federal case law research flowchart

Federal Case Law Research

Using the Federal Practice Digestto Identify Relevant Cases

10/7/2011 The Fred Parks Law Library, South Texas College of Law 1

Locate the Federal Practice

Digest on the third floor of the

library at call number

KF127.W454. (4th Series) Set faces the east window.

AND

OR

Peruse the list of Digest Topics in the beginning pages of each volume and choose a possible

topic.

Use the Descriptive Word Index and

identify a Digest Topic and Key Number

Federal Practice Digest 4th Descriptive Word Index volumes

Identify key word(s).

Examples: assault, contract,

due process, employment,

etc.

Find Digest Topics and Key Numbers

Some of the Digest Topics

List is in every

volume of the Digest.

Example of a key word search in the Descriptive Word Index.

Topics and Key Numbers are in bold.

Due Process

Additional Information to look for in the digest:.

The translation table is

after the topical outline.

Key numbers change.

Check the Key

Number Translation

Table.

Not finding what you need? Maybe the issue is covered by another topic?

At the beginning of the topical outline is a section on whether an issue is actually treated by the topic.

The Topical Outline is a Valuable Tool

Digest Topics are broken down into

subdivisions.

Case summaries under Con Law

Key Number 4478

Select cases to

read and

analyze.

What's in a Case Summary?

court abbreviation

If the opinion cites a

statute it is in a case

summary. If so, search U.S.C.A or U.S.C.S. to

expand and check

research.

case citation

Anatomy of a Federal Case Citation

Aon Financial Products, Inc. v. Societe Generale, 476 F.3d 90 (2nd Cir. 2007)

case name

volume

reporter abbreviated

title

page number court

abbreviated name

year of decision

Major Abbreviations for Federal Courts

• United States Supreme Court

• Courts of Appeals

• United States District Courts

U.S.

5th. Cir., D.C. Cir., etc.

S.D. Tex., D. Mass., etc.

Major Reporter Abbreviations• United States Reports• Supreme Court Reporter• United States Supreme Court

Reports, Lawyer's Edition• United States Law Week• Federal Reporter• Federal Supplement• Federal Rules Decisions

U. S.S. Ct. L.Ed, L.Ed.2d

U.S.L.W.F., F.2d, F.3dF. Supp., F.Supp. 2dF.R.D.

.Always check the pocket parts and

supplements. Consult information in the front of the digest volumes

for court and publication abbreviations.

A key number is no good without a Digest Topic. You need both to find a relevant

case.

Remember