CASE
RESEARCH:
WHAT TO DO
WORK FASTER
AND SMARTER
RESEARCH TIME IS MONEY.
SPEND IT COST-EFFECTIVELY.
I have been given a case to research, and …
I have the case citation or the party name(s).
I want to learn more about my case.
WestlawNext® − Enter either the case citation or the
Look for more information in filings, briefs, and other
party name(s) in the WestSearch® template
court materials by using:
Westlaw® − Enter the citation in the Find by Citation
WestlawNext − Filings tab
field and enter the party name(s) in the Find by Party
Westlaw − Petitions, Briefs, Filings link
Name field
I need to verify that this case is still good law.
I need to find other cases with similar legal concepts.
Use KeyCite® to research the status of your case
On WestlawNext and Westlaw:
and find any prior or subsequent history and issues
> Scan your case’s headnotes to find a West Key Number
related to it.
System® Topic and Key Number relevant to your issue
> Click on the Topic and Key Number to run a caselaw
search for your issue
WestlawNext − Click the History tab above your case
Westlaw − Click one of the History links in the
left frame
I need a reporter version of my case, but we don’t
I don’t understand the law that was argued
have the print volume in our library.
in my case.
While viewing your case on WestlawNext
Find secondary sources, such as practice guides and
and Westlaw:
treatises, that provide information you may not find
> Use the PDF link to obtain a copy, exactly as the
in the court’s opinion, including background, context,
case appears in the print volume of the National
explanation, and analysis of the law at issue.
Reporter System®
WestlawNext − Use the Context & Analysis tab
Westlaw − Use the Analysis links
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CASES TERMINOLOGY
CASE RESEARCH: WHAT TO DO
exactly as they do in the print volumes. For older volumes,
we physically removed the bindings and scanned each
Find by Citation and Find by Party Name − To retrieve
page, one by one, to ensure an exact copy. With Reporter
a case using a citation, type the citation in the text box
images, you can:
at the top of the WestlawNext homepage or in the Find
by Citation field on Westlaw. Click Search. You also can
> Read cases offline in an easy-to-read format
find a case by party name by typing the name(s) in the
> Share your research results offline with confidence
WestSearch template on WestlawNext or using the Find
> Fulfill attorney requests for clean copies
by Party Name field on Westlaw.
> Submit copies to the court in the preferred format
KeyCite − Use KeyCite, the citation research service
Court documents − WestlawNext and Westlaw offer more
available exclusively from Thomson Reuters Westlaw™,
than 2.2 million state and federal filings, briefs, pleadings,
to help determine whether a case is good law and
motions, memoranda, interrogatories, and exhibits. These
retrieve citing references. KeyCite covers every case in
materials can be a valuable resource for:
the National Reporter System and more than one million
unpublished cases.
Topics and Key Numbers − Each legal issue in a case
Thomson Reuters Westlaw has published is identified,
summarized in a headnote, and assigned a West Topic
and Key Number. On both WestlawNext and Westlaw, you
can quickly retrieve cases involving particular legal issues
> Learning how other attorneys have analyzed and argued
similar issues
> Studying how opposing counsel in your case has argued
similar issues in a prior case
> Understanding the arguments made in key precedents
so you can compare or distinguish your case
by running a Topic and Key Number search.
Context and analysis − Learn how courts have inter-
PDF version − Reporter images give you easy access to
preted your case and find additional information with
printed copies of West cases. Page breaks, headnotes,
cross-references and references from ALR® articles, forms,
footnotes, Key Numbers, and other features appear
treatises, and other resources. On WestlawNext click on
the Context & Analysis tab, and on Westlaw click on any
of the Analysis links.
© 2012 Thomson Reuters L-373848/1-12