How do I find case law?
Answer
The Law Library maintains an archive of Minnesota appellate court opinions. Archived opinions date back to 1996 when the courts began making slip opinions available electronically.
Federal court decisions have been available online longer. There are a variety of websites that make federal and state opinions available. They vary in coverage, searchability and other features. Here are some free sites, in alphabetical order:
- FindLaw
- Google Scholar (allows searching of legal opinions and journals)
- Justia
- Legal Information Institute, from Cornell University Law School
- The Public Library of Law
You are also welcome to visit our library where you can use Westlaw and other legal research tools. Our reference librarians are available 8:00 am - 4:30 pm to assist you with your research. Here is a link to more information about visiting our library.
If you are looking for information that is not provided in this response, please let us know. You may submit a question to us or call us at: 651-297-7651.
Related Topics: Case Reports by Citation; Case Reports by Party Name; Unpublished Decisions.