What's Available: Washington State “case law” refers to reported decisions of the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.  Court of Appeals cases are published as the Washington Appellate Reports and Supreme Court cases are published as the Washington Reports.  Decisions from the superior, district and municipal courts are not published and can only be accessed through each court’s respective clerk.

Identifying your issue: Before you can locate case law, you must determine the key words and phrases that identify your issue. What words might a court use to describe what has happened? How might you describe the people involved and their relationships? What are the results you are seeking? Checking secondary sources such as the Washington Practice treatises and legal encyclopedias can help you find legal terminology and may give you citations to useful cases.

Using Annotated Statutes: To find cases that discuss a particular statutory provision, use the Revised Code of Washington Annotated (RCWA) or the Annotated Revised Code of Washington (ARCW). These books are arranged by statutory title and each entry reprints the text of the statute, and follows it with Historical and Statutory notes, Cross References, Library References, and Notes of Decisions. If there are any cases noted (not all statutes have them), the entry will contain a brief description of the holding of the case, ending with the case name and citation. You can then use this citation to find the case (see Using a Citation below). Be sure to check the pocket part at the end of the volume for the most recent information.

Using Digests: A digest is a detailed index of case law organized by subject matter. Washington Digest 2d is located at call number KFW 57 .W47 1988. Begin in the Descriptive Word Index (Volumes 37 to 39). Look up each of the key words and phrases you believe describe your issue. If the word appears in the index, underneath it you will find a list of topics covered in the Digest. If any of these are relevant, note the key word and key number printed in bold typeface. (Key words are usually abbreviated: check the explanatory table at the beginning of each volume.) Next go to the main volumes of the set, organized alphabetically, and look up the key word. Within that section, you will find the particular key number you are looking for. Under each key number you will find a listing of cases. Each entry will contain a brief description of the holding of the case, ending with the case name and citation. Use this citation to find the case (see Using a Citation below). If you know the broad topic surrounding your issue, you can skip using the Descriptive Word Index. However, you may then miss references to other related areas.

Using Computer Databases in the Library: Westlaw and Lexis are two of the most common fee-based legal databases that can be accessed without cost, except for printing, while in the King County Law Library.  Both databases provide access to Washington State cases, statutes, administrative rules, and digests.  You can search using natural language or by linking words and phrases together in what is called a “terms and connectors” or "Boolean" search.  These online databases also provide access to Shepard’s Citations and Keycite, which means that once you find a case that looks interesting, you can search other cases which cite to that case, plus determine whether the case is still "good law." While computer databases are very helpful tools, they are not always the best place to start. When you search for a term or phrase, the computer looks for an exact match in the language of the opinion. If you have not exactly identified the language a court would use to describe the issue, you will miss numerous relevant cases.

Researching Case Law Outside of the Library: Washington case law can be found on the Internet for free from two websites: www.legalwa.org (1854 - present) and www.courts.wa.gov/opinions (last 90 days).  You can also use a limited version of Lexis called LexisONE, which includes cases from the previous five years. This web site requires a free registration. This web site is helpful if you are interested in both Washington State and Federal cases, as its scope is greater than just Washington State. 

Using a Citation: Case citations follow a standard format. The first number indicates the volume, the abbreviation in the middle indicates the name of the book, and the final number indicates the page. The same case is often reported in more than one series of books, resulting in what are called "parallel citations." For Washington cases, you will find a reference to the Pacific Reporter ("P." or "P2d"). This is not another case on the same issue, but is the identical case printed in another series. You will primarily want to use the Washington citations. The abbreviation "Wn.2d" or "Wash.2d" stands for Washington Reports 2d Series, while the abbreviation "Wash.App." stands for Washington Appellate Reports. Thus, 85 Wn.2d 685 refers to volume 85 of the second series of Washington Reports, page 685.

Where To Go Next: Once you have found a case or cases on point, you should Shepardize or Keycite them to determine whether they are still good law.

Can the library help me?  While we cannot provide legal advice, we can help you structure your search.  In addition, the Library offers free training for Westlaw and Lexis searching.  For a class schedule and more information, please visit the LRTC training calendar.