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FindACase™ FAQs From which courts are opinions available? I have a citation but don't know in which state to search? How do I find opinions on specific topics? How do I cite to a FindACase™ opinion? What does [U] stand for in the results list? How do I get a case removed from your database? From which courts are opinions available? FindACase™ offers access to all federal and state case law. Coverage begins in 1900 for the U.S. Supreme Court, 1930 for the Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals, and 1950 for the Federal District Courts and, with limited exceptions, State Appellate Courts. For court coverage details, please see Library Directories. A citation search can be accomplished in several ways: by doing a standard search and entering the citation into the search query box, by using the citation search form, or by doing a fielded search. Standard Search. To search for an opinion when you have the citation (official, parallel, or VersusLaw citation), first select the appropriate library and then enter the citation with the exact punctuation in the search query box. For example, to find World Wide Volkswagen, Corp. v. Woodson, 444 U.S. 286, 100 S. Ct. 559 (1980), choose the U.S. Supreme Court from any FindACase™ state page and then enter the following in the search query box:
For this type of search, it is important to use the proper format, including spaces and punctuation. This search will retrieve the opinion cited and will also retrieve other opinions that cited to the opinion. Thus, you have the ability to follow the opinion's subsequent history. NOTE: While you can search for an opinion by its citation, it is advantageous to know the parties involved as well since the document will appear for review without any citation or docket number listed. Results are sorted by relevance, so the cited case itself will most likely be listed last. For in-court purposes you may purchase the document with citations after reviewing it. Citation Search. For a quick and easy method for searching by a document's official citation, choose Citation under Search Type at the top of the search page. This will refresh the page with a citation form in which you can enter the opinion's volume number, use the pull-down menu to select the reporter, then enter the page number. As with a standard search, the opinion itself will be retrieved as well as all opinions referencing that opinion. Note that this search goes across the entire library, i.e., a search for 694 N.W.2d 283 will return 9 documents: 7 from the S.D. Supreme Court (including the opinion itself), one from the S.D. District Court, and one from the Connecticut Supreme Court. Fielded Search. A fielded search allows you to search within specific fields in a document. To find only a specific opinion, choose boolean under Search By, then enter the citation in this format: (cite contains xxx) where xxx is the citation. The citation must be in proper format and the parentheses must be used. Use this type of search for opinions at least 6 months old; newer opinions will not yet have official citations. They will however, include a VersusLaw citation and docket number. See the FAQ on citing to a FindACase™ opinion. [You can also use this fielded search for searching for opinions by the party names: (parties contains savilla) for example.] I have a citation but don't know in which state to search? An opinion's citation includes the name of the reporter in which it is "published"; there are state and regional reporters. The regional reporters listed below show the states that are covered for each:
How do I find opinions on specific topics? To find opinions on certain topics or points of law, you can go about it via three different methods: 1) using all words; 2) using an exact phrase; or 3) employing a boolean search. All Words. This parameter searches for documents in which all the search words are present, in any order. The search presumes "and" between each word of the search. Use for broad topic search. Exact Phrase. To find a phrase or term of art, select this search type; no quotation marks necessary. For example: judgment of dissolution, ex parte application, community property share. Boolean. A variety of options are available to you in a boolean search, allowing you to search with the use of connectors, wild card characters and fielded searches.
How do I cite to a FindACase™ opinon? All opinions, once purchased, on FindACase's site contain a VersusLaw citation as well as the court's docket number or official citation. In lieu of internal page numbers, all paragraphs of an opinion are numbered, allowing for a closer pinpoint on any specific quotation or point of law. See The Bluebook, A Uniform System of Citation, Eighteenth Edition; Rule 18.1.1, page 152. It allows, in part: "Screen or page numbers, if assigned, should be preceded by an asterisk; paragraph numbers, if assigned, should be preceded by a paragraph symbol." Example of a VersusLaw citation format: Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 1966.SCT.41457, ¶15 (1966) www.versuslaw.com In this example, 1966.SCT.41457 is the VersusLaw citation, and paragraph 15 is being cited. What does [U] stand for in the results list? [U] indicates the opinion is unpublished. To exclude unpublished opinions from your search, first choose a Boolean search type. Append your search with and not (name contains (U)). Other characters indicate that an opinion has been withdrawn [W],
or that it is a table case [T]. How do I get a case removed from your database? VersusLaw is an aggregator of opinions and decisions which have been released by federal or state appellate courts. Opinions and decisions released by courts are, by definition, public records and by their release become a part of the public domain, not otherwise subject to privacy issues. In those instances where a court believes the privacy of an individual outweighs the interest of the public domain, it can choose to "seal" specific documents and not release them. If the subject matter of the opinion you wish removed contains private information (SSN, driver's license number, etc.) that could be used in identity theft, or if you were the victim in a criminal case you wish removed from our database, please forward those details to us and we will review the opinion for removal.
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