STEP 1:  FINDING CASES BY TOPIC

A.  Deskbook Encyclopedia of American School Law

Location:  1^st Floor, KF 4114.D46

Each chapter briefly discusses school law cases relating to a specific aspect of education (for example: athletics, special ed).  Also contains a listing of cases by jurisdiction or geographic area.

B.  Yearbook of Education Law

Location:  1^st Floor, KF 4102.5 .Y4

Contains a listing of cases by topic (torts, sports, etc) with a narrative description of cases.  A listing of cases by jurisdiction/geographic area is also included.  Case citations are listed in the footnotes.  You can take the citation and look up the entire case in West's Education Law Reporter.

C.  West's Education Law Reporter

Location:  3^rd Floor, Periodical Stacks

Use the West's Educational Law Digest using the main set (vols. 1-26) or the "Words and Phrases" volume (vol. 28) to find your topic.  Then look for the case name in the "Table of Cases" volume (vol. 27) to locate Law Reporter volume and page number for the case.

STEP 2:  FINDING FULL-TEXT COURT CASES

West's Education Law Reporter

Location: 3^rd Floor, Periodical Stacks

Sample reference:  119 Ed. Law Rep. 140 [Translation: Vol. 119, p. 140]

Contains all state and federal court cases related to education.

State Reporter of Education Law

Location:  Madden Reserves

Contains cases appearing in Montana Courts and cases heard in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Academic Universe Lexis-Nexis

Location:  Library PCs, Electronic Resources & Indexes

Select GET A CASE (if you know the case name or citation).  If not, select FEDERAL CASE LAW (cases appearing in all federal courts) or STATE CASE LAW (state appellate and high courts) and use appropriate keywords.

STEP 3: FINDING ARTICLES, REVIEWS, COMMENTARY

Commentaries are useful in order to understand the importance of the case in educational law and to gain a better understanding of the particular aspects of a case.

West's Education Law Reporter

Location:  3^rd Floor, Periodical Stacks

Use the "Cumulative Index" volume to locate articles by topic.  Coverage in this index is spotty, and there won't necessarily be any commentary/articles on your topic or case.

Academic Universe Lexis-Nexis

Location:  Library PCs, Electronic Resources and Indexes

Select LEGAL NEWS or LAW REVIEWS to search by keyword or case name to obtain law review articles on your case.  Law review articles examine a case or cases in detail.