1.4

Locating a Case with a Citation

• Segment ProgressBar



INTRODUCTION

This is a pretty straight-forward section. Try to understand what each part of a citation represents. For instance:

• Where is the title?

• Where is the volume number?

• Where is the publication abbreviation?

• Where is the page number?

• What was the year?

Lecture Notes . . .

How to Locate Case Law
This material is designed to help you to find a case that is referenced in an encyclopedia or other source. You are taught how to read a citation. Later in the program you will learn how to create citations.

About Westlaw and Lexis Formats



Please note also that when this site and the textbook use the terms Westlaw and Lexis, they are referring to the newer versions of those research systems (unless a comparison of the newer and older systems is being made). They have often been called Westlaw Next and Lexis Advance, but will usually simply be referred to as Westlaw and Lexis now.

ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENTS

The Assignments at the end of this section provide four citations for you to look up on Westlaw, Lexis, and in the law library. However, knowing what the abbreviations in the citations stand for will be helpful.

• P.2d stands for Pacific Reporter, Second Series

• S.W.2d stands for South Western Reporter, Second Series

• F.3d stands for Federal Reporter, Third Series

• U.S. stands for United States Reports

This may be your first time logging in to Westlaw and Lexis. Simply follow the instructions you were provided when you received your password and login information. (Remember to use Westlaw and Lexis.)

After you are on the site, simply follow the step-by-step instructions provided in the manual. Don't get lost. Just find the cases. It will be tempting to click around the site, but do that after you have found the assigned authorities.

For now, stay focused on this limited task.

One more note. For this Segment (which includes chapters 1, 2, and 3 of Volume II), you may want to wait and complete all of your assignments for Westlaw at the same time, then all of your assignments for Lexis, then for the law library. (Certainly you will want to complete all of the law library assignments for any given chapter, or couple of chapters, within one or two visits.)