Basic Search Guide for National Reporter System databases
[bottom]

Contents


  1. To Begin Search.
  2. Searching using a key number.
  3. Searching for a case by name of party.
  4. Searching for cases using a neutral citation.
  5. Searching for cases using an MLB citation.
  6. Searching for cases that refer to a particular case.
  7. Searching for cases that refer to a particular section of a statute.
  8. After you have found your case, how to find other similar cases.
  9. Date searching.
  10. Query within - to reduce a hit list.
  11. Searching for words and phrases topics in headnotes.
  12. Operators or commands.

1. To begin Search.   A user name and password is required to search the NRS Databases. Register online (click on Resources and then Register with MLB or call 1-800-561-0220 and ask for customer service. Registration provides immediate access to the databases.

To see list of available databases click on Resources and then Databases on the opening screen.

Search all 12 databases (10 provincial databases plus databases for the Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Canada) by navigating to the Cases & Raw Law Search page.

2. Searching using a Key Number.

Use of a Key Number saves time and ensures a complete list of cases on point. To find a key number navigate to the Key Number Search page or call 1-800-561-0220 and ask for an editor or service representative. Note that a Key Number search searches only headnoted cases and does not search unedited cases.

Key number links. A list of cases or a hit list can be generated by clicking on any key number in the Key Number Database. For example, by selecting the title Criminal Law from the drop down box and then on the number 5867, the next screen will list approx. 140 cases from all databases that deal with sentences for the crime of arson. The Refine Search feature found at the top of the hit list can be used to get a list of cases from only one province. (for example, if you want only New Brunswick cases, select New Brunswick Reports from the drop down box and click the arrow to the right).

Search without links. If you are searching without using the key number links for cases involving sentences for the crime of arson you can use a key number as follows:
navigate to the Cases & Raw Law Search page;
in the Search All Documents box type Criminal Law Topic 5867;
select one or more databases;
click on the Search button;
the next screen will list the cases;
to view or download a case click on the case name link.

Note: our editors recommend the use of key numbers as our quickest and most effective search strategy.

3. Searching for a case by name of party.     If you are searching by using a name of one of the parties; you can search the Indexed As names. Using the name Pelech as an example, do the following:
navigate to the Cases & Raw Law Search page;
select Find Case by Indexed As from the drop down box at the Search Tools function;
in the Search box type Pelech;
click on the Search button;
the next screen will list the cases.

You can also search the style of cause for the name Pelech by doing the following:
navigate to the Cases & Raw Law Search page;
select Search in Style of Cause from the drop down box at the Search Tools function;
in the Search box type Pelech;
click on the Search button;
the next screen will list the cases.

4. Searching for cases using a neutral citation.    
navigate to the Cases & Raw Law Searchpage;
type the neutral citation in the Search box;
click on the Search button;
the next screen will list the cases.

5. Searching for cases using an MLB citation.     If you are searching for a case by using a MLB citation; using 9 B.C.A.C. 1 as an example, do the following:
navigate to the Cases & Raw Law Search page;
select Find Case by MLB citation from the drop down box at the Search Tools function;
in the search box type 9 B.C.A.C. 1;
click on the Search button;
the next screen will list the cases;

Note: This type of search will find only the case at 9 B.C.A.C. 1. To search where this case was cited, click on the cite at the top of headnote - the next screen will list other cases where this case was judicially considered.

6. Searching for cases that refer to a particular case.    If you are searching for cases that refer to the Supreme Court of Canada case of Pelech v. Pelech, do the following:
navigate to the Cases & Raw Law Search page;
in the search box type Label Pelech v. Pelech;
click on the "Search" button;
the next screen will list the cases;

Note: The addition of the word Label before the word Pelech will create a list of all cases with paragraphs that start with the word Pelech, such as entries under Cases Noticed in a headnote. This type of search targets cases listed in headnotes and not necessarily cases in the text of a decision.

7. Searching for cases that refer to a particular section of a statute.    If you are searching for cases that refer to s. 298 of the Criminal Code (defamatory libel) do the following:
navigate to the Cases & Raw Law Search page;
select Search in Statutes Noticed from the drop down box at the Search Tools function;
in the first search box type Criminal Code;
in the second search box type 298;
click on the "Search" button;
the next screen will list the cases;

To search simultaneously for several sections of a statute do the following:
navigate to the Cases & Raw Law Search page;
select Search in Statutes Noticed from the drop down box at the Search Tools function;
in the first search box type Criminal Code;
in the second search box type 298, 299, 300 (etc);
click on the "Search" button;
the next screen will list the cases;

8. After you have found your case, how to find other similar cases?

Use the links in the headnotes as follows:

- click on the cite at the top of headnote -
the next screen will list other cases where this case was judicially considered.

- click on the "Indexed As" name -
the next screen will list other decisions with the same "Indexed As" name (i.e. a case history).

- click on a topic number -
the next screen will list cases that have the same topic or point of law.

- click on a case name in Cases Noticed -
the next screen will list other cases that referred to the case noticed.

- click on the citation following the case name in Cases Noticed -
the next screen will show the full text of the case cited.

- click on a section number in Statutes Noticed -
the next screen will list other cases where this section was judicially considered.


9. Date Searching (find judgments by date).    A date range option is available on the Cases & Raw Law Search page.

10. Query Within. Use this feature to reduce or refine a hit list.

After you have generated a hit list you will see at the top of the hit list a Refine Search box:
1. Type new search string;
2. Use the drop down box in the Refine Search feature to choose Current Results
3. Click arrow to generate a new hit list;
Note: You can also use the Refine Search feature to do a new search. Type in a new search and choose All Databases or a single database from the drop down box. Use Standard Search as described above but choose date range where indicated.

11. Searching for Words and Phrases Topics in Headnotes. This search strategy will find cases that include a Words and Phrases topic in a headnote. For example find cases where the word "parent" has been judicially considered by doing the following:

Use this feature to reduce or refine a hit list.

After you have generated a hit list do the following:
navigate to the Cases & Raw Law Search page;
select Search in Judicially Defined Words from the drop down box at the Search Tools function;
in the Search box type parent;
click on the Search button;
the next screen will list the cases.

12. Operators or commands.

- // two forward slashes - within the same paragraph - e.g. /2/ = within two words in the same paragraph;

- \\ two back slashes - within a paragraph of - e.g. \2\ = within two paragraphs;

- and - e.g. criminal and negligence - finds cases containing words "criminal" and "negligence" - using criminal negligence finds phrase "criminal negligence"
(Caveat: do not use an ampersand for the word and);

- or - e.g. criminal or negligence - finds cases containing words "criminal" or "negligence";

- not - e.g. criminal not negligence - finds cases containing the word "criminal" but not "negligence";

- in - e.g. 298 in criminal code - finds cases containing 298 in a paragraph starting with the words "criminal code" - e.g. Jones in Indexed - finds the name Jones in Indexed As case names;

- label - e.g. label Pelech - finds cases with paragraphs starting with the word "Pelech";

- except - e.g. highways except negligence - finds cases containing word "highways" but only if word "negligence" is not in the same paragraph as "highways";

- ( ) - parentheses - e.g. (298 or 299 or 300) in Criminal Code - finds cases containing 298 or 299 or 300 in a paragraph starting with the words "criminal code". The use of parentheses can shorten the number of searches required; e.g. Damage Awards Topic (125 or 126 or 127) - finds cases containing Topic 125 or Topic 126 or Topic 127 in one search

- * - asterisk - use to search for tenses or plurals of words - e.g. divorc* will find words such as divorce, divorcing, divorced, divorces, etc.

- ... - three dots - followed anywhere by - e.g. Pelech ... Indexed As - finds cases where Pelech appears anywhere before Indexed As.

Caveat: If you want to search using an operator (and, or, not, in, label, except, to) as an ordinary word, you must use a shift dash immediately before the first letter of the word, e.g. fraud _and misrepresentation.

For more detailed Help click on Resources and then Advanced Help.
Maritime Law Book Ltd.
Fredericton, N.B.
Canada E3B 4Y9 		May 2011

For help call 1-800-561-0220 and ask for
a service representative or an editor.

[top]