Find a Case Using a Case Citation

A case citation consists of the following elements:

  • the names of the parties to the lawsuit
  • the volume number of the court reporter
  • the abbreviated name of the reporter
  • the page number on which the opinion begins
  • the year of the decision

Sometimes the name of the court deciding the case is included with the date.

Example: Gray v. Green, 514 S.W.2d 360 (Mo.Ct.App. 1974)

In this example, the plaintiff's name is Gray and the defendant's name is Green. The court opinion appears in volume 514 of the South Western Reporter, 2d Series (abbreviated S.W.2d). The opinion begins on page 360. The case was decided by the Missouri Court of Appeals in 1974.

Commonly Cited Case Reporters

Abbreviations of commonly cited case reporters and their locations in the library:

A. and A.2d

Atlantic Reporter
1886-1938; 1939-date
KF135.A7A8

B.C.D.

Bankruptcy Court Decisions
1973-date
KF1519.B34

B.R.

Bankruptcy Reporter (West)
1979-date
KF1515.A2W48x

Cal. Rptr.

California Reporter
1960-date
KFC47.C32 (upper level)

Cl.Ct.

United States Claims Court Reporter
1982-date
KF125.C5C54x

Ed.Law Rep.

Education Law Reporter
1981-date
KF4110.A2W48x

F.R.D.

Federal Rules Decisions
1939-date
KF8839.F4

F., F.2d, and F.3d

Federal Reporter
lst series (1880-1924); 2d series(1924-1993); 3d series (1993-date)
KF110

F.Supp., F. Supp.2d

Federal Supplement
lst series (1932-1998); 2d series (1998 to date)
KF120

L.Ed. and L.Ed.2d

Lawyer's Edition U.S. Supreme Courts Reports
1745-1956; 1957-date
Low stacks III, IV

M.J.

Military Justice Reporter
1975-date
KF7605.A2W4

N.E. and N.E.2d

North Eastern Reporter
1885-1936; 1936-date
KF135.N6N6x

N.W. and N.W.2d

North Western Reporter
1879-1942; 1942-date
KF135.N7N67x

N.Y.S. and N.Y.S.2d

New York Supplement
1888-1938; 1938-date
KFN5045.A33 (upper level)

P. and P.2d

Pacific Reporter
1884-1931; 1931-date
KF135.P2P3x

S.Ct.

Supreme Court Reporter (West)
1883-date
Low stacks III, IV

S.E. and S.E.2d

South Eastern Reporter
1886-1939; 1939-date
KF135.S6S68x

So. and So.2d

Southern Reporter
1887-1941; 1941-date
KF135.S8S69x

S.W. and S.W.2d

South Western Reporter
1886-1941; 1941-date
KF135.S9S68x

U.S.

United States Reports
1886-1928; 1928-date
Low stacks III, IV

U.S.L.W.

United States Law Week (BNA)
Recent decisions
KF 101.1 .B87x and on reserve

For abbreviations not listed here, check one of the following sources:

  1. tables in the backs of the law dictionaries located on top of the low stacks on the main floor;

  2. A Uniform System of Citation (also known as the Harvard Blue Book or the Blue Book), on reserve under call number KF246.U53x;

  3. Dictionary of Abbreviations Used in American Law Books, by Doris M. Bieber — call number KF246.B46, located behind the reference desk.

Once you have the full name of the reporter, check the online catalog to find the call number. Please see a reference librarian if you need assistance.

State reporters, such as the California Reporter and the New York Supplement, are located on the Upper Level North. They are arranged alphabetically by state. All other reporters are on the Main Floor in call number order. Duplicate copies of West's regional reporters (such as the North Eastern Reporter) are available on the Upper Level South.

Please note that the dates of coverage of the reporters differ from the date of publication of the first volume in the set, because cases decided prior to publication are often included