JUDICIAL LAW SOURCESJUDICIAL LAW SOURCES

How the Federal Court system How the Federal Court system is structuredis structured

Supreme Court of the United StatesSupreme Court of the United States

U.S. Appellate CourtsU.S. Appellate Courts

U.S. District CourtsU.S. District Courts

http://www.uscourts.gov/

Federal Judicial SystemFederal Judicial System

Divided into 11 Appellate CircuitsDivided into 11 Appellate Circuits

District Courts--Some states have more than one District Courts--Some states have more than one district, others have only onedistrict, others have only oneGeographic Boundaries of the United States Courts of Geographic Boundaries of the United States Courts of Appeals and United States District CourtsAppeals and United States District Courts

Court Records The predominant type of record the Federal courts create and maintain is a case file, The predominant type of record the Federal courts create and maintain is a case file, which contains a docket sheet and all documents filed in a case. There are different which contains a docket sheet and all documents filed in a case. There are different ways to obtain the informationways to obtain the information..

Court Locator Contains a map similar to the one in the next slide in which you can select the state that Contains a map similar to the one in the next slide in which you can select the state that you wish to find federal courts by moving your pointer to that state, and by clicking on you wish to find federal courts by moving your pointer to that state, and by clicking on the state, you can obtain contact information for the federal court desired.the state, you can obtain contact information for the federal court desired.

Federal Judicial SystemFederal Judicial System

How Court Cases are recordedHow Court Cases are recorded

Court cases are put into a publication Court cases are put into a publication called a reporter. called a reporter.

A reporter is a chronological listing of all A reporter is a chronological listing of all cases decided by a courtcases decided by a court

As soon as a case is decided it is printed As soon as a case is decided it is printed in a separate document called a slip in a separate document called a slip opinionopinion

Publishers of court casesPublishers of court cases

The Government West Publishing CompanyThe Government West Publishing Company

Example of case law published by the United Example of case law published by the United States Government States Government

United States ReportsUnited States ReportsContains U.S. Supreme court casesContains U.S. Supreme court cases

Published by the Government Printing Office Published by the Government Printing Office according to law. according to law. See 28 U. S. C. §411 See 28 U. S. C. §411

As of Oct 2008, 546 As of Oct 2008, 546 volumes had been volumes had been published . published .

United States Reports OnlineUnited States Reports Online

http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/US/

This site contains the United States This site contains the United States Reports from Volume 1 (1754) to Volume Reports from Volume 1 (1754) to Volume 546 (2005)546 (2005)

West Publishing CompanyWest Publishing Company

For more than a century, West has been a For more than a century, West has been a partner to the U.S. legal system, partner to the U.S. legal system, publishing case law in its reporter series publishing case law in its reporter series and now publishing WESTLAWand now publishing WESTLAW

West Publishing Company is now a part of West Publishing Company is now a part of Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters.

West’s Federal Reporter SeriesWest’s Federal Reporter Series

Supreme Court ReporterSupreme Court Reporter

Federal ReporterFederal Reporter

Federal SupplementFederal Supplement

Supreme Court ReporterSupreme Court Reporter

This set is a Federal case law reporter series in This set is a Federal case law reporter series in West's® National Reporter System. This product West's® National Reporter System. This product covers opinions and decisions from 1882 to date covers opinions and decisions from 1882 to date issued by the United States Supreme Court. issued by the United States Supreme Court. Cases published in this product series are Cases published in this product series are enhanced with headnotes, Key Numbers, and enhanced with headnotes, Key Numbers, and Synopses prepared by West's internal staff of Synopses prepared by West's internal staff of highly trained attorney editors. highly trained attorney editors.

The The Supreme Court Reporter Supreme Court Reporter and and United States United States Reports Reports both cover U.S. Supreme Court casesboth cover U.S. Supreme Court cases

Federal ReporterFederal Reporter

This set is a Federal case law reporter series in West's® This set is a Federal case law reporter series in West's® National Reporter System. National Reporter System.

It covers opinions and decisions from 1880 to date in three It covers opinions and decisions from 1880 to date in three series issued by the 13 circuits of the United States Court of series issued by the 13 circuits of the United States Court of Appeals. Appeals.

Federal Reporter 1st Series 1880-1925 1880-1925

Federal Reporter 2nd Series 1925-1993 1925-1993

Federal Reporter, 3rd Series (1993-present) (1993-present)Cases published in this product series are enhanced with headnotes, Key Numbers, and Cases published in this product series are enhanced with headnotes, Key Numbers, and Synopses prepared by West's internal staff of highly trained attorney editors. Synopses prepared by West's internal staff of highly trained attorney editors.

The above links can be used if you have the citation The above links can be used if you have the citation to a case, no subject searchingto a case, no subject searching

Federal SupplementFederal Supplement

This set is a federal case law reporter series in This set is a federal case law reporter series in West's® National Reporter System. West's® National Reporter System.

This product covers opinions and decisions from This product covers opinions and decisions from 1933 to 1998 issued by U.S. District Courts. 1933 to 1998 issued by U.S. District Courts. Decisions issued by the U.S. Customs Court (now Decisions issued by the U.S. Customs Court (now U.S. Court of International Trade) and Judicial U.S. Court of International Trade) and Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation are also included. Panel on Multidistrict Litigation are also included. Cases published in this product series are enhanced with Cases published in this product series are enhanced with headnotes, Key Numbers and synopses prepared by headnotes, Key Numbers and synopses prepared by West's internal staff of highly trained attorney editors.West's internal staff of highly trained attorney editors.

How the State Court System is How the State Court System is structuredstructured

Trial courts (circuit, district, superior)Trial courts (circuit, district, superior)

Intermediate courts Intermediate courts (most states, but some have (most states, but some have no intermediate court)no intermediate court)

Supreme courtSupreme court

Publishers of state court casesPublishers of state court cases

West’s Regional ReportsWest’s Regional Reports

West also publishes what is known as offprint reporters West also publishes what is known as offprint reporters that contain the decisions of a single state but with that contain the decisions of a single state but with regional reporter pagination. This is the case with regional reporter pagination. This is the case with Oklahoma DecisionsOklahoma Decisions

Regional ReportersRegional Reporters

Atlantic Reporter-Atlantic Reporter---Covers opinions and decisions Covers opinions and decisions issued by the states of Connecticut, Delaware, District of issued by the states of Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Columbia, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersery, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.Jersery, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

North Eastern Reporter-North Eastern Reporter--Covers opinions and -Covers opinions and decisions from 1936 to date issued by the state courts of decisions from 1936 to date issued by the state courts of Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York and OhioIllinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio

North Western Reporter-North Western Reporter--Covers opinions and -Covers opinions and decisions from 1942 to date issued by the state courts of decisions from 1942 to date issued by the state courts of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Regional ReportersRegional ReportersPacific Reporter-Pacific Reporter---covers judicial cases of the states of covers judicial cases of the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.Washington, Wyoming.

South Eastern Reporter-South Eastern Reporter---Covers opinions and Covers opinions and decisions issued by the state courts of Georgia, North Carolina, South decisions issued by the state courts of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

Southern Reporter-Southern Reporter---Covers opinions and decisions from Covers opinions and decisions from 1941 to date issued by the state courts of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, 1941 to date issued by the state courts of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. and Mississippi.

South Western Reporter-South Western Reporter--This product covers -This product covers opinions and decisions issued by the state courts of opinions and decisions issued by the state courts of Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.

Oklahoma Case LawOklahoma Case Law

Oklahoma Decisions Oklahoma Decisions is published by Westis published by West

Online Access to Oklahoma Online Access to Oklahoma State Court CasesState Court Cases

Oklahoma State Courts Network: Oklahoma State Courts Network: Electronic Law Library Electronic Law Library

Online Access to Texas State Online Access to Texas State Court CasesCourt Cases

Texas Courts Online Texas Courts Online

Online Access to State Court Online Access to State Court CasesCases

Cornell University Law School: State Cornell University Law School: State Courts—By Jurisdiction Courts—By Jurisdiction (links to the state court (links to the state court websites) websites)

LexisOne: Free Case Law LexisOne: Free Case Law (last ten years of state (last ten years of state and federal courts and US Supreme court)and federal courts and US Supreme court)

State Court Web SitesState Court Web Sites This page provides judicial branch links for each state, This page provides judicial branch links for each state, focusing on the administrative office of the courts, the focusing on the administrative office of the courts, the court of last resort, any intermediate appellate courts, court of last resort, any intermediate appellate courts, and each trial court level. and each trial court level.

Hurray! You are done with Part 16: Hurray! You are done with Part 16: Primary Legal Sources-Judical.Primary Legal Sources-Judical.