CASES - PART 2

CASES - PART 2

I. Standard Search Strategies

A. Westlaw

scope - to determine what database/file contains
search IDEN database - for availability and coverage

i - to determine what Database contains
fields

sy,di - synopsis, digest fields will not search whole case but summary and headnotes, [e.g. sy,di(music and copyright)]

B. Lexis

i - to determine what Source contains
explore or search Source Directory
segments/dates in enhanced view

II. Search strategies for Cases

A. Westlaw

Key Number search on Westlaw - combine topic and key number with search terms [e.g. 99k! and Afair use@ and music ]
Use KEY Number service to determine useful key numbers or find key numbers in relevant case

KeyCite - provides history (including subsequent appellate history) of case and citations to it

B. Lexis

atleast#(term) on Lexis - require term to appear atleast # times [e.g. atleast3(music)]

Core Terms

Selected Text

SH - to shepardize case (on either service)

AC - Autocite, used to update particular case

III. Sample searches [in italics] (used in class)

A. Westlaw

allfeds - 99k1

This is a key number search on the nature of statutory copyright - (99 is the number assigned by Westlaw for the topic Copyright and 1 is the key number for nature of statutory copyright)

allfeds - 99k! and music! /p Afair use@

allfeds - copyright! /p music! /p Afair use@

allfeds - 99k! and sy,di(music! /p Afair use@)

natural language search

allfeds - When is distributing a musical work considered fair use for copyright purposes

KeyCite - 109 sct 2934

B. Lexis

Federal Cases - copyright! /p atleast3( fair use) /p music

freestyle search

Federal Cases - When is distributing a musical work considered fair use for copyright purposes

Autocite - 109 sct 2934

Shepardize - 109 sct 2934, then 492 us 302