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Legal Resources and Research
Federal & Texas Legal Sources
United States Supreme Court Opinions
- Nexis Uni (LexisNexis) This link opens in a new windowU.S. Supreme Court Cases Lawyers’ Edition (unofficial reporter) (1st & 2nd series) contains the full text opinions of Supreme Court cases since 1754. (The first Reporter in 1790 contained cases back to 1754). (The first 4 volumes, by Dallas, also included Pennsylvania court cases.) Shepardizing available for all cases.
Cited: L.Ed
- United States Reports: Cases Adjudged in the Supreme Court) (U.S.)Official reports of the United States Supreme Court.
Supreme Court Opinions (2012-current)
Bound volumes on Supreme Court website (1988-2016 Vol. 502-582)
Page images from Library of Congress (1754-2004) - Supreme Court Reporter (West) (S.Ct.)St. Paul: West Publishing Company
West's unofficial record of the Supreme Court. KF101 .S9
Cited: S.Ct.
Print: Storage Library - offsite (v. 1 1882-2015) (print no longer received)
LLMC Digital (UTSA) (1882-1925)
HathiTrust (1882-1922). (open access) St. Paul: West Publishing Company - Appellate Case Files of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1792-1831National Archives M-408
Microfilm (4th Floor): CD3023 .A45 no.214 (Reels 2 - 5)
Transcripts of records from lower courts, petitions for writs of error or certiorari and the writs themselves, amendments or supplements to the transcripts of records, exhibits, citations, appeal bonds, assignments of error, agreements of counsel, depositions, motions, orders, decrees, judgments, mandates, correspondence, a few briefs, and other documents. Description
Federal & State Court Opinions
- Nexis Uni (LexisNexis) This link opens in a new windowFull text access to Federal, State and District court case law decisions, law review articles, Shepardizing© for all cases, state and federal codes, regulations and constitutions. (Filter under "All Nexis Uni")
Legal Citation
Supreme Court by Citation
To find Supreme Court cases, use the appropriate set -- the source is abbreviated in the case citation. There is a table in the front of each volume of the Supreme Court Reporter (West Publishing) that can be used to convert a U.S. Reports citation to the appropriate Supreme Court Reporter citation.
A complete case citation provides the volume, source and page number.
For example: 100 U.S.124 indicates Volume 100 of the United States Reports, page 124.
If your citation abbreviation is "S.Ct."
the source is the Supreme Court Reporter (West Publishing)
If your citation abbreviation is "U.S."
the source is United States Reports: Cases adjudged in the Supreme Court.
If your citation abbreviation is "L Ed"
the source is U.S. Supreme Court Cases Lawyers’ Edition (1st and 2nd Series)
Online: Nexis Uni
Supreme Court Briefs
- Where to Find BriefsList from Library of Congress. UTSA does not subscribe to Westlaw, Making of Modern Law (Gale), nor Supreme Court Insight (ProQuest). See Nexis Uni
- Nexis Uni (LexisNexis) This link opens in a new windowComprehensive coverage of briefs did not start until 1979. Before that, it is selected coverage.
- Supreme Court BriefsU.S. Department of Justice - Office of the Solicitor General
Contains petitions for writ of certiorari and briefs filed by the Solicitor General, including briefs at the petition response stage, merits stage, and amicus briefs. 1985 to current - U.S. Supreme Court Appellate Cases, 1792-1831LLMC database >
Records and Briefs > USSC Appellate Cases
Government and Other Websites on Federal Courts
- The Federal Judiciary HomepageProvides both current and historical information about the United States Federal Judiciary. Includes links to publications, directories, and news.
- Federal Judicial CenterCreated by Congress in 1967, the FJC is the research and education agency for the federal courts. Site contains the results of research on federal court operations and procedures, court history, and biographies of federal judges back to 1789.
- Supreme Court of the United StatesOfficial site provides decisions same day released. Includes court's argument calendar, rules, schedules, bar admission forms, bound Supreme Court Reporter from 1991.
- Oyez Project: U.S. Supreme Court MediaMultimedia archive devoted to the Supreme Court of the United States and its work. Authoritative source for all audio recorded in the Court since the installation of a recording system in October 1955. Also provides information on all justices and offers a virtual reality Tour of portions of the Supreme Court building, including the chambers of some of the justices.
- Supreme Court - Oral ArgumentsOral and written transcripts of oral arguments are posted the same day the argument is heard in the Supreme Court. These same-day transcripts are considered official but subject to final review. 2010 - current.
- Immigration Law Advisor: U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration ReviewMonthly newsletter of significant court cases on immigration law. (2007-current)
- CQ Supreme Court Yearbook This link opens in a new windowA collection of annual reporting on the actions and opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court with clear, in-depth analysis of every decision made by the nation's highest court since the 1989-1990 term and the justices who ruled on them.
- CQ Supreme Court Collection This link opens in a new windowPart of the CQ Electronic Library Collection.
Famous Supreme Court Cases
- Nexis Uni (LexisNexis) This link opens in a new windowDiscover Topics > Criminal Justice > Landmark Supreme Court Cases
- CQ Supreme Court Collection This link opens in a new windowHistorical analysis and commentary of Supreme Court decisions, biographies of justices, Supreme Court institutional history, and the U.S. Constitution. Includes the Supreme Court Encyclopedia.
- Documents of American HistoryOnline: ACLS Humanities Project
Also located: JPL 3rd Floor E 173 .C66 1968
Two volumes. Contains a variety of documents including early landmark Supreme Court decisions such as Marbury v. Madison and Dred Scott. - Great American Court CasesVolume 1: Individual Liberties
Volume 2: Criminal Justice
Volume 3: Equal Protection and Family Law
Volume 4: Business Government - Shepard's Acts and Cases by Popular Names : Federal and StateLocation: JPL 3rd Floor KF90 .S52
Parts 1 - 3. Look in part 3 for cases. Indexes the more important laws and court cases by their popular names.
Supreme Court Justices: Biographies
The Supreme Court Justices: Illustrated Biographies 1789-2012 by Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: 2012 (3rd edition)Profiles every Supreme Court justice from John Jay through Elena Kagan. An original essay on each justice paints a vivid picture of their individuality as shaped by family, education, pre-Court career, and the times in which they lived.
The Supreme Court Justices : A Biographical Dictionary by Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: 2014Series of signed essays on the 107 men and women who have served on the bench, from John Jay to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, each written by a historian or legal scholar.
