Law Journal Resources
A guide for law journal editors and staffers to cite checking.
Locating Cases
United States Report
This is the official publication of the opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States.
- Coverage: 1754 - 2014
- Available in the Reading Room (KF101 .U58) in the law library.
- Also available on HeinOnline's U.S. Supreme Court Library database.
Slip Opinions
Opinions of the cases decided in June 2014 or later are available on the Court's website.
Unofficial Reporters
SCOTUS opinions are also published in the following unofficial/commercial reporters:
- Supreme Court Reporter (published by Thomson Reuters)
- Supreme Court Reports Lawyer's Edition (published by Lexis Nexis)
An author may cite a post-2014 SCOTUS case using one of these unofficial reporters.
- They are available in the Reading Room
- PDF files of Supreme Court Reporter are also available on Westlaw.
- To download, retrieve the case on Westlaw and click on the PDF link (appearing above the party names).
Federal Courts of Appeals
- Cases from the Courts of Appeals are published in Federal Reporter
- Federal Reporter volumes are available in the Reading Room
- You may also download PDF files of Federal Reporter on Westlaw.
- Retrieve the case on Westlaw and click on the PDF icon to download the PDF file.
- You may also see case citations to Federal Appendix.
- This is an unofficial/commercial reporter containing unpublished cases from Courts of Appeals.
- The law library has volumes of Federal Appendix from 2001 to 2009.
Federal District Courts
- District courts opinions are published in Federal Supplement.
- Available in the law library Reading Room.
- PDF files are available on Westlaw.
Cases from the state appellate courts are published in various regional reporters.
- Available in the Reading Room.
- PDF files are available on Westlaw.