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How to Find a Case When All You Have is a Complete Citation

Research Basics #2 - Dorraine Zief Law Library Handout

Suppose, for example, that you are trying to find one of these two typical cases:

Li v. Yellow Cab Co. of California, 13 Cal. 3d 804; 532 P.2d 1226; 119 Cal. Rptr. 858 (1975)

Roosevelt v. E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 958 F.2d 416 (D.C. Cir. 1992)

Here are the steps to take:

1. Know the main parts of any case citation. These parts are labeled in this diagram:

Diagram of Parts of a Citation
(Almost all case citations follow this pattern of "name, volume, abbreviation for reporter title, page.")

2. Decode the abbreviation of the name of the reporter where your case is printed, to find its full title. Good sources for decoding abbreviations are:

  • Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations, 5th ed, KF 246 .B46 2000, LAW RESERVE and LAW REFERENCE DESK (or 4th ed., KF 246 .B46 1992 LAW REFERENCE DESK).

  • The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, 18th ed., KF 245 .U5 LAW RESERVE.

  • Attached chart of some of the most common case reporter abbreviations. (See below.)

If you have trouble with any abbreviation, just ask a reference librarian.

 

Once you learn the main parts of any citation and decode the abbreviations of the sample cases, you discover that the Li case is printed in three places:

  • Vol. 13 of California Reports, 3d Series, page 804
  • Vol. 532 of Pacific Reporter, 2d Series, page 1226
  • Vol. 119 of California Reporter, page 858

and that the Roosevelt case is in volume 958 of the Federal Reporter, 2d Series, at page 416.

Common Case Reporter Abbreviations*
Abbreviation Title of Reporter USF Call No.
  California Cases
(These are on the first floor.)		  
Cal., or C. California Reports KFC 45 .A2
Cal. 2d, or C.2d California Reports Second Series KFC 45.A22
Cal. 3d, or C.3d California Reports Third Series KFC 45 .A23
Cal. 4th, or C.4th California Reports Fourth Series KFC 45 .A24
Cal.App., or C.A. California Appellate Reports KFC 48 .A2
Cal. App. 2d,
or C.A. 2d		 California Appellate Reports Second Series KFC 48 .A212
Cal. App. 3d,
or C.A. 3d		 California Appellate Reports Third Series KFC 48 .A213
Cal. App. 4th,
or C.A. 4th		 California Appellate Reports Fourth series KFC 48 .A214
Cal. Rptr., or C.R. California Reporter KFC 47 .C32
Cal. Rptr. 2d
or C.R. 2d		 California Reporter Second Series KFC 47 .C322
Cal. Rptr. 3d
or C.R. 3d		 California Reporter Third Series KFC 47 .C323
   
Federal Cases
(These are on the second floor.)
 		  
U.S. United States Reports KF 101 .A212
S.Ct. Supreme Court Reporter KF 101 .A45
L. Ed. United States Supreme Court Reports,Lawyer's Edition [also known as "Lawyers' Edition"] KF 101 .A312
L.Ed. 2d United States Supreme Court Reports, Lawyer's Ed., Second Series [also known as "Lawyers' Edition 2d"] KF 101 .A313
F. Federal Reporter KF 105 .F43
F.2d Federal Reporter Second Series KF 105 .F44
F.3d Federal Reporter Third Series KF 105 .F45
F.Supp. Federal Supplement KF 120 .F4
F.R.D. Federal Rules Decisions KF 8839 .F4
Fed. Appx. West's Federal Appendix (unreported cases) KF 105 .F45
A.M.C. American Maritime Cases KF 1100 .A2 A43
U.S.P.Q. United States Patents Quarterly KF 3105 .A2 U5
U.S.P.Q.2d. United States Patents Quarterly Second Series KF 3105 .A2 U55
   
State Cases -- Regional Reporters
(Second floor,except as noted.)
 		  
A. Atlantic Reporter [In LAW COMPACT STORAGE, Lower Level] KF 135 .A7
A.2d Atlantic Reporter Second Series KF 135 .A7 A812
N.E. North Eastern Reporter [In LAW COMPACT STORAGE, Lower Level] KF 135 .N6
N.E. 2d North Eastern Reporter Second Series KF 135 .N6 N612
N.W. North Western Reporter [In LAW COMPACT STORAGE, Lower Level] KF 135 .N7
N.W. 2d North Western Reporter Second Series KF 135 .N72 S52
N.Y.S. New York Supplement KFN 5045.A33
N.Y.S. 2d New York Supplement Second Series KFN 5045 .A333
P. Pacific Reporter KF 135 .P2
P.2d Pacific Reporter Second Series KF 135 .P2 P312
P.3d Pacific Reporter Third Series KF 135 .P2 P313
S.E. South Eastern Reporter [In LAW COMPACT STORAGE, Lower Level] KF 135 .S6
S.E.2d South Eastern Reporter Second Series KF 135 .S6 S612
S.W. SouthWestern Reporter [In LAW COMPACT STORAGE, Lower Level] KF 135 .S7
S.W. 2d South Western Reporter Second Series KF 135 .S7 S612
S.W. 3d South Western Reporter Third Series KF 135 .S7 S613
So. Southern Reporter [In LAW COMPACT STORAGE, Lower Level] KF 135 .S8
So. 2d Southern Reporter Second Series KF 135 .S8 S612

* Beware: this chart shows abbreviations as they commonly appear in many law books Some abbreviations may not conform to the abbreviations required by legal citation manuals. Consult a citation manual before using an abbreviation in a legal document. [Return to chart.]

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