Basic Legal Research for University Law Related Classes - Finding Court Cases
| Generally | Ohio | Federal |
Generally
Ohio
See: How to Find An Ohio Case in the Law Library
Structure of the Ohio Judicial System - http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/introduction/structure/
If you have a citation:
Example: three parallel citations for the same case:
92 Ohio St. 3d 327, 750 N.E. 2d 531, 2001-Ohio-212
Print Options:
You can go to the Ohio Room, 1st Level, on the left past the PC Lab, to a set of books, Ohio State Reports 3d Series (Ohio Official Reports, call number KFO 45 .A23,) go to Volume 92, and the case begins on page 327.
Or, you can go to the Ohio Room, to a set called the North Eastern Reporter 2nd Series, Ohio Cases (call number KFO 47 .A2.) Check the physical volume that contains Volume 750, and go to page 531. In addition to the case, the NE 2d set has at the beginning of each case the Key Number information from the West editorial staff.
These and other sets of Ohio reports are listed in Scholar, and in the red Range Guide notebook at the the Public Services Desk.
Electronic Options:
The third citation above is to the Ohio Supreme Court's citation format, which you can use at the Ohio Supreme Court's web site http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/ROD/docs. Recent Ohio Appellate Court decisions are also available at that site.
LexisNexis Academic - Click on Legal, select Federal & State Cases, choose Ohio Federal & State cases from the pulldown menu OR Click on Sources tab, select United States, select Ohio, click on Cases folder.
To identify Ohio court cases on a specific topic or issue:
Print Resources:
West's Ohio Digest (West Publishing Co. - print format only) - Reference Area and Ohio Room KFO 57 .W47
Start with the Descriptive Word Index volumes. Check your subject and note any pertinent Digest Topic and Key Number. The set is arranged alphabetically by Topic. Go to the volume with your Topic, and check under the specific Key Number for brief digests of specific points of law, with the citations to those court cases. Also, check the pocket part supplement under the same Topic and Key Number, for newer case listings. Write down the citations to tne cases you want to read.
Ohio Jurisprudence 3d (West Publishing Co. - print format only) Reference Area and Ohio Room KFO 65 .O3543
This legal encyclopedia is arranged alphabetically by topic. Start with the index to the set, and check under the subject of interest for a topic and section number within that topic. Then go to the topic itself and section number . Also, check the pocket part supplement under the same topic and section number to check for more current information. Write down the citations to pertinent court decisions.
If you want court cases specifically about a section of the Ohio Revised Code, then start with Baldwin's or Page's Ohio Revised Code Annotated and note court case citations included in the annotations following the section of law.
Ohio treatises or books on legal topics also include footnotes with citations to court decisions.
Electronic Resources:
LexisNexis Academic -cases from all years, better search mechanism. Available remotely with CSI Id number and PIN.
Ohio Supreme Court’s website: Reporter of Decisions, Opinions and Announcements (for Ohio Supreme Court cases decided 1992 to date; cases from appellate and other courts vary) Use Full-text option OR use the Search function on the Ohio Supreme Court's website.
Federal
Federal Courts - Structure - http://www.uscourts.gov/courtlinks/
If you have a citation:
In Print -on the Second Floor
Supreme Court Cases: 3 different publishers of the same cases:
Example: Texaco Inc. v. Hasbrouk (1990), 496 U.S. 543; 110 S. Ct. 2535; 110 L. Ed. 2d 492
- United States Reports, (published by US Govt) KF101.A2 -496 U.S. 543
- Supreme Court Reporter, West's Publishing, KF101.A322 - 110 S. Ct. 2535
- United States Supreme Court Reports, Lawyer's Ed., (Published by Lexis) KF101 .A313-110 L. Ed. 2d 492
Federal Appellate Cases: Federal Reporter KF110 .F42 , Federal Reporter 2d KF110 .F422 , Federal Reporter 3d KF110 .F423
Federal Trial Court Cases: Federal Supplement KF120.F42, Fed.Supp.2d KF120 .F422
Electronic
For other online sources, see: Case Law Research - Legal Research Workstation and/or Web Resources-US Govt-Judicial
To identify Federal court cases on a specific topic or issue:
Do an electronic search, or try the following print resources:
West's Federal Digest - KF127 .W484
Encyclopedias, such as AmJur or CJS
Topical Treatises - see Library
Research Guides for appropriate titles