one article that looks best and view the abstract
or text.
- Scroll to the section titled "View other articles linked to these
subjects."
- Click on a subject term next to" View" or "See Also"
to narrow down the topic.
Find books in CRUZCAT: (cruzcat.ucsc.edu)
- Do a subject search adding "cases" at the end of the subject
heading
i.e. "abortion cases" or add on "law and legislation,"
i.e."abortion law and legislation"
- If you don’t find enough, do this as a "Keyword" search
instead. Separate your key words using AND.
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U.S. SUPREME COURT CASE REPORTERS
IN THE REFERENCE LAW COLLECTION
|
| United States Supreme Court: |
Scope of the Collection: 1754 to
present |
|
Abbrev
|
Title
|
Coverage
|
Call Number
|
| S.Ct. |
Supreme Court Reporter
(West's) |
v.106 (1882)+ |
Ref Law KF101.S9 |
| L.Ed. |
U.S. Supreme Court Reports, Lawyers
Edition |
v.1(1754)-26(1882) |
Ref Law KF101.A25 |
| U.S. |
United States Reports (Official) |
v.371(1962)+ |
Ref Law KF101.A2 |
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