Case Searching:
Westlaw
Internet Resources
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Westlaw Guide for Paralegals: Chapters 1-3
Case Searching (short pdf)
Boolean Searching (short pdf)
These are posted on Websites—or
downloadable from Westlawnext.com
(Tutorial information)
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Cases
◦ Basic Search:
 Known Case: Citation, Case Name
 Searching for relevant cases: Key words, Boolean,
Browsing
◦ Advanced Search: Template, Boolean Connectors
and Field or Segment searching
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A case citation includes
◦ the Case Name (italicized),
◦ The volume of the print case reporter in which the
case appears,
◦ The abbreviation for the case reporter and series
number where appropriate
◦ The page where the case begins
◦ The year (and if a federal case, the circuit or district
from which it comes.)
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Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S. Ct.
1602, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1966)
◦ U.S. (United States Reports) is the official cite, the
others are unofficial or parallel.)
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Doody v. Ryan, 649 F.3d 986 (9th Cir. 2011)
◦ F. = Federal Reporter
◦ 3d is the series
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Johnson v. Cullen, 704 F. Supp. 2d 869 (N.D.
Cal. 2010)
◦ F. Supp. = Federal Supplement
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People v. Storm (2002) 28 Cal.4th 1007,
1039 [124 Cal.Rptr.2d 110, 135, 52 P.3d 52,
73]
◦ Brackets often omitted
◦ Cal = California Reports (official)
◦ Cal. Rptr. = California Reporter (unofficial/parallel)
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People v. Simpson (1998) 65 Cal.App.4th 854
[76 Cal.Rptr.2d 851]
◦ Cal. App. = California Appellate Reports
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Worksheet 2B
◦ 13. volume 92 page 496 California Appellate
Reports 3d series
◦ 14. 438 U.S. 265
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Select jurisdiction (citations don’t depend on
jurisdiction—but names do)
In search box put case name from citation
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i.e. Miranda v. Arizona (a U.S. Supreme Court case)
Doody v. Ryan (a federal appellate court case)
People v. Storm ( a California supreme court case)
People v. Simpson *
 Use basic search then use advanced search
 Advanced search uses Boolean and “field” search
◦ All of these cases deal with a Miranda issue
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Click “cases” under Browse
Select a specific case
◦ 10 most recent will appear
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Let’s browse recent cases from California
Court of Appeals—select most recent
◦ What is the citation for the case?
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Key word, Boolean, Advanced
Key words can be factual or legal
Always important to know what your task is
Common question:
Attorney remembers reading a recent case
dealing with “special employee” Can you find
it? (Use advanced search)
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Identify jurisdiction: 2
Identify issue
Identify key words (words likely to appear in a
relevant case)
Basic search, Boolean search (can use either
basic search box or advanced) or Advanced
template.
Let’s look at Worksheet # 21 (assume U.S.
Supreme Court) #28.
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Clark v. Arizona
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View
Access case
Look at right panel—research help
Look at top menu
Case features: synopsis, West headnotes, Syllabus,
Opinion, star pagination (other search features from
top menu); copy with citation; (we will discuss key
cite and key numbers later)
229 Cal. App. 4th 45
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Click on “lowest” key number of headnote.
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Free Commercial Sites
◦ Findlaw http://lp.findlaw.com/
◦ Cornel law.cornell.edu
◦ Justia.com www.justia.com
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Government Sites
◦ Official California Cases: www.courts.ca.gov
◦ Federal Cases: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys
◦ Library of Congress:
http://www.loc.gov/law/help/guide/federal.php
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Advantages:
◦ Can do some “full text” searching
◦ Can access laws and cases from numerous states
and courts of appeal
◦ Easy access to U.S. Supreme Court cases
◦ Newsletters
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Disadvantages
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Must sign in/register (free)
Searching all Courts of Appeals difficult
Searching by citation can be difficult.
For many courts—only recent decisions (after 2000)
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These are different searches and Summaries
only seem to go back to 2006 (see slide 17)
To search for cases go to Browse cases and
codes (see slide 18) (Located below opinion
summary template.)
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General Keyword Search
California Domestic Partners
Li v. Yellow Cab
Federal Appellate Cases
Stern v. University of Osteopathic Med. and
Health Sciences, 220 F.3d 906 (8th Cir. 2000)
by case name
by citation
Search opinion summaries then case opinions
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Great for codes, rules, etc.—
Not great for locating cases
Good for Supreme Court activity.
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Type equation here.
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Refer to Stern case
Locate volume
Use “find” feature under edit
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California: courts.ca.gov
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Federal:
◦ www.supremecourt.gov
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•
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384 U.S. 436
U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals, December 23,
2009
Vascular Solutions, Inc. v. Marine Polymer Tech.,
Inc. , No. 08-1911
United States Ninth Circuit, 05/24/2013
Institution of Cetacean Research v. Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society, No. 12-35266
(Alien Tort Statute),
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1. 49 C. 3d 1230 (cite from Witkin)
◦ Copy with cite feature—highlight then click on copy
with cite after name—but do not get page
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2. American G.I. Forum v. Miller
3. Does DMV have power to prohibit offensive
license plates? (use both terms and advanced
search) How many cases? What are the first
5 cases retrieved? What is the answer to the
question?
4. 142 Cal. App. 4th 1260 check headnotes
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