How to Find Your Law Case

You can read and copy/print your law cases either in the law library or on the Internet.

HOW TO USE THE LAW LIBRARY: It is in the Law School, at the corner of Garland and Maple. Go in through the door on the left as you face the building. Turn immediately to the left and go up the stairs. At the top of the first flight, go through the doors ahead of you into the library.

If you go during the daytime, you can ask for one of the reference librarians, Mr. Jackson, who is familiar with the assignment. However, you can find your case by yourself.

YOU CANNOT USE LEXIS-NEXIS IN THE LAW LIBRARY. The law library has subscriptions toWestlaw and Lexis that are limited by contract to their faculty and students. However, Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe is available through Mullins Library and you may use it from computers in Mullins, at your house or in the campus computer labs -- but NOT at the law school.

The law library is mostly for finding your cases in the legal case reporters. Ask the desk person where the case reporters are kept. Find your case reporter (i.e., U.S., S.Ct., F.Supp., F2d, F.3d, P.2d, etc.). Look for the correct volume number, according to your citation:

For instance, 376 U.S. 254 (1964) is the citation. Find volume 376 of the U.S. Reporter. Then turn to page 254 and the case begins there. It may go on for 20 pages or 50 pages or maybe even more. Stop when you get to the next case. Be sure you include the concurrences and dissents at the end of majority opinion of your case.

Hint: If you want to copy your case, you can copy two pages at once if you set the copier on 85%.

<>HOW TO USE THE INTERNET: Lexis-Nexis an easy way to find your case. Go to the Mullins Library site. Under Find Information, click on Top Ten Databases. Click on Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. (You may be asked for your userid and password.) Right under Search, click on Legal. On the right side of the page, click on Federal and State Cases. Enter the citation (without the information in parentheses) into the "citation" box and click search.

This is just grazing the surface on how to do Lexis research. Consult the Mullins staff for more information -- it will help you with the remainder of your research.

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