Skip to Main Content

LRAC Legal Research Class Site (Gotschall)

One Good Case on Westlaw

Once you find ONE GOOD CASE, you can use it to find additional cases on your specific legal issue.

Three ways! 

  1. Find cases cited as authority within your one good case (go backward in time!)
  2. Use KeyCite Citing References to find cases that cite your one good case (go forward in time!)
  3. Use West Key Numbers from your one good case to find cases on the same specific legal issue

Westlaw Example

You have found a useful case about statutory liability for dog bites regardless of knowledge of propensity for violence. You decide to use it to find other cases on the issue.

One Good Case on Lexis Advance

Once you find ONE GOOD CASE, you can use it to find additional cases on your legal issue.

Three ways! 

  1. Find cases cited as authority within your one good case (go backward in time!)
  2. Use Shepard's Citing References to find cases that cite your one good case (go forward in time!)
  3. Use LexisNexis Headnotes from your one good case to find cases on the same specific legal issue

Lexis Example

You have found a useful case about statutory liability for dog bites regardless of knowledge of propensity for violence. You decide to use it to find other cases on the issue.