The Topic and Key Number System
Headnotes and the Topic and Key
Number System
• When West receives an opinion from the court, a West
attorney-editor identifies the points of law discussed in the
case.
• Each point of law is summarized in a headnote.
• After carefully analyzing the point of law that the headnote
discusses, the West attorney-editor assigns the headnote to
at least one key number in the West Topic and Key
Number System.
Headnote Number (2)
Topic Number (92)
Key Number 90.1(1.2)
Headnote
This headnote summarizes the second point of law discussed in this
case on Westlaw. The headnote is assigned to key number 90.1(1.2)
under Topic 92 (Constitutional Law).
The West Topic and Key Number System
• is an extensive outline of the entire body of case law in this
country.
• is an index to the entire National Reporter System, helping
you more easily locate cases with similar legal issues in
any jurisdiction.
• is a classification system with at least one topic and key
number assigned to each point of law.
The West Topic and Key Number System
• divides the law into approximately 400 broad digest topics.
• breaks down each topic into subheadings
• contains approximately 100,000 specific key numbers
Topics
• The topic are arranged
alphabetically and numbered
between 1 and 450.
• Each topic addresses a broad
legal issue.
• Some topics have been added
after the original 414 topics
were assigned numbers.
– See, 48A Automobiles
– See, 48B Aviation
• Other topics have been
eliminated or renamed (e.g.,
West attorney-editors no longer
use topic 3).
Topics and Key Numbers
92 Constitutional Law (Topic)
92V Personal, Civil and Political Rights (Subheading)
92k90 Freedom of Speech and of the Press
92k90.1 Particular Expressions and Limitations
92k90.1(1.2) k. Election Regulations
(Specific Key Number)
• Each topic is broken down into subheadings.
• There can be as many as eight levels in the topic and key
number hierarchy.
• This process continues until further breakdown of a legal
issue is unproductive and a specific key number is
assigned. See, 92k90.1(1.2), above.
Topics, Subheadings, and Key Numbers
• This is a breakdown of
subheading 90.1 (Particular
expressions and limitations)
under the Constitutional Law
topic and subheading V.
(Personal, Civil and Political
Rights) in the print version of
the digest.
• 92k90.1(1.2) is the specific
key number dealing with
Election regulations.
Currentness of Topics
Topics or portions of topics are added, renamed, expanded,
contracted, merged, or eliminated as law, society, and
political sensitivity dictate.
• Insurance topic was reorganized in 1998; Negligence
topic was reorganized in 1999
• RICO topic was added in 1990; Sentencing topic was
added in 2000
• Drunkards topic became inactive in 1978 and all new
cases were classified under a new topic, Chemical
Dependents. The new topic also contains some issues that
were previously categorized under Drugs and Narcotics
• Insane Persons topic was renamed Mental Health
Currentness of Key Numbers
Key numbers are added, renumbered, or transferred to other
topics as law, society, and political sensitivity dictate.
• What was once a specific key number may be expanded
over time to provide deeper analysis of a growing area of
the law.
• Translation tables in print volumes aid in moving between
the old and new classifications.
• On Westlaw, a “Formerly” line is added to key numbers
that have changed so you can search by old or new key
number. (See below.)
Think of the topic and key number as an address:
– Each street in the city represents a digest topic.
– There are many houses on each street and each house
has its own number.
– In order to find a particular house, you must know both
the street name (topic) and the house number (key
number).
Question
The West Topic and Key Number System
1.
2.
3.
4.
Divides the law into approximately 400 broad legal
topics
Divides the law into approximately 100,000 specific key
numbers
Is an index to every case in the National Reporter
System
All of the above
Question
The West Topic and Key Number System
1.
2.
3.
4.
Divides the law into approximately 400 broad legal
topics
Divides the law into approximately 100,000 specific key
numbers
Is an index to every case in the National Reporter
System
All of the above