Nevada Cases

Online Research
Westlaw Public Access and LexisNexis Academic are databases available at the law library. Both databases allow for keyword or subject matter searches.  Links to these databases are available on the Law Library’s website, but they can only be accessed by patrons while physically inside the Law Library.

Print Research
For those who prefer to use printed materials, a digest can be used to access cases by subject matter.  A digest is an index of cases arranged alphabetically by topic/subject.  The Pacific Digest is used to locate Nevada cases.  There are also digests for other states and regions in the United States, as well as a digest that covers all 50 states – the decennial digest.

In a digest, every subject is assigned a topic and a key number.  To find a topic or key number, begin with the Digest’s Descriptive Word Index (several volumes located near the end of the digest series). Think of several terms that describe the desired topic.

Example:  interested in finding case involving libel, slander, or defamation

The Digest contains the section heading, “Libel and Slander.”  Beneath this main heading are the subheadings for more narrow concepts, such as “Libel and Slander—Burden of Proof.”

The entry in the Descriptive Word Index will tell you which topic and key number to look under.  “Libel and Slander—Burden of Proof—Generally” is found under “Libel, key number 101 (1-5).”  When a case is published, the editors of the digest will determine which topics and Key Numbers the case best represents. Key Numbers are a helpful tool to group a variety of cases dealing with similar legal concepts.

Under the topic and key number, there are brief summaries of cases that have been decided on that topic.  The case citation is listed after the case summary. 

Nevada cases are cited as follows:  Name of Case, Volume #_Reporter_Page #_(year).

i. Print Search

Example 1:      Buffalo v. State, 111 Nev. 1139 (1995).

• The case is located in volume 111 of the Nevada Reporter on page 1139.

Example 2:      Oliver v. Barrick Goldstrike Mines, 905 P.2d 168 (1995).

• The case is located in volume 905 of the Pacific Reporter second edition, on page 168.

ii. Electronic Search

Example:         Buffalo v. State, 111 Nev. 1139 (1995).

Typing 111 Nev. 1139 into the “find by citation” box on either Westlaw Public Access or LexisNexis Academic will also retrieve the desired case.

Example:         Buffalo v. State, 111 Nev. 1139 (1995).

Cases can be located by searching by one or more of the parties to a case, such as “Buffalo.”  Searches can also be narrowed by using a jurisdiction-specific database, such as “Nevada Cases” in Westlaw Public Access or LexisNexis Academic.