U.S. SUPREME COURT CASES

There are three hard bound publications which report United States Supreme Court Opinions. In this demonstration, you will find an example of a single case published in all three publications. Note the different structure of the publications.

The case is titled Meyer v. Grant.

UNITED STATES REPORTS

SUPREME COURT REPORTER

UNITED STATES SUPREME
COURT REPORTS, LAWYER'S EDITION

UNITED STATES REPORTS

Abbreviation: U.S.

The official publication for United States Supreme Court Opinions. The official publication (U.S.) always comes first in a citation.

SUPREME COURT REPORTER

Abbreviation: S. Ct.

Reporter by West Publishing (now Thomson-West) that publishes United States Supreme Court opinions. In addition, West provides the following tools:

1. Parallel Cites above the caption.

2. a synopsis of the case (immediately after the caption)

3. headnotes which relate to specific points within the opinion. For instance, Headnote Number "2" relates to the point in the opinion where the publisher has placed a corresponding number "2" in brackets.

4. Key Number references, which lead the researcher to digests, which in turn lead the researcher to additional authority.

UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT REPORTS, LAWYERS EDITION

Abbreviation: L. Ed. or L. Ed. 2d

Publication by Lawyer's Cooperative Publishing Company that reports United States Supreme Court decisions. In addition to the word-for-word opinion of the court, L. Ed. and L. Ed. 2d provide the following tools:

1. Parallel Cites below the caption.

1. Synopsis of the case, immediately after the caption of the case.

2. Headnotes that lead the researcher to relevant points within the opinion.

3. Selected "Briefs of Counsel" in the back of each volume. These briefs are actually drawn from the parties filings in the U.S. Supreme Court.

4. Annotations of Selected Cases. If a case has been chosen for annotation in the American Law Reports Series, the publisher will also place an annotation of the opinion in the back of the volume in L. Ed. 2d.