What are the headnotes in Westlaw?

What are the headnotes in Westlaw?

Headnotes are summaries of specific points of law addressed in a particular case, drafted by Westlaw Attorney Editors to ensure that topics include relevant cases even where those cases may use atypical language.

How do I find headnotes on Westlaw?

Run a search at the home page using that topic and key number. For example, to search for cases with headnotes classified under topic 115 (Damages) and key number 101 (Expenses), type 115k101 in the search box at the top of the page, change the jurisdiction if necessary, and click Search.

Who writes headnotes for cases?

What Are Headnotes? Headnotes are summaries of a point of law that appear at the beginning of a case. Headnotes are written by editors at Westlaw and Lexis (sometimes the language is verbatim from the text of the opinion).

Can you cite Westlaw headnotes?

One important note: The headnotes and summary are NOT written by the court; they are written by West editors. Therefore, you should never cite to a case based on what you’ve read in the syllabus and headnotes; you must read the case and cite to the language written by the court.

Can you cite headnotes?

Headnotes appear before the judicial opinion and are generally written by a publisher’s editors. Headnotes are a great research tool but are not considered legal authority and should never be cited to.

What is the purpose of headnotes in law reports?

A headnote is a summary, appearing at the beginning of a full text law report, encapsulating as precisely as possible the principle of law which the case establishes. In some cases, this may consist of little more than a bald proposition, which in older reports used to be contained in a sidenote.

Are headnotes legal authority?

As the term implies, headnotes appear at the beginning of the published opinion. In 1906, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in United States v. that headnotes have no legal standing and therefore do not set precedent.

How do I use Westlaw headnotes?

Westlaw: Key Numbers

1. Once you find a case you like, read the headnotes that come at the beginning of the case and identify the headnote(s) most relevant to your issue.
2. Create a custom digest by clicking on a topic or key number link – this will show you a list of all cases that fall under the same topic and key number.

How do you use headnotes in Westlaw?

There are two ways to use this system in Westlaw: from the headnotes of a case or by browsing the key numbers. Once you find a case you like, read the headnotes that come at the beginning of the case and identify the headnote(s) most relevant to your issue.

Why should headnotes not be used in legal writing?

A headnote is a brief summary of a specific point of law decided in a case. Headnotes appear before the judicial opinion and are generally written by a publisher’s editors. Headnotes are a great research tool but are not considered legal authority and should never be cited to.

What is key number?

Key Numbers® A system devised by West Group involving the classification of legal subjects that are organized within their publications according to specific topics and subtopics. A particular point of law can be traced through different law books by following the cases listed under a Key Number in each series.

What are headnotes in Westlaw?

Headnotes are summaries of the issues in a case. They are not actually part of the opinion. Each headnote is numbered. Headnotes in a West reporter address a specific point of law in the case, including the relevant facts regarding that point of law. Headnotes in West reporters are written by the editors.

How to find more cases by headnote in West reporter?

Each headnote in a case published in a West reporter is assigned a topic and key number. These topic and key numbers can be used to find more cases on the same subject. Headnote 6 in this example has been assigned the topic of Damages and the key number of 57.21.

How are headnotes written in a legal paper?

Before a case is published in a reporter, an editor at West reads the case and selects the important issues of law. For each major issue, the editor then writes a short description called a headnote. These headnotes are typically found at the beginning of each opinion and help the reader quickly determine the issue(s) discussed in the case.

Is the LEXIS Advance headnote the same as Westlaw?

The Lexis Advance headnotes are numbered but even though this is the same case, the headnotes are not the same as in Westlaw. The headnotes are completely different. Here, we still have a headnote that deals with the elements of Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress. It is headnote number 5.