How to find case briefs on Westlaw?
Asked by: Ms. Eveline Hodkiewicz | Last update: March 20, 2025Score: 4.9/5 (19 votes)
Westlaw - From the Westlaw Edge homepage, click on Briefs in the Content Types section. The briefs are organized as: Federal, State, and Topical. U.S. Supreme Court: Selected coverage begins with 1930. A limited number of selected older briefs may be included.
How to search for briefs on Westlaw?
Type the docket number in the Search for text box. To narrow your search to specific courts or court of appeals districts, select the check box next to the court (e.g., Supreme Court) or division (e.g., First District) you want to search. Click Search.
Where can I find a case brief?
- Westlaw.Court Express. Address: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/court-express. ...
- Proquest. Address: https://supremecourt.proquest.com. ...
- Gale. Address: https://gale.com/c/making-of-modern-law-us-supreme-court-records-and-briefs-1832-1978. ...
- Office of the Solicitor General.
Does Westlaw have case briefs?
Included on the site are briefs and petitions dated from 1990 for the California Supreme Court, and briefs and petitions dated from 1996 for the California Courts of Appeal. Briefs and petitions can be searched by docket number or case name.
How to find a brief?
You can find free copies of briefs filed in U.S. Supreme Court cases by the Solicitor General. You may find briefs filed in state cases on state court websites. The National Center for State Courts maintains a list of state court websites.
How to Find Forms and Briefs on Westlaw and Lexis
How to find briefs on LexisNexis?
- Docket Number (preferred) Searching for briefs by docket number is generally preferable to searching by parties' names, since the latter may change. ...
- Parties' Names. You can generally find briefs by searching for the parties' names.
What is a case brief?
Case briefs are a tool that law students may use to prepare for classes employing the “Socratic” or case method of teaching. They are also useful in preparing course outlines and for exams.
How do I find relevant cases on Westlaw?
On Westlaw, you can retrieve relevant cases with a keyword search or with West topic and key numbers found in a key number digest. Where Do I Find Cases? All cases published in West reporters (as well as many unpublished cases) can be retrieved on Westlaw.
Does Lexis have case briefs?
Find briefs, motion papers, and pleadings
To search for filings in a case for which you do not have a decision/opinion to start from, go to the "Content" tab (on the Lexis+/Legal Research home page) and select the "Briefs, Pleadings and Motions" collection.
Do case briefs need to be cited?
General Principles. It is important to adhere to a specific format when citing briefs, court filings, transcripts, and other court documents. Each document should start with its full name, abbreviated according to R10. 2.1(c), followed by a pinpoint citation, if applicable.
Are briefs public record?
Briefs, motions, pleadings and related orders are generally the most easily accessible court documents. They can be found in a variety of free and fee-based sources online, as well as in compiled sets of records and briefs (see section III).
How many pages is a case brief?
Try to keep your briefs to one page in length. This will make it easy for you to organize and reference them. Do not get discouraged. Learning to brief and figuring out exactly what to include will take time and practice.
Where to get case briefs on Reddit?
I would find a publicly available case brief via Quimbee or Casebriefs.com. I would read that brief and then read the case in full. It helped narrow down the important bits of the case from the greater chaff. Additionally, work your way into book briefing.
Can you find case briefs online?
LA Law Library maintains a broad collection of California Courts of Appeal briefs! LA Law Library is one of four libraries in the California to receive Court of Appeal briefs. While retaining a large number of briefs in print format, LA Law Library is also digitizing briefs and making them available online.
How do I search on Westlaw?
Type your query in the Search text box and click Search Westlaw. For assistance using Westlaw, call 1-800-WESTLAW (1-800-937-8529). For free reference materials, visit west.thomson.com /westlaw/guides. To search for a phrase, place the phrase in quotation marks.
How do I find articles on Westlaw?
You can take keywords from the title or the author, and search for them in the new Westlaw interface. The article title you entered should appear on the first page of results.
Can you find briefs on Westlaw?
Westlaw contains a collection of more than 2.4 million state and federal briefs and other court documents. Use briefs to learn how other attorneys have analyzed and argued issues similar to the ones you are arguing on appeal.
Why Westlaw is better than Lexis?
Schulke, legal reference librarian for the San Francisco Law Library for over 17 years, says he personally favors Westlaw over other search engines. The reason? “It features more California-specific materials. It's also easier for laypeople to use than Lexis.”
How do I find a Lexis case on Westlaw?
In both Westlaw and Lexis, you access this option by navigating to the Cases page then selecting the Advanced Search option. Note that you do have to navigate to the Cases page first; if you just go to "Advanced Search" from the home page, you won't see the advanced options that are specific to cases.
How do I search cases on Lexis?
- Click Advanced Search.
- Click Select a specific content type.
- Click Cases.
- Enter 93 and 2314 in the Number field.
- Enter eleventh in the Court field.
- Click Search.
How to find a relevant case?
The easiest way to find a case is by its citation - this is a unique identifier for the case. Sometimes, cases will have more than one citation, if they have been reported in different law report series. You can use any of the citations given to find a copy of this case.
Where can I find law school case briefs?
Quimbee has over 46,300 case briefs keyed to 988 casebooks. You won't find a more comprehensive library of case briefs anywhere. Quimbee's case briefs are keyed to the most popular law school casebooks, so you can be certain that you're studying the right aspects of a case for your class.
What are briefs in a court case?
A brief is a written argument submitted to the court. Lawyers often prepare briefs which highlight and clarify certain information or provide legal comparisons in an attempt to persuade the courtroom to rule in favor of that lawyer's client.
What is the use of brief case?
A briefcase is generally a bag used for carrying and transporting business essentials like paperwork, laptops and other gear to and from the office. A suitcase is larger and can hold all of the above as well as clothes and toiletries. It is generally used for overnight and extended travel.