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Finding Federal Cases

Use Westlaw Campus Research (Opens in new window) to locate materials from a wide range of federal court jurisdictions: District Courts, Circuit Courts, the Supreme Court, and other special courts (bankruptcy, tax, etc.). This database may also be used to search for materials from the states (see text boxes below).

You may enter your search terms on this main screen, then limit results to the material type desired later (cases, for example).

Main screen of Westlaw Campus Research showing categories of materials available in this database, including cases.

Alternatively, you may select the Cases category from the main menu and search cases only.

Illustration of the Court Cases menu in Westlaw Campus Research, showing all federal cases available.

The basic search box in Westlaw Campus does "smart searching" and often provides results suitable for the research project in hand. There's also an advanced search feature which is extremely useful when tailored results are needed, for example, dissents written by a particular Supreme Court justice. As illustrated below, the advanced search provides many case-specific search fields like synopses, holdings, dissents, concurrences, docket numbers, etc.

Advanced search form for court cases in Westlaw Campus Research.

Advanced search for court cases in Westlaw Campus Research.

For additional materials, consider the following options.

Finding State Cases - Massachusetts and Beyond

Westlaw Campus Research includes a large collection of cases by state. The numbers and levels of court coverage provided varies by state.

 

State court search menu in Westlaw Campus Research.

Federal and state court cases may be searched together (limit of three jurisdictions per search).

Federal and state courts may be searched simultaneously. The limit is three jurisdictions per search.

Massachusetts Courts and Cases

Cases from Other States

Need more help?

Please e-mail Roxanne Palmatier, Legal Studies Librarian.