GETTING STARTED
SEARCH MODES
QUICK SEARCH
[Optional - Use Get a DOC Assistance to search by Citation, Party Name or Docket Number].
[Optional - Segment search in Case can be very helpful. For example, overview(dna and wrongful conviction)]
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What is a citation?
Plaintiff | Defendant |Volume |Reporter |Page |Court |Year
Blackburn v. Fisk 433 F.2d 121 (6th Cir. 1971)
where "F.2d" stands for The Federal Reporter, 2nd series. Please note that not all citations follow the full format, e.g., 834 N.E.2d 432. Also, one case could have more than one citations, for example, all of these four citations 834 N.E.2d 432; 162 Ohio App. 3d 642; 2005 Ohio 4331; 2005 Ohio App. LEXIS 3932 refer to one case.
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SEARCH RESULTS
HOW TO READ A CASE?
PSU also publishes an excellent guide on how to read a legal case:
1. Begin with the name and citation of the case.
2. Is this case being decided by a trial court or an appellate court? (Note: most cases you read will be
appellate cases, because the opinions of trial courts have less precedential value)
3. In the original case, who was the plaintiff and who was the defendant?
4. What was the original complaint? (libel, invasion of privacy, violation of a statute, etc.)
5. What were the facts that led to the complaint?
6. What was the trial court's decision? (who "won" the case)
7. What are the legal questions/issues that are being raised on appeal?
8. What is the present court's decision (is the original decision affirmed, reversed, or remanded?)
9. What rule or test is the court using to decide the outcome? This will relate to the legal question
that must be decided.
10.What reason does the court give for using this rule?
Url: <https://www.courses.psu.edu/comm/comm403_jsb15/howtoreadcase.html>
More TIPS (on how to read a case):
1) Where Are Court's Decisions Located? - Opinion
2) What is Syllabus?
3) What Are Headnotes?
4) What Do the Pagination Notes Refer to?
U.S. Reports – no asterisk
Supreme Court Reporter – one asterisk *
Lawyers Edition – two asterisks **
Lexis – three asterisks ***
Note: When you cite a page, do not include the * asterisk mark(s).
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ABBREVIATION - Reporters / Law Reports
National Reporter System
▪ F. SUPP. (The Federal Supplement. Cases decided by the US District Courts)
▪ F.2d.3d. (The Federal Reporter, 2nd series or 3rd series, contains cases decided by the US Courts of
Appeals Authority & Jurisdiction
▪ F.R.D. (Federal Rules Decisions. Decisions of the US Distr. Courts not covered in F.SUPP)
Supreme Court Decisions are reported in:
▪ U.S. (United States Reports)
▪ S. Ct. (Supreme Court Reports)
▪ L.Ed. 2d (Lawyers Edition, 2nd Series)
▪ L.W. (US Law Weeks)
State Courts Decisions are reported in these reporters:
▪ N.E.2d (Northeaster: MA, RI, NY, OH, IN & IL)
▪ A.2d (Atlantic: MD, NH, VT, CT, NJ, PA, DE & D.C.
▪ So.2d (Southern: FL, AL, MS, and LA)
▪ S.E.2d (Southeaster: VA, WV, NC, and GA)
▪ S.W.2d (Southwestern: KY, YN, MO, AR and TX)
▪ P.2d. (Pacific: MT, WY, ID, KS, CO, OK, NM, UT, AZ, NV, WA, OR & CA)
▪ N.W. 2d (Northwester: MI, WI, IA, MN, SD, and NE)
▪ N.Y.S.2d (New York Supplement: NY States courts)
▪ Cal. Rptr. (California Reporter: California)
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