Traditional Case Law Research
Advanced Legal Research September 10, 2012 Elizabeth Caulfield, MLIS, JD
1 Advanced Legal Research Theatre
With the ALR players: names of students, names of students, names of students, names of students Long ago and far away, a group of talented legal researchers and thespians at Texas Tech University School of Law generously shared their talents with the world. 3 Official and unofficial reporters
Official Unofficial
• Sanctioned by • Not Sanctioned by statutes statutes • Legislatively • Published faster endorsed • Editorial enhancements
4 National Reporter System by West • State court cases = regional reporters • North Western Reporter • Pacific Reporter • North Eastern Reporter • Atlantic Reporter • South Western Reporter • Southern Reporter • South Eastern Reporter
• Special court cases • Bankruptcy Reporter • Federal court cases • Military Justice • West’s Supreme Court Reporter Reporter • Federal Reporter • Federal Claims • Federal Supplement Reporter • Federal Appendix • Veterans Appeals • Federal Rules Decisions 5 Reporter picture of Regional Reporters (State Cases) map from West
6 Show me a headnote in print
Topic Key Number
Two Topics and KN’s for this HN.
Picture from a print volume of a headnote with a topic and key number Picture from a print volume of a headnote with two topics and two key numbers
Summary paragraph
7 Show me a headnote online
Topic
Picture from Westlaw Next of Summary a headnote with a topic and paragraph key number
Key Number
8 Show me the West topics in print
Picture from a print volume of digest topics (part of the 400 list of topics from West)
9 Show me the West topics online
Picture from Westlaw Next of digest topics (part of the 400 list of topics from West)
10 Topics divided into subdivisions (key numbers)
Picture from Westlaw Next of a topic with some subtopics underneath Picture from Westlaw Next of a subtopic with list of other subtopics underneath
11 Relationship b/t HN’s and T’s/KN’s Wherever a HN goes, a T and KN are sure to follow
Picture from Westlaw Next of a headnote with a topic and key number (You can see the topic and headnote on the left and the key numbers assigned to that topic on the right.)
12 Where do the editors get the KN’s? From the detailed outline of subdivisions within the Topic
I used the same pictures from slide 11.
13 DWI (Descriptive Word Index)
Picture showing the spines of Descriptive Word Index volumes
14 Picture from Westlaw Next of a topic number and its corresponding key number and the What does that name of that key number mean???
Picture from Westlaw Next of that topic within the list of 400 topics
Picture from Westlaw Next of where the subtopic would fall among the list of other Picture from Westlaw Next of subtopics the subtopic among the list of other subtopics around it
15 Picture from a print volume of a headnote with a topic and key number
Picture from Westlaw Next of a headnote with a topic and key number
16 Picture from Westlaw Next of a topic number and its corresponding key number and the What does that name of that key number mean???
Picture from Westlaw Next of that topic within the list of 400 topics
Picture from Westlaw Next of the subtopic among the list of other subtopics around it
17 Picture from a print volume of a headnote with a topic and key number
Picture from Westlaw Next of a headnote with a topic and key number
18 Finding the Topic list in Westlaw Next
Picture from Westlaw Next showing the location of the West Key Number System
19 DWI directs you to Topics and KN’s Part of DWI showing reference that says, “References are to Digest Topics and Key Numbers”
Page from DWI showing the term, products liability Page from DWI showing entries under products liability, and the relevant topics and key numbers
20 Use the outline in the digests
Picture from print digest showing first page of topic, (subjects Included and excluded)
Picture from print digest showing key number with other related key numbers around it
21 Use the Table of Cases
Picture showing the spines of Table of Cases volumes
Picture of case name from a Table of Cases volume, showing the topics and key numbers listed for the case
22 Go directly to Topic & KN (print)
Picture of headnotes from a print digest volume, pointing to topic and key number
23 Go directly to
Topic & KN Topic is ______(Westlaw Next)
Picture from list of 400 topics, showing list of numbers next to each topic
I can search this Topic in a case law database by turning it into its
number: ______. 24 Go directly to topic & KN (Westlaw Next) Search a case law database with your Topic number: (______) and Key Number (___): ______
Picture from Westlaw Next, showing search of topic number and key number (as one search string) in a case law database
25 I found a case classified under Topic number____ and KN ____.
Picture from Westlaw Next, showing case found with the topic number and key number above
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