NOTE: Lexis and Westlaw frequently update the appearance of their webpages to keep them fresh. Thus, the screenshots shown in this section may not exactly match the database's current screen. However, the functionality of the page remains the same. So, for example, if the screenshot has you clicking on a tab labeled, "Federal materials" with a white background, the tab in the current version of the database might have a dark blue background and be slightly lower on the page.
There are three key methods for locating relevant federal cases in print and online:
1. By citation or party name.
2. By subject using keywords or phrases.
3. By subject using the headnotes in one good case. The ability to find more cases using headnotes is a major reason lawyers pay for subscriptions to Westlaw and Lexis.
From the Westlaw homepage, click Federal Materials and Federal Cases.
Then, click on the Advanced link to the right of the search bar. Because you previously clicked Federal Cases on the homepage, now clicking the Advanced link will give you a Party Name field and other fields that can help refine a search for case law.
Enter the name of the party into the Party Name field.
If you know the names of other parties, you can enter those into the Party Name field as well. If you know other information about the cases, you can enter that information into the other available fields. For example, you can further narrow your search to a year or date range.
Click on the search icon to retrieve a list of federal cases with the parameters you set.
Using the Party Name field means that Westlaw only retrieves cases where these names are used for parties. This provides more relevant results than simply using the search bar, because the search bar would retrieve cases where these names were mentioned in the text of a case, for example in citations to other cases.
To retrieve federal cases by party name in Lexis, select Federal, then All Federal Cases, or choose a circuit if you only need cases from one circuit.
Then, use the Party Name field to search for one or more party names in that jurisdiction.
Using the Party Name field means that Lexis only retrieves cases where these names are used for parties. This provides more relevant results than simply using the search bar, because the search bar would retrieve cases where these names were mentioned in the text of a case, for example in citations to other cases.
For help formulating a search for federal cases in Westlaw, first select Federal Materials, then Federal Cases.
Then select the Advanced link to the right of the orange search icon.
To the right is a list of connectors and expanders that can help you combine search terms. If you use the “Find documents that have” search boxes, Westlaw will insert the connectors for you.
For help formulating a search for federal cases in Lexis, select Federal, then All Federal Cases, or choose a circuit if you only need cases from one circuit. If you choose All Federal Cases, you will automatically be placed in advanced search.
If you choose a circuit, select the Advanced Search link above the search box.
To the right is a list of connectors that can help you combine search terms. Or, you can use the Terms search boxes and Lexis will insert the connectors for you.
West assigns a broad topic and specific key number to every legal issue and sub-issue addressed in each opinion it publishes. West adds summaries of these legal issues with their assigned topics and key numbers to the beginning of the opinion. These summaries are called headnotes. Each headnote is numbered to correspond to the place in the opinion where that issue is addressed.
First, it may be helpful to ensure that Grid View is selected for the headnotes, to ensure that the numbers are visible for the key numbers.
When you find the place in an opinion where an issue is discussed, to find more cases on the same legal issue, go to the related headnote. For example, you might focus on this portion of United States v. Harrison, 689 F.3d 301 (3d Cir. 2012).
Headnote 12 is assigned the topic Searches and Seizures, and the key number 28. Click the key number to find more cases on abandoned, surrendered, or disclaimed items within the context of search and seizure.
Westlaw will assume which jurisdiction you want to search within for more cases. In this example, Westlaw assumes you wish to search for more 3rd Circuit cases. Select the Change link to add, change, or remove jurisdictions. Then, click Apply.
You can also use the filters on the left to filter your results by jurisdiction and by date and limit your results to cases that contain specific terms.
When you find a good case on a legal issue, you can use headnotes on Lexis to find additional cases on that issue.
Headnotes are not exactly the same on Lexis as they are on Westlaw, because the editors at each publisher use their own judgment about where to place a headnote and how to summarize the issue. On Lexis, each headnote is assigned topics and sub-topics.
When you find the place in an opinion where an issue is discussed, to find more cases on the same legal issue, go to the headnote.
For example, you might focus on this portion of United States v. Harrison, 689 F.3d 301 (3d Cir. 2012). Clicking HN7 will take you to headnote 7 above the opinion. (Headnotes are numbered in the order that the issues are discussed in the opinion.)
To find more cases on abandoned property, use the topic trail above headnote 7. Click the downward triangle next to the subtopic Abandoned Property within the broad topic Criminal Law & Procedure and choose Get documents.
Then you can use the filters on the left to narrow your results. For example, you can enter terms to search within your results, choose a court, and limit your search by date.