Research Guides: Law & Legal Research: Judicial: Courts & Cases

General Information on Courts (Judicial Branch)

About Federal Courts
For background information on court structure, role, administration, judges, statistics, and reports.
Federal Judicial Center
The education and research agency for the federal courts. Site contains research on court operations, procedure, and history, and educational materials produced for judges and court employees.
New Hampshire Judicial Branch
Information for jurors, lawyers, media, and students as well as self-help, court system, and other resources.
State Court Websites
From the National Center for State Courts. Access information on court structure as well as links to various courts sites in each state, territory, and District of Columbia.

Case Opinions and Related Materials

Westlaw Campus Research This link opens in a new window
An online legal resource for law-related areas such as criminal justice, social work, business and education. This research tool features legal encyclopedias, court decisions, law reviews and journals, statutes, and more.

HeinOnline
Law journals (including international), criminal justice journals, Federal Register (1936-2000), Treaties in Force (1932-2004), U.S. Reports (1754-2002), Attorney General Opinions (1791-1982). UNH users only.
United States Reports (Official opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court)
Contains volumes 1-570, covering the years 1754-2012. This collection will continue to grow as the Supreme Court digitizes more volumes of the U.S. Reports. Open access
Argument Transcripts - Supreme Court of the United States
PDFs of oral arguments back to 2000. Access open to all Internet users.
Where to Find Briefs (US Supreme Court)
Electronic versions of most filings submitted after November 13, 2017, are available through the docket for the particular case. Non-US Supreme Courts sources for older briefs are listed.
New Hampshire Supreme Court - Opinions
Opinions since 2002

Is the case still good law?

Make sure your case is still good law. Subsequent case law may affect the status of your case, particularly if later case(s) have reversed, overruled, or criticized the case you found.

There are two main case law systems that help find cases that have cited, or affected, a given case:

Shepard's on Nexis Uni and LexisNexis
KeyCite on WestLaw and WestLaw Campus Research (view Citing References and Negative Treatment, if any)

Using Shepard's or KeyCite can also help expand your research by leading you to other cases that are on the same topic because they interpret your case.

2d	Second series
3d	Third series

N.H.	New Hampshire Reports	reports opinions by the NH Supreme Court

F. Supp.	Federal Supplement	reports selected opinions of the US district courts
F.	Federal Reporter	currently reports decisions of the US courts of appeal & US Court of Federal Claims
U.S.	U.S. Reports	official record of the US Supreme Court, including rulings, orders, case tables, and other proceedings
S.Ct.	Supreme Court Reporter
L.Ed.	U.S. Reports, Lawyers' Edition