Finding a published case on a particular point of law does not have to be time consuming, frustrating, or costly! Printed case law digests are an invaluable resource that when properly used, can save a researcher time and money.
We all learned in legal skills that reporters contain published cases in chronological order. But the chronological ordering of cases isn’t helpful when searching for an issue– a subject matter index is required to find cases that addresses a particular point of law. Digests are the index to the reporters! Investing a small amount of time and effort into learning to use the topic and key number classifications within the West Digest System is worthwhile endeavor. The following guides will show you the basics of what you need to know. Please contact the Reference Desk with any questions (x1419).
- To view CWSL’s Legal Research Guide click on the following link: How to Use the Digest System
- To view a CALI Lesson click on using the digest system, click on the following link: How to Find Case Law Using the Digests. (Note: CALI lessons requirecreation of an account at the CALI website. For information on how to do this, click here.)
