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Cite Checking Guide for Law Reviews & Publication: Cases

Federal

Supreme Court

The official version of the United States Supreme Court opinions is the United States Reports.  Example: 310 U.S. 113 (1940)

PDF: HeinOnline (United States Reports and preliminary prints, 1754-present)

Print: Eckstein Law Library, first floor. Call Number: KF 102.1.U8 (entire set) 

Circuit Courts of Appeal

Federal Circuit Court of Appeals opinions are published in the Federal Reporter.  The Federal Reporter is published across three series (F., F.2d, F.3d).  Example: 216 F.3d 616 (7th Cir. 2000) 

PDF: Westlaw (PDF link, if available for the case, will appear at top and bottom of case text)

Print:  Eckstein Law Library, first and third floors. Call Number: KF 105.F43 (entire set on first floor; incomplete F.2d and F.3d on third floor) 

District Courts

Federal District Court opinons are published in the Federal Supplement.  The Federal Supplement is published across two series (F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d, F. Supp. 3d).  Example:  822 F. Supp. 416 (W.D. Mich. 1993).

PDF: Westlaw (PDF link, if available for the case, will appear at top and bottom of case text)

Print: Eckstein Law Library. Call Number: KF 120.F42; KF 120.F421 (complete set on first floor).

States

Regional Reporters

Many, but not all, reported state court decisions are available in PDF format from a link in the electronic version of the case on Westlaw.

If the case you need is not linked as a PDF on Westlaw, look for the citation in a printed West regional reporter. Most citations to state cases will be to one of West's seven regional reporters: Atlantic Reporter, Southern Reporter, South Eastern Reporter, South Western Reporter, North Eastern Reporter, North Western Reporter, Pacific Reporter. Regional reporters contains cases from multiple states, published in two or three series. Check Marqcat for the currency of each regional reporter in the collection. Eckstein Library no longer collects new regional reporters in print and coverage dates vary after 2012 for each regional series.  

PDF:  Westlaw (PDF link, if available for the case, will appear at the top and bottom of case text)

Print: Eckstein Law Library, third floor.  

Wisconsin Reports

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has designated the Wisconsin Reports as one of the official publications of Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions.  Wisconsin Reports is published across two series.

Print: Eckstein Law Library, first and third floors. Call Number: KFW 2445.R47; KFW 2445.R48