LibGuides: Legal Research Resources for USD Students (Non-Law): Federal Courts & Case Law

United States Supreme Court

Supreme Court of the United States
This official website includes opinions from 1991 to the present. Under "Opinions," cases from 2009 to present term. Scroll down to "Bound Volumes" for 1991 to 2008. Under "Case Documents," one can search for dockets by number or case name. The site also includes audio and written transcripts of Court arguments.
HeinOnline's U.S. Supreme Court Library (USD log in required)
This collection includes the Constitution, Rules of the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Reports (1754-2009), the United States Reports Slip Opinions (2002-present), and books and periodicals about the Court.
LexisNexis Academic Universe (USD log in required)
Refer to the diagram on the Courts and Case Law tab. Under Legal, choose "Landmark Cases" to browse cases by topic. Or choose "Federal and State Cases" and Advanced Options, check the box by U.S. Supreme Court, and use the box to conduct a segment search e.g. Name (party), keyword or Boolean search.
LexisNexis Academic Universe's U.S. Supreme Court Briefs (USD log in required)
All briefs available for cases granted certiorari beginning after the 1993-1994 term. with selected coverage from 1936.
FindLaw's U.S. Supreme Court Opinions
Search Supreme Court opinions from 1893 to present by citation, party names, keywords, or year.
The Oyez Project at Chicago-Kent College of Law
The Oyez Project site "is a multimedia archive devoted to the Supreme Court of the United States and its work. It aims to be a complete and authoritative source for all audio recorded in the Court since the installation of a recording system in October 1955." This site also provides a summary of the facts of cases, questions presented and the Court's conclusions. Links to the full text opinions are provided through Justia.
The American Bar Association's Preview of United States Supreme Court Cases
Provides links to the briefs filed for current and past cases and to the Supreme Court's Argument Calendar.

United States Courts of Appeals and District Courts

LexisNexis Academic Universe (USD log in required)
Refer to the diagram on the Courts and Case Law tab. Under Legal, choose "Federal and State Cases," and click on Advanced Options. Limit search by checking individual Circuit Courts and/or all District Courts. Use the box to conduct a segment search e.g. Name(party), keyword or Boolean search.

FindLaw (Thomson Reuters)
Search Circuit Courts of Appeals individually by party name, keyword, docket number, or year. The "Federal Trial Courts, Boards, and More" links take researchers to official court websites.
Google Scholar
Choose "Case law" and click on "Select courts..." Check the box beside the courts to search. Click "Done." Enter a simple query, or conduct an Advanced Search by clicking the arrow for the drop-down box. Display results lists by relevance or reverse chronological order.
GPO's FDsys
United States Circuit Courts, District Courts, Bankruptcy Courts and Court of International Trade decisions from April 2004 to present. Search by court and then by date.
Justia's Federal District Court Case Law
Locate United States District Court opinions by citation (Bankruptcy Reporter, Federal Reporter, and Federal Supplement 2d and 3d) and by individual district court and year.

Determining Whether A Case is Still "Good Law"

When a case has been reversed or overruled, it is considered "bad law" and should not be cited as precedent. Use "Shepard's Citations" in the LexisNexis Academic Universe database to determine whether a case remains "good law." Refer to the diagram on the Courts and Case Law tab. Select Legal and click on "Shepard's Citations." Type in the case citation. Shepard's will list other cases that have cited the case, as well as the history of the case within the court system.

For more information about updating legal resources in general and using Shepard's Citations in particular, please refer to the American Association of Law Libraries' "Public Law Toolkit - Updating"

Federal Court Information

U.S. Courts' Court Locator
Click on the Circuit Map or use Advanced Search to search by type of court, zip code, city & state, circuit, or area code.
United States Courts (Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts)
This site provides extensivev information about the Federal Court System, including statistics and forms.
Federal Judicial Center
The FJC is the education and research agency for the federal courts. This site contains the results of the Center's research on federal court operations, procedures, and court history.
Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)
PACER allows public acces to case and docket information online from federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts. Users must register and there is a $.10 per page usage fee.
Justia's U.S. District Courts and Courts of Appeals Filings
May search by party name, by jurisdiction, lawsuit type, and limit by date case was filed. Also browsable by state, nature of suit and case name.
Understanding the Federal Courts
This 54-page publication (in PDF) provides an introduction to the federal judicial system, its organization and administration, and its relationship to the legislative and executive branches of the government. Published by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts in 2003.
Creating the Federal Judicial System, 2nd ed,
Russell R. Wheeler and Cynthia Harrison (Washington, DC: Federal Judicial Center 1994)