What is a digest topic in Westlaw?

What is a digest topic in Westlaw? The West Key Number Digest contains the complete Topic and Key Number outline used by West attorney-editors to classify headnotes. Use the digest to locate Topic and Key

What is a digest topic in Westlaw?

The West Key Number Digest contains the complete Topic and Key Number outline used by West attorney-editors to classify headnotes. Use the digest to locate Topic and Key Numbers related to your issue and to retrieve headnotes classified under those Topic and Key Numbers.

How many subtopics are there in West’s Key Number System?

On Westlaw, it is now called the West Key Number System. He decided that all legal issues fell into one of 414+ broad topics. Each topic is divided into numerous subtopics, each of which is assigned an individual Key Number. There are over 90,000 Key Numbers!

How do I search for a topic 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.

What is a West topic?

The West topic and key number system provides a structure to organize legal concepts so that researchers can locate case law from any jurisdiction. The topic and key number system ties the reporters and the digests together. The system is based on headnotes that identify the legal issues in each case.

What is a digest topic?

What is a Digest? Digests are the major means of accessing case law by topic. A digest is both a subject index and a topical outline of case law. With rare exceptions, court reports are issued in chronological order.

What is the meaning of 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 is the key number system?

The West Key Number System is a classification system of U.S. law that indexes cases into over 400 topics and more than 98,000 legal issues. A key number consists of a topic number, followed by a number to identify the issue within that topic.

What is the key number?

How do I find a case law for a topic?

How To Find Free Case Law Online

  1. Introduction.
  2. Google Scholar.
  3. CourtListener.
  4. Caselaw Access Project.
  5. FindLaw.
  6. Justia.

What are 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.

What is West Key number System?

The West Key Number System is a classification system of U.S. law that indexes cases into over 400 topics and more than 98,000 legal issues. Westlaw assigns a topic and key number to each legal issue within a case. A key number consists of a topic number, followed by a number to identify the issue within that topic.

What is a headnote number?

Overview. 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.