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United States Supreme Court Reporters -- Print
- United States Reports- Coverage: 1789 - present
- Notes: The early volumes of United States Reports were originally published as separate reporters (Dallas, Cranch, Wheaton, Peters, Howard, Black and Wall). For example, volume 33 of United States Reports was originally volume 8 of Peters Reports, so you will see this volume cited 33 U.S. (8 Pet.) in newer writings, but simply 8 Pet. in older cases. - United States Supreme Court Reports (Lawyers Ed.)- Coverage: 1789 - present
- West's Supreme Court Reporter- Coverage: 1882 - present
United States Supreme Court Reporters -- Online
- HeinOnline- Coverage: 1754 - almost present
- Availability: Licensed access for UW-Madison students, faculty, staff
- Notes: See the U.S. Supreme Court Library - Nexis Uni (contains United States Supreme Court Reports (Lawyers Ed.))- Coverage: 1790 - present
- Availability: Licensed access for UW-Madison students, faculty, staff - LLMC digital (contains West's Supreme Court Reporter)- Coverage: 1882 - 1921
- Availability: Licensed access for UW-Madison students, faculty, staff - Sources of Free Case Law on the Internet- Coverage: 1754 - present
- Availability: Free on Internet
Lower Federal Courts Reporters -- Print
- Federal Cases- Court(s): Circuit Courts of Appeal, District Courts
- Coverage: 1789-1879
- Notes: Early federal cases appeared in a variety of reporters, but were reprinted in Federal Cases, a retrospective companion to the Federal Reporter. - West's Federal Reporter- Court(s): Circuit Courts of Appeal, District Courts (until 1932), etc.
- Coverage: 1st Series, 1880 - 1924; 2nd Series, 1924 - 1993; 3rd Series, 1993 - present - West’s Federal Supplement- Court(s): District Courts (many district court cases are unreported)
- Coverage: 1st Series 1932- 1998; 2nd Series, 1998 - present - West’s Federal Rules Decisions- Court(s): District Courts (cases construing Federal Rules of Civil Procedure & Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure)
- Coverage: 1939 - present
Lower Federal Courts Reporters -- Online
- Nexis Uni- Court(s): Circuit Courts of Appeal, District Courts
- Coverage: 1789 - present (varies by court)
- Availability: Licensed access for UW-Madison students, faculty, staff - Sources of Free Case Law on the Internet- Court(s): Circuit Courts of Appeal
- Coverage: 1924 - present
- Availability: Free on Internet
Digests
- United States Supreme Court Digest- Court(s): U.S. Supreme Court
- Coverage: All United States Reports - Federal Digest- Court(s): All federal courts
- Coverage: Pre 1939 - Modern Federal Practice Digest- Court(s): All federal courts
- Coverage: 1939 - 1960 - West's Federal Practice Digest- Court(s): All federal courts
- Coverage: 1961 - present
Case Citators
- Shepards via Nexis Uni- Court(s): All federal and state
- Coverage: 1789 - present
- Availability: Licensed access for UW-Madison students, faculty, staff - KeyCite via Westlaw Patron Access- Court(s): All federal and state
- Coverage: 1789 - present
- Availability: Law Building only
Dockets & Filings
In addition to the opinions as appear in the reporters above, additional documents which were filed in a case may also be available, such as the complaint, briefs, etc. The case docket will list a of the documents were filed in a case.
Dockets are available electronically from the mid 1990s to the present. UW law school faculty and staff may request access to Bloomberg Law which has a collection of federal and state dockets. If you're not a UW law school faculty and staff member, contact a law librarian.
If you would like to see a copy of a case filing, please contact a law librarian. We can help you determine the best way to obtain the document. Note that there may be a fee involved.
