The document provides an overview of legal research and the various sources used. It discusses the different levels and types of law (federal, state, common law, statutes, etc.) and how legal decisions and laws are organized over time ("paper trail"). Reporters present cases chronologically while digests organize them by topic. It provides examples of major reporters and digests for federal court opinions, statutes, and administrative law. Two sample case citations are also included to demonstrate the standard format.

1. LEGALLEGAL
RESEARCHRESEARCH
An IntroductionAn Introduction

2. The Fabric of Law
Constitution, Common Law, Statutory, Administrative, Executive,
Treaties, etc.
Federal, State, Local

3. The law leaves a “paper trail”
•Need to be able to figure out what has been decided/passed before
(precedent)
•Need to know how current decisions/laws fit into that history
•Need to be able to find out if a 1945 court decision is still valid
•Increasingly, the “paper trail” is digital . . . .but the paper organization is still
important

4. Reporters and Digests
Reporters = Chronological
Digests = By Topic
Reporters = usually one court (system), agency, or body
Digests = often combining of multiple courts, statutes, etc.

5. Federal Court Reporters
Supreme Court
U.S. Reports (U.S.)
Circuit (Appeals) courts
Federal Reporter (F., F.2d, F.3d)
District (Trial) courts
Federal Supplement (F.Supp, F.Supp.2d)

6. Federal Statutory Law
“Reporter” = Statutes at Large (STAT)
“Digest” = U.S. Code (U.S.C.) (U.S.C.A.)

7. Federal Administrative Law
“Reporter” = Federal Register (FR)
“Digest” = Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.)

9. Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974).

10. Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974).
Name of Case
Party initiating case (Plaintiff or Appellant)
listed first

11. Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974).
Name of Case
Party initiating case (Plaintiff or Appellant)
listed first
Book Series
(Reporter/Digest)

12. Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974).
Name of Case
Party initiating case (Plaintiff or Appellant)
listed first
Book Series
(Reporter/Digest)
Volume Number

13. Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974).
Name of Case
Party initiating case (Plaintiff or Appellant)
listed first
Book Series
(Reporter/Digest)
Volume Number
Start Page Number

14. Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974).
Name of Case
Party initiating case (Plaintiff or Appellant)
listed first
Book Series
(Reporter/Digest)
Volume Number
Start Page Number
Date

15. Sidis v. F-R Publishing Company, 113 F.2d. 806 (2d Cir. 1940).
Lower Court Cases add indication
of what court decided case.

22. Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn, 420 U.S. 469 (1975)

23. Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn, 420 U.S. 469 (1975)

24. Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn, 420 U.S. 469 (1975)

25. Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn, 420 U.S. 469 (1975)

26. Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn, 420 U.S. 469 (1975)