Last updated: January 25, 2001
Maag Library has several major sets (sometimes called reporters) of court cases (Federal and Ohio). To find a case in one of these reporters you usually need a citation that looks like this: 54 US 579 (volume 54 of the U S Reports, page 579). There are several sources in which to look for a citation. Legal encyclopedias (like American Jurisprudence, KF 154.A42; or Ohio Jurisprudence, KFO 65.O35) and legal digests (see below) can assist you in finding pertinent cases relating to a legal topic. In addition to resources in paper format, there are electronic resources available. See the partial listing under Electronic Resources at the end of this guide. Other guides available are Law (General) and Law (Statutes).| Finding Aids | Ohio
Court
Cases |
| Federal
Court
Cases |
Electronic
Resources |
KF 127.M6
Modern Federal Practice
Digest. 1931-1961.
KF 127.W48
West's Federal Practice
Digest. 1961- .
KFO 57.W4
West's Ohio Digest.
1803- .
Ref. KF 385.A4J64 1992
Historic U.S. Court
Cases. 1690-1990.
Ref. KF 90 .S52
Shepard's Acts and
Cases by Popular Names. Arranged alphabetically by case name,
e.g., Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade.
Ref. KF 8741.A8C6
U.S. Supreme Court
Bulletin. Includes the text of recent decisions.
Per. K 24 .N52
United States Law
Week. Updates information on federal court cases and gives text
and digests of significant federal agencies.
Per. KF 9615 .C7
BNA Criminal Law Reporter.
Per. K 15 .H5
Ohio State Law Journal.
Gives case notes on recent Ohio cases.
See also Electronic
Resources below.
KF 101.U5
United States Reports
... Cases adjudged in the Supreme Court. (US) This is the
official version of the decisions. The most current U.S. Reports arrive
as individual pamphlets called "slip opinions" and are shelved Government
Documents (sixth floor) under the number JU 6.8/B: then by case number.
Eventually these are collected and published in paperback supplements called
"advance sheets" (JU 6.8/A: ) before being published in the final hardbound
edition.
KF 101.U52
United States. Supreme
Court Reports. (L.Ed.) Annotated by Lawyer's Cooperative
Publishing Co.
KF 132.A5
American Law Reports
Annotated. (ALR). Selected appellate cases of general interest
and importance. Discusses points of law based on relevant cases.
KF 101.F412
Federal Reporter:
Cases Argued and Determined in the Circuit Courts of Appeals of the United
States. (F2d, F3d)
K 345.4.F4
Federal Supplement:
Cases Argued and Determined in the United States District Courts, United
States Customs Courts, Special Courts .... 1931 to date.
See also Electronic
Resources, below.
KF 135 .N6N63
Northeastern Reporter,
Second series (NE2d) Cases from the courts of Illinois,
Indiana, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio.
Ohio Opinions.
(O.O) Reports of all Ohio Courts. Superseded in 1982 by Ohio Official
Reports.
[1st] KFO 45.2 O39
2d
KFO 45.2 O392
3d
KFO 45.2 O393
KFO 47 .O32
Ohio Official Reports.
All Supreme Court, Appellate and Miscellaneous cases since 1982. Updates
in Current Periodicals.
Ohio State Reports.
(O.S.) Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court
of Ohio, originally published separately. 2d-3d series found in Ohio Official
Reports.
[1st]
KFO 45.1 .O48
[2d]
KFO 45.1 .O48 2d ser.
[3d, v.1-61]
KFO 47 .O32
[3d, v.61- ]
KFO 47 .O325
Ohio Appellate Reports.
(O.A.) Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Courts of Appeals
of Ohio. Now included in Ohio Official Reports.
[1st]
KFO 48 .A4
[2d,v.1-54]
KFO 45.1 .O48 2d ser. (Ohio Official)
[2d,v.55-70] KFO 45.2
.O393 (Ohio Opin. 3d, v.9-24)
[3d,v.1-61]
KFO 47 .O32 (Ohio Official)
[3d,v.61- ]
KFO 47 .O325 (Ohio Official)
OhioLINK Reference Databases
OhioLINK databases are restricted to current faculty, staff and students of OhioLINK member institutions.
Education Abstracts. An electronic version of the printed Education Index. Author, title and subject index to over 400 educational periodicals, yearbooks and book series since 1983. Includes references to School Law.
Index to Legal Periodicals and Books. Gives references to literature on law (1981--date).
Lexis-Nexis Universe. A full text database including legal news, state and federal legislation, and state and federal court cases.
A Matter of Fact. References from over 800 sources including journals and government documents on political, health and population issues.
Newsbank
Newsfile Collection
A guide to newspaper articles
from all over the U.S. Full text is available from 1991-to date.
PAIS Database. An international database providing references to the literature on government, public policy and public affairs.
Periodical Abstracts. References to articles from general periodicals including popular magazines and professional journals in all subject areas.
Newspaper Abstracts 1989-present or segments: 1997-Present ; 1989-1996. References to articles in over 30 newspapers nationwide, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal from 1989 to date.
World Wide Web
There are numerous resources available on the World Wide Web. See Maag's Government Documents homepage under the sections Law & Legislation (Includes THOMAS and other legislative sites, court cases), Congressional Information, and GPO Access (Federal Register and other helpful databases) for those resources available through the United States Government. There is also a list of Tax & Law Abbreviations for materials owned by Maag Library.
Maag Library's Subject
Resources for Law contains a number of recommended web resources.