Federal Case Law Research
Using the Federal Practice Digestto Identify Relevant Cases
10/7/2011 The Fred Parks Law Library, South Texas College of Law 1
Locate the Federal Practice
Digest on the third floor of the
library at call number
KF127.W454. (4th Series) Set faces the east window.
AND
OR
Peruse the list of Digest Topics in the beginning pages of each volume and choose a possible
topic.
Use the Descriptive Word Index and
identify a Digest Topic and Key Number
Federal Practice Digest 4th Descriptive Word Index volumes
Identify key word(s).
Examples: assault, contract,
due process, employment,
etc.
Find Digest Topics and Key Numbers
Some of the Digest Topics
List is in every
volume of the Digest.
Example of a key word search in the Descriptive Word Index.
Topics and Key Numbers are in bold.
Due Process
Additional Information to look for in the digest:.
The translation table is
after the topical outline.
Key numbers change.
Check the Key
Number Translation
Table.
Not finding what you need? Maybe the issue is covered by another topic?
At the beginning of the topical outline is a section on whether an issue is actually treated by the topic.
The Topical Outline is a Valuable Tool
Digest Topics are broken down into
subdivisions.
Case summaries under Con Law
Key Number 4478
Select cases to
read and
analyze.
What's in a Case Summary?
court abbreviation
If the opinion cites a
statute it is in a case
summary. If so, search U.S.C.A or U.S.C.S. to
expand and check
research.
case citation
Anatomy of a Federal Case Citation
Aon Financial Products, Inc. v. Societe Generale, 476 F.3d 90 (2nd Cir. 2007)
case name
volume
reporter abbreviated
title
page number court
abbreviated name
year of decision
Major Abbreviations for Federal Courts
• United States Supreme Court
• Courts of Appeals
• United States District Courts
U.S.
5th. Cir., D.C. Cir., etc.
S.D. Tex., D. Mass., etc.
Major Reporter Abbreviations• United States Reports• Supreme Court Reporter• United States Supreme Court
Reports, Lawyer's Edition• United States Law Week• Federal Reporter• Federal Supplement• Federal Rules Decisions
U. S.S. Ct. L.Ed, L.Ed.2d
U.S.L.W.F., F.2d, F.3dF. Supp., F.Supp. 2dF.R.D.
.Always check the pocket parts and
supplements. Consult information in the front of the digest volumes
for court and publication abbreviations.
A key number is no good without a Digest Topic. You need both to find a relevant
case.
Remember