Key Databases for general case law research
The full list of legal databases is available from the Law section of the A-Z Databases List. Sometimes you will need to use a specialist database to access the full text of a particular judgment. However, the following sources are recommended as starting points for your case law research.
If you are referred to a case by citation, this is the easiest way to search as you can enter the citation directly in to the databases and find the exact case report you require.
However, if you only know the party names or the subject matter of a case, you can also use that to track down the judgment but be aware that you may well find multiple search results.
Lexis, Westlaw and vLex Justis will be invaluable to your online legal research. You'll find more information about these services and training and certification details on the Key Legal Databases LibGuide
When you are using the online databases for case law searching, be aware that many offer contextual information to help broaden your research and connect you with related materials. For example:
The database may link you related cases, legislation or commentary.
The database may give you an indication of whether the principles in your case are still 'good law' and/or show where the case has been applied, distinguished or referred to subsequently.
You may be able to jump between the judgments as the case moved through the courts; from High Court to Court of Appeal through to the Supreme Court, for example
You may be connected to legal definitions or current awareness articles on your legal terminology/ topic.
The added value features from the three main legal databases are highlighted here for illustration, but make sure to look out for similar functionality on the other databases you use during your research.
Precedent Map
The precedent map is a really useful tool for seeing your case in context and saving you time in examining related case law.
Find out more about the Precedent Map from this short video