- This must be done on a non-Harvard network.
- You cannot create an individual account onsite.
Coverage:
- State dockets and documents.
- Search and docket alerts on an individual account.
- State-based litigation analytics.
Notes:
- Does not include federal cases.
- Includes L.A. County, CA and Cook County, IL.
- If a document is electronically available but not already in Trellis, there may be a charge to access it.
U.S. Supreme Court
Starting Points for Supreme Court Briefs
These databases can provide a good starting point for your search, but coverage varies from case to case.
You may need to check multiple sources to collect a complete set of documents for a given Supreme Court case.
2007-present
2007-present; merits cases, opinions, some petitions1930-present
Access via HarvardKey.
Comprehensive collection of all Supreme Court documents associated with cases from 1933-present, including full opinions from Supreme Court argued cases: per curiam decisions; dockets; oral arguments; joint appendices; and amicus briefs. Database also includes petitions and briefs from paid cases from 1975 onward in which a petition for a writ of certiorari was denied. Also includes links from case-specific records to Legislative Insight and Regulatory Insight.
1930-present (selected)
Selected coverage begins with 1930 (Briefs), 1985 (Petitions), & 1982 (Joint Appendices)
1832-1978
Access via HarvardKey.
Full-text, page image collection of documents from U.S. Supreme Court cases, covering 1832-1978. Search by keyword, author (counsel or organization), case name, court term year and document filing date, and U.S. Reports citation. U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs is derived from the collections of the Jenkins Memorial Law Library in Philadelphia and Library of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Document types include Appellant’s Brief; Appellee’s Brief; Application for Review; Application for Writ; Brief in Opposition; Brief of Real Party; Intervenor’s Brief; Jurisdictional Statement; Letter Brief; Opposition for Review; Oral Transcript; Petition; Petition for Rehearing; Petitioner’s Brief; Petition for Writ of Certiorari; Relator’s Brief; Supplement to Petition; and Transcript. 1832-1978
More Sources for Supreme Court Briefs
Current sources
Too new? It can take time for new briefs to show up in databases. Try searching newspapers, blogs & advocacy group websites to see if anyone has posted the briefs online.
1914 (235 U.S.) - present
Contents: Briefs, records and appendices from those cases that received a full opinion from the Court.
Organized by docket number.
Location: Microform Room Drawers 907-941
Historical Collections
National Archives catalog record. Includes scanned case files for 1792-1831 plus selected notable historical cases.
Sort items by title and scroll down to "Inclusive Case Numbers" to find the digitized microfilm set.
Digitized card index by case name. Use to identify case number for use with the online & microform versions of the Appellate Case Files
1792-1831 (volumes 2-33 U.S. Reports)
Location: Microform Room Drawers 877-878
Include transcripts of records from lower courts, petitions for writs of error or certiorari, exhibits, depositions, motions orders, correspondence, and a few briefs. Cases are arranged in docket number order.
Location: Microforms Drawer 878
Alphabetical card index to the appellate case files. Also in print at Mic Ref US 503
1789-1800
Primary documents from the early years of the Court
Includes case documents from 1790-1800 and from early suits against the states.
Also in print.
1832-1915 (volumes 31-241 U.S. Reports)
Location: Microform Room Drawers 879-890
Contents: This microfilm set includes both cases receiving a full opinion and those denied certiorari by the Court.
1832-1871: Arranged by docket number
1871-1915: Arranged by U.S. Reports cite
1792 to 2006 (very selective)
Location: Reading Room KF 101.8 .K87
Contents: Extremely selective, this print set contains the briefs for only four or five notable U.S. Supreme Court cases per term.
Contents: Joint appendices are not included. For the earliest cases, only a summary of the oral arguments is given; later cases have more complete records and briefs. The names of the cases included appear on each volume's spine for easy reference.
ISBN: 1280831014 Publication Date: 2001In public, Supreme Court Justices are not known for their candor while ruling upon a case. In private, however, a few days after hearing oral arguments, before deciding upon the case, the Justices openly discuss their views in what is known as the "Conference." Here, for the first time, are the transcriptions of those conference notes-taken by the Justices themselves-to more than two hundred landmark cases from 1945 to 1985, including such landmark decisions on civil rights, abortion, privacy, and Presidential power. The Supreme Court in Conference is the first book to presents the notes to the conference meetings-so private that only the Justices are present-with annotations and introductions by Del Dickson. Two lengthy essays on the conference notes put them into perspective and draw out the some of the patterns, tendencies, and personalities. Volume I covers cases involving the separation of powers and federalism, including such areas as Congressional authority, the Presidenvy, and foreign affairs. Volume II covers cases in civil rights and liberties: free speech, free press, religion, equal protection, privacy, reproductive rights, affirmative action, and many more.; The full transcriptions are accompoanied with full notes, and citations. There is an extensive bibliography and index. he Supreme Court in Conference will become an essential reference work for scholars, lawyers, law students and the interested lay person.
HLSL Supreme Court Records & Briefs Set
The Harvard Law School Library has a collection of bound printed records and briefs of the U.S. Supreme court.
Coverage:
- Cases reported in U.S. Reports 105 -433 (1881-1977)
- Cases reported in U.S. Reports v. 69 pages 444-550, v. 70 pages 236- 268, 560-572 and v. 71 pages 210- 244 (2-4 Wallace) (1864-1866)
- Miscellaneous additional cases from 1875-1882
Organization:
- U.S. 105-433: U.S. volume, then alphabetically by case name.
- U.S. 69-71 (2-4 Wallace): By U.S. Reports citation (volume, page)
Contents:
- This set overlaps extensively with other published sets, but there is some unique material, particularly in earlier cases.
- Check this set if you are unable to find specific documents in one of the other large sets.
Online Availability:
- Online availability is incomplete. See the spreadsheet linked below for access s to our scanned versions
- The Harvard Law School Library has scanned our volumes covering U.S. Reports 69-71, 105 and miscellaneous individual cases from 1875-1882. These are linked by individual case.
- The full set is in the process of being scanned. Volumes are being added to Google Books and Hathi Trust. These links correspond to our bound volumes. Each volume contains material from multiple cases.
Selected volumes of the Harvard Law Library's print set of Records and Briefs digitized by Google. This project is still in progress and not all volumes have been digitized. See the linked spreadsheet for links and descriptions
1881-1977 (volumes 105-433 U.S. Reports)
Location: Harvard Depository (Consult reference for help with retrieval)
Contents: This large but incomplete print collection provides extensive coverage of records and briefs of cases before the Court and is not limited to cases receiving a full opinion. Some of these volumes were digitized as part of the Google Books project (http://books.google.com)
Supreme Court Dockets & Minutes
Scanned by the National Archives. This series of engrossed dockets contains entries for cases that came before the Court, with the exception of cases in original jurisdiction,1829-1905, which are recorded only in the rough dockets.
Searchable docket. Includes current and prior term January 2000-present 1790-1950Location: Microform Room Drawer 878 1790-1950
Location: Microform Room Drawer 878
Access is limited to the Harvard Law School community. Register for an Academic Account using your HLS email address. Please contact Research Services for further assistance.
Bloomberg Law provides access to all US primary laws, docket materials, directories, news, proprietary research reports, some foreign law materials, SEC filings, model forms and contracts, and more. See Bloomberg Law Accounts & Policies for more information.
Docket Coverage Information
Scanned by the National Archives. This series consists of the proceedings of the U.S. Supreme Court, showing dates of sessions, and names of members and officials of the Court who were present. The records concern the swearing in of new members and officials, the adoption of rules, the argument of cases by counsel, the submission of the Court in individual cases, and other activities of the Court. Also included are memorial proceedings for deceased justices and other prominent men.
Petitions for Certiorari
Current term, selected: Petitions We're Watching contains the petitions on the current Supreme Court’s docket that the editor of SCOTUS blog believes has a reasonable chance of being granted.
1985-presentYears Covered: 1990 to present (selective)
Contents: Petitions for writs of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court and related documents, such as briefs in opposition and support of the petitions and amicus briefs. Selected coverage begins in 1990 for granted petitions and 1995 for denied petitions. Plain text. (Westlaw password required.)
