Introduction to case law Introduction to case law researchresearch

Module 4 in the Emalus Module 4 in the Emalus Library’s Legal Research and Library’s Legal Research and Information Literacy Lecture Information Literacy Lecture

seriesseries

IntroductionIntroduction

Identifying and locating case law is a Identifying and locating case law is a core skill in legal practice core skill in legal practice

You need to be able to find out You need to be able to find out which cases are relevant to a which cases are relevant to a particular legal question particular legal question

You need to be able to update your You need to be able to update your research to include cases that have research to include cases that have cited important judgments across cited important judgments across jurisdictions. jurisdictions.

Online v Hard Copy?Online v Hard Copy?

Both are important – you should learn to use Both are important – you should learn to use a combination of botha combination of both

Online sources commonly do not distinguish Online sources commonly do not distinguish between the important ‘landmark’ cases and between the important ‘landmark’ cases and those that merely mention a topic or case.those that merely mention a topic or case.

Use traditional hard copy resources (such as Use traditional hard copy resources (such as indexes to law reports, Citators and Digests) indexes to law reports, Citators and Digests) to find ‘landmark’ cases on which to base to find ‘landmark’ cases on which to base your legal arguments your legal arguments

Finding specific casesFinding specific cases

Index to abbreviations – hard copy & Index to abbreviations – hard copy & onlineonline Raistricks Index to legal Abbreviations (hard Raistricks Index to legal Abbreviations (hard

copy – in Law Reference Collection)copy – in Law Reference Collection) Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations [online Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations [online

– via ‘Law Resources’ web page]– via ‘Law Resources’ web page] Monash Abbreviations of Legal Publications Monash Abbreviations of Legal Publications

[online – via ‘Law Resources’ web page][online – via ‘Law Resources’ web page]

Index to Legal Abbreviations Index to Legal Abbreviations [Online][Online]

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Monash Legal AbbreviationsMonash Legal Abbreviations

Major Law Report SeriesMajor Law Report Series

For library hard copy holdings see list For library hard copy holdings see list on Library’s Law Resources web pageon Library’s Law Resources web page

Many law report series are available Many law report series are available online – see directories on Lexis and online – see directories on Lexis and WestlawWestlaw

Free online sourcesFree online sources

Eg. PacLII, AustLII, BaiLII, CanLII, Eg. PacLII, AustLII, BaiLII, CanLII, WorldLII etc.WorldLII etc.

Benefits:Benefits: No costNo cost Often very currentOften very current

Free online sources - Free online sources - limitationslimitations

Does not include all cases reported in series of Does not include all cases reported in series of Law ReportsLaw Reports

Often only holds cases from the last 15-20 Often only holds cases from the last 15-20 yearsyears

Judgments are not selected on merit (as in Judgments are not selected on merit (as in reported Law Reports) nor are they reported Law Reports) nor are they summarised or headnoted. This can lead to summarised or headnoted. This can lead to information overload and difficulty in information overload and difficulty in identifying which are the important identifying which are the important “landmark” decisions.“landmark” decisions.

Finding cases on a topicFinding cases on a topic

Places to startPlaces to start A major recent text / CasebooksA major recent text / Casebooks A legal encyclopedia (eg. HalsburysA legal encyclopedia (eg. Halsburys Indexes to law reportsIndexes to law reports Digests – UK Digest, Australian Digest, Digests – UK Digest, Australian Digest,

Abridgment to New Zealand Case LawAbridgment to New Zealand Case Law

Finding cases on a topic Finding cases on a topic onlineonline

Problem of information overloadProblem of information overload Not all law reports and cases Not all law reports and cases

available onlineavailable online Inefficient searching will be Inefficient searching will be

frustrating and counter-productivefrustrating and counter-productive Difficulty in identifying important Difficulty in identifying important

casescases

To identify cases that have To identify cases that have cited or considered ‘landmark’ cited or considered ‘landmark’

decisions : decisions : Current Law Case Citator [UK] (hard copy)Current Law Case Citator [UK] (hard copy) Australian Case Citator (hard copy) or Australian Case Citator (hard copy) or

CaseBase (online)CaseBase (online) ANZ Citator to UK Law Reports (hard copy)ANZ Citator to UK Law Reports (hard copy) Indices to UK Law Reports or All England Indices to UK Law Reports or All England

Law Reports – ‘Cases Judicially Considered’ Law Reports – ‘Cases Judicially Considered’ Casebase Cases and Articles Index [online]Casebase Cases and Articles Index [online] UK Case Locator (on Westlaw)UK Case Locator (on Westlaw) Keycite (on Westlaw) Keycite (on Westlaw)

Tips for searching Lii’sTips for searching Lii’s

Use the ‘Full Search Form’ or Use the ‘Full Search Form’ or ‘Advanced Search’ option and take ‘Advanced Search’ option and take advantage of the drop-down menusadvantage of the drop-down menus

Search by ‘case name’ or ‘document Search by ‘case name’ or ‘document title’ when looking for specific casestitle’ when looking for specific cases

Sample PacLII searchSample PacLII search

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Looking for cases on a topic on Looking for cases on a topic on LIIs – use Boolean operatorsLIIs – use Boolean operators

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Introduction to WestlawIntroduction to Westlaw

See Guide to using Westlaw for further details - See Guide to using Westlaw for further details - http://http://www.vanuatu.usp.ac.fj/library/Westlaw.htmwww.vanuatu.usp.ac.fj/library/Westlaw.htm

Easiest way to find specific cases is to use ‘Find by citation’Easiest way to find specific cases is to use ‘Find by citation’

Search across multiple databases at onceSearch across multiple databases at once

The ‘History’ and ‘Analysis’ Tabs on Westlaw are excellent The ‘History’ and ‘Analysis’ Tabs on Westlaw are excellent tools to identify articles, cases cited and commentary about tools to identify articles, cases cited and commentary about important casesimportant cases

Click on the ‘Case history’ button appearing at the top of Click on the ‘Case history’ button appearing at the top of important decisions to quickly browse the case analysisimportant decisions to quickly browse the case analysis

Ignore the popup blocker and Ignore the popup blocker and click ‘Continue to Westlaw click ‘Continue to Westlaw

International’International’

Westlaw welcome screenWestlaw welcome screen

Searching for a specific caseSearching for a specific case

You can retrieve a specific case when You can retrieve a specific case when you know one or more parties' you know one or more parties' names.  Simply enter the names.  Simply enter the abbreviation abbreviation titi and then surround and then surround the party name in the party name in bracketsbrackets..

E.g. To find “Hedley Byrne v Heller” E.g. To find “Hedley Byrne v Heller” decisions, check the UK Law Reports decisions, check the UK Law Reports box on the Welcome Page and enter box on the Welcome Page and enter

ti(“Hedley Bryne”)ti(“Hedley Bryne”)

Example – finding a specific Example – finding a specific casecase

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‘‘History’ on WestlawHistory’ on Westlaw

UK Case Law Locator on UK Case Law Locator on WestlawWestlaw

*Highly recommended is the 'UK Case Law Locator' *Highly recommended is the 'UK Case Law Locator' database.  database. 

This database only includes significant reported decisions This database only includes significant reported decisions from 1865 - (across all jurisdictions) .from 1865 - (across all jurisdictions) .

Each document is an abstract which contains a summary of Each document is an abstract which contains a summary of the case and history information and reported citations.  the case and history information and reported citations. 

Using UK Case Law Locator to search reduces information Using UK Case Law Locator to search reduces information overload and allows you to quickly identify important overload and allows you to quickly identify important cases.  cases. 

There are links to the full text of all decisions on the There are links to the full text of all decisions on the database.database.

Use connectors to search for Use connectors to search for cases on a topiccases on a topic

ExampleExample

Result of search on UK Case Result of search on UK Case Law LocatorLaw Locator

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Introduction to LexisIntroduction to Lexis

See Guide to using Lexis for further details (See Guide to using Lexis for further details (http://http://www.vanuatu.usp.ac.fj/library/Lexis.htmwww.vanuatu.usp.ac.fj/library/Lexis.htm ) )

Last 20 sources ; browse directoryLast 20 sources ; browse directory

Use the ‘segment search’ to search for specific Use the ‘segment search’ to search for specific casescases

Use the ‘Focus’ feature to search within your search Use the ‘Focus’ feature to search within your search results results

Use the ‘Kwik’ display format to view where your Use the ‘Kwik’ display format to view where your search terms appear in the judgmentsearch terms appear in the judgment

Lexis welcome screen – easier Lexis welcome screen – easier to use the shortcut links on the to use the shortcut links on the

Law Resources pageLaw Resources page

Links from Law Resources page Links from Law Resources page to UK, NZ, & Aus. casesto UK, NZ, & Aus. cases

Use segment searching for Use segment searching for casescases

(cont.)(cont.)

When searching for cases on a When searching for cases on a topic use the “catchword” topic use the “catchword”

segmentsegment

(cont.)(cont.)

(cont.)(cont.)

CaseBase Case Citator (Aust CaseBase Case Citator (Aust cases)cases)

Click on the red ‘Cases’ tab to Click on the red ‘Cases’ tab to get the full search formget the full search form

Concluding commentsConcluding comments

Make use of all available resources for Make use of all available resources for case law researchcase law research Hard copy law reports indices and digestsHard copy law reports indices and digests Free access LII’s (AustLII, PacLII etc.)Free access LII’s (AustLII, PacLII etc.) Westlaw and LexisWestlaw and Lexis

Be aware of the limitations of each resource. Be aware of the limitations of each resource. Learn how to search online databases Learn how to search online databases efficiently to reduce information overload and efficiently to reduce information overload and to better identify important decisionsto better identify important decisions