Anywhere you can find court cases alphabetically?

[Alice Clark]

Is there any way to find a case name spelling for a citation when they don't give the cite and one party of the suit isn't pronounced clearly?  I recently had a court hearing where I heard "Hartivert" or "Partivert" vs. Illinois Central Railroad, but I can come up with nothing.  I tried to Google Illinois Central Railroad cases but couldn't come up with anything.  The attorney definitely took two tries at saying this name so I don't know how close he got.

[Kyung]

I use Google.  But if you don't have case cite info or name, then it's going to be very difficult.  There's lots of cases against Illinois Central Railroad.  It could be anything.

I found one for Hartford v. Illinois Central Railroad

[Alice Clark]

Thanks, Kyung.  It turned out to be Hardlannert, which I found accidentally because he ended up quoting a few words from it somewhere else and I was able to Google those and it brought up the cite.  Praise Google!!!!  Life is so much easier with the Internet than it was in the "olden times." 

It's difficult when attorneys don't phonetically pronounce something.

[Kyung]

Awesome.

[Mary Jo Cochran]

I have been a legal assistant for a long long time.  Unless your case is a super famous, it's unlikely you will find it on the Internet.  You have two choices:  (1)  pay a monthly fee to a case law website, or (2) get familiar with your local law library. 

 

Books in the law library are sectioned off by the court district (First Federal, Second Federal, Third Federal, So. 2d's, etc.).  There is also Sheppardizing, The law library is free.  There are always a few copiers (and a soda machine).  A few years ago I knew of a case law website that was like $15.00 a month.  You should also be familiar with your State Bar Website.  You may find useful info there too.

 

[Alice Clark]

We get lucky in court because they are usually citing legal precedent for motions, so it should be hanging out there somewhere in cyberspace.  Google Scholar is some section of Google that includes lots of law references.  I just wish you could see all the cites for a particular defendant, say, where I might have looked at all the plaintiffs starting with "H" and come up with this.  Mary Jo, when they don't have the full cite but they say Fifth Circuit, should that be 5th Circuit?

[Mary Jo Cochran]

You don't need a full cite to find the actual case name and case number.  But knowing the district (5th circuit) sure gives you an indication that you have the right case.  If you get familiar with your law library and how to look up cases you can find the cite fairly quick.   If you have access to something like Lexis-Nexis you can find the case without leaving home.

 

Everyone should spend the $20.00 bucks for The Blue Book.  It gives you all the different ways in which cases are cited (ex: 532 So.3d 198).  The Blue Book is waaaay helpful.  So.3d if the Federal Court, Third Edition.  532 is the section of the book to go to (Book may say 432 - 540).  198 is the first page number.  If you know how to read the cites, you are on your way to being able to find the case law.

 

[Alice Clark]

The Blue Book is a good reference.  Don't know where mine has gone.  I was a legal secretary many moons ago so most of the cite information I know.  Thanks for the help.

[Mary Jo Cochran]

This might be helpful too.

 

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