How to Find an Ohio Case in the Law Library - FAQs- Legal Research Workstation
For an excellent discussion of Ohio’s print and electronic case resources for state and federal Ohio cases, see the Cleveland Law Library Association’s Frequently Asked Questions: How to Find an Ohio Case.
If you know the citation for a reported case:
Here are three parallel citations to the same reported case:
105 Ohio St.3d 1, 821 N.E.2d 984, 2004-Ohio-6893
A print copy of this case in the Law Library will be found in volume 105 of Ohio State Reports 3d Series, in the Ohio Room (1st Level, on the left after the Computer Lab) call number KFO 45 .A23, at page 1, or in volume 821 of West's North Eastern Reporter 2d Series at page 984. Use either West's Ohio Cases Reported in North Eastern Reporter, 2d Series, in the Ohio Room (a greenish set) KFO 47 .A2, or on the 2nd Level, in the West's Northeastern Reporter 2d Series KF 135 .N6 N63 (at page 984. The third citation, 2004-Ohio-6893, is the Ohio Supreme Court’s electronic citation to this case as found on the Court’s web site.
Electronic copies of this case will be found at:
- LexisNexis Academic - in the box Citation Number use any of the three parallel citations above.
- 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 the Court’s WebCite Number to retrieve the case)
- Casemaker (at the Legal Research Workstation): Click on Casemaker>Enter. Click on Ohio Library>State and Appellate Opinions (Search)>Advanced Search. (any of the three parallel citations above )
If you know the citation for an unreported case:
Here are three parallel citations to the same unreported Ohio Appellate case:
2004 Ohio App Lexis 2545; 2004 WL 1233975; 2004-Ohio-2859
Electronic copies of this case will be found at:
- LexisNexis Academic - In the Citation Number box use the 2004 Ohio App Lexis 2545 cite or the official court WebCite number: 2004-Ohio- 2859
- Ohio Supreme Court’s website: Reporter of Decisions, Opinions and Announcements : Use the Court’s WebCite number to retrieve the case.
- Casemaker (at the Legal Research Workstation): Click on Casemaker>Enter. Click on Ohio Library>State and Appellate Opinions (Search)>Advanced Search for unreported cases after 2002. Use the Webcite number. For unreported cases 1981-2002, use the Unreported Apps database. Try a search for the docket number, or a name search.
If you know one or more of the parties to the case:
In print to get a citation:
- West’s Ohio Digest - KFO 57 .W47 – Table of Cases volumes
- Ohio Jurisprudence 3d - KFO 65 .O3543 –- (Selective) Tables of Cases volumes
Electronic:
- LexisNexis Academic - use case name search boxes
- 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
- Casemaker (At the Legal Research Workstation): Click on Casemaker>Enter. Click on Ohio Library>State and Appellate Opinions (Search)>Advanced Search for reported and unreported cases after 2002. For unreported cases 1981-2002, use the Unreported Apps database. Use the advanced search feature. Type the names in the heading field, connect the names with "and", put phrases in quotes.
If you are looking for cases which discuss a particular subject or issue:
In print: Use case finding tools such as:
- West’s Ohio Digest - KFO 57 .W47 – Comprehensive topical outline of legal issues decided in Ohio courts with case digests and citations
- Ohio Jurisprudence 3d - KFO 65 .O3543 - Encyclopedic treatment of Ohio legal issues with citations to cases and statutes as well as secondary sources
- Ohio Revised Code Annotated Baldwin’s ORC: KFO 30 .A4 B3 or Page’s ORC: KFO 30 1953 .P3 ) – to find summaries of cases, with citations, interpreting sections of the Ohio Revised Code
- Subject specific treatises in the Law Library collection which cite to Ohio case law
Electronically:
- LexisNexis Academic>Select OH Federal & State Cases Combined
Method 2: LexisNexis Ohio State Cases Combined >enter search terms - 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 or Advanced Search Option on the Ohio Supreme Court's website. Sometimes the results are better.
- Casemaker: Click on Casemaker>Enter. Click on Ohio Library>State and Appellate Opinions (Search)>Advanced Search for reported and unreported cases after 2002. For unreported cases 1981-2002, use the Unreported Apps database.