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BUSI 3312: Business Law

Tips for finding full text of cases, Shepardizing, etc. [No "Shepardizing" of cases offered to public/WT Community]

General Information

TIP: To search a phrase in Westlaw, you must put the words in quotation marks. Example: “wells fargo”.

Search for a Case by Citation: Westlaw

It is easier to find a case if you know the citation for it.

  1. At library home page, go to Databases A - Z.
  2. Click on "W."
  3. Click on Westlaw.
  4. In the single search box, type the word Find: (with colon), then type in the citation.
    • Example: Find: 550 U.S. 1
    • Do not need to choose a jurisdiction (such as All Federal or All State).
    • Do not need to change the default jurisdiction from All Federal when searching a state-level case.
    • Do not need to type the citation in "quotation marks."
  5. Click Search
    • TIP: the best way to find a particular case.

Search for a Case by Name: Westlaw

  1. Go to the Westlaw home page.
  2. By the single search box, click on the blue link to All Federal.  (Skip this step if you know the jurisdiction is Federal.)
  3. If you do not know the jurisdiction, leave the box checked for All Federal.
  4. If you do not know the jurisdiction, also check the box for All State.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Now searching All Federal and All State cases.
  7. Click on the link to Advanced (by orange search button).
  8. Type the case name in the box for Name/Title.
  9. Type in the name of the case. Example: "Watters v. Wachovia"
    • TIP: You must put the case name in "quotation marks."
  10. Click Search
    • TIP: If you see more than one case, choose the one with the citation you have (Example: 550 U.S. 1).