Where to Find Briefs of the Supreme Court of the U.S.

Where to Find Briefs (October 2012)

Subscription Databases

Lexis-Nexis -

Court Records, Briefs and Filings Source
U. S. Supreme Court Briefs
FILE-NAME:BRIEFS
Inclusions:

Earliest brief dated August 12, 1936 through current. Includes merit briefs for cases granted certiorari and special masters, amicus curiae briefs, and joint appendices beginning in January 1979, with selected coverage from 1936.

All briefs are available for cases granted certiorari beginning after the 1993-1994 term; also includes briefs petitioning for certiorari in civil cases (other than habeas cases) from the 1999-2000 term through current.
For civil cases where cert. is denied, briefs are provided for cases on the paid docket but are not provided for cases on the In Forma Pauperis docket. No cert-stage briefs are provided for habeas cases or for criminal cases that are summarily decided or where cert. is denied.

Westlaw -

File Name: SCT-BRIEF-ALL
Inclusions:

Merits and Amicus Briefs filed with the Supreme Court of the United States for cases in which certiorari has been granted or probable jurisdiction has been noted and for which oral arguments have been scheduled.
1. Comprehensive coverage from 1931 to present
2. Selected coverage from 1870 to 1930
Petitions for writ of certiorari and related documents, such as briefs in opposition and support of petitions, filed with the court before certiorari has been granted or denied.
1. Comprehensive coverage from 1985 to the present
2. Selected coverage from 1877 to 1984

File Name: SCT-JA
Inclusions:

Selected joint appendices. The joint appendix includes the relevant docket entries; any relevant pleadings, jury instructions, findings, conclusions, or opinions; the judgment, order, or decision under review; and any other parts of the record that the parties wish to bring to the Court's attention. Coverage from 1982 to present.

Internet Sources

Westlaw.Court Express

Address: www.westlawcourtexpress.com
Request a Document: Westlaw CourtExpress Document Research and Retrieval
Telephone: 1-877-362-7387

Findlaw

Address: http://supreme.findlaw.com/supreme_court/briefs/index.html

Office of the Solicitor General

Address: http://www.usdoj.gov/osg/briefs/search.html
Inclusions: From 7/1998 to present, all briefs filed by the Solicitor General, except responses to IFP cases. From 1993-1996, and 1986-1990 Solicitor General merits briefs and responses. From 1982-1985 Solicitor General merits briefs. Please see the web site for information on omissions, arrangement, and formats.

Document Retrieval Services

For a fee these Washington, D.C. area companies will photocopy briefs of the Supreme Court of the United States currently on file at the Library of Congress. This is a partial list, for informational purposes only, and implies no Supreme Court endorsement of any entity.

Apple Courier: (202) 338-0930

Capitol District Information: (202) 265-1516 or (800) 494-5225

Court Express: (202) 423-2163

Infoline, Inc.: (202) 783-3538 or (877) 284-4581

The Leonard Group, Inc.: (301) 776-9260

Washington Service Bureau: (202) 842-7350

Self-service at the Supreme Court

This service is available between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Please call (202) 479-3011 to see if the briefs you are requesting about are available.

Depositories of Printed Supreme Court Briefs

Law Librarian The University of Chicago 1121 East 60th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 773-702-0211	Law Librarian Library of Congress Washington, DC 20540 202-707-5080
Law Librarian Cornell Law Library 340 Myron Taylor Hall Ithaca, New York 14853 607-255-9577	Law Librarian Connecticut State Library 231 Capitol Avenue Hartford, Connecticut 06106 860-757-6590
Law Librarian Law Library Indiana University 211 South Indiana Avenue Bloomington, Indiana 47405 812-855-9666	Law Librarian Law Library University of Louisville Wyatt Hall, Room 121 2301 S. 3rd Street Louisville, Kentucky 40292 502-852-0729
Law Librarian Law Library University of Minnesota Law Center 229-19th Avenue South Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 612-625-4300	Law Librarian Tarlton Law Library The University of Texas 727 East Dean Keaton Street Austin, Texas 78705-3224 512-471-7726
Law Librarian Gallagher Law Library University of Washington P.O. Box 353025 4000-15th Avenue N. E. Seattle, Washington 98195 206-543-4089	Law Librarian Lillian Goldman Law Library P.O. Box 208215 New Haven, CT 06520-8215 203-432-7535

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Where to Find Briefs (October 2012)