Winning Research Skills - Westlaw

Chapter 2
After a slip opinion is made available on Westlaw, the manuscript is subsequently scrutinized by
West staff, who check citations, add parallel citations, and add exclusive West editorial
enhancements such as headnotes and West topics and key numbers.
Advance Sheets
Next, court opinions are gathered into softbound advance sheets (Figure 2.1), the first form of
print publication that is widely distributed. You’ll find advance sheets in most law libraries.
Advance sheets are arranged chronologically and typically provide subject indexes and
alphabetical lists of the cases included. Be aware that the text of opinions in advance sheets is
still considered preliminary and is subject to revision by the court prior to publication in the
bound volume. Advance sheets are published for all West reporters. The frequency of
publication varies by court and jurisdiction.
Figure 2.1: Advance sheet
Bound Reporter Volumes
At the final stage of the publication process, a hardbound case reporter volume (Figure 2.2) is
issued. The hardbound volumes contain a large number of decisions arranged in the same
sequence as they were published in the advance sheets. The volumes are numbered in a
consecutive series. Some reporters have begun third or fourth series, each starting at volume one
again. A new series does not replace the previous series, but continues it with a new numbering
sequence for convenience and ease of use.
8 Winning Research Skills