Researching cases
Researching cases
Case citators are a valuable research tool used to "note up" cases. Noting a case up essentially looks at a case's past and present status.
When noting up a case you will often find the following information: parallel citations, case history, journal articles or other secondary sources referring to the case, lists of subsequent citing cases and the judicial treatments in those citing cases.
It is important to look at how subsequent cases have used the case, to see if your original case remains good law (whether it has been overturned or upheld, for example).
Explore the tabs below to find links and information on Australian case citators.
Australian case citators
- CaseBase (Lexis+)CaseBase is a powerful, easy-to-use case citator and annotator covering over 100 Pacific and international report series, journals and unreported decisions from all major Australian and New Zealand courts and selected tribunals.
- CaseBase Signals & AnnotationsFind out what the different signals and annotations mean in CaseBase
- Elements of a CaseBase DocumentThis article describes the different sections that might be displayed within CaseBase documents.
- Video - CaseBase CitatorWatch this short video for an introduction to using the CaseBase case citator in Lexis Advance
- Westlaw Australia This link opens in a new windowAustralian legal material including law reports, unreported judgements, legal research titles, Australian cases by series, jurisdiction and practice areas.When linking to Westlaw for the first time from a non-Bond PC or wireless device if there is a message: Access with a single-sign-on enter the group ID bond and tick Remember group ID and tick Always use single sign-on. To create a persistent link, copy the url from the Copy Link function and then add &groupid=bond
- Westlaw Australia Guide - KeyCiteExplains KeyCite flags and features
- Westlaw Australia Guide - Cases document displayOutlines the key features and aspects of a case document in Westlaw Australia
- Video - KeyCite: Westlaw AustraliaThis video discusses what KeyCite is and how to use it in Westlaw Australia to note up cases
LawCite is AustLII's case citator. It is particularly useful when searching for law journal articles or law reform reports referring to a particular case.
- LawCite This link opens in a new windowLawCite is an automatically generated, freely available, international legal case and journal article citation index.
- LawCite Search Form HelpGo through the fields in the LawCite search form
- Video - AustLII - Interpreting Case Search ResultsThis is UTS (University of Technology Sydney) Library's video on interpreting search results in AustLII.
Case law databases
- Lexis + Australia This link opens in a new windowLexis+ replaces Lexis Advance from January 2024. Continuing students can use Lexis Advance if required.
Contains Australian law material including Casebase cases, Unreported Judgments, Halsbury’s Laws of Australia, Queensland Reports (QdR),College of Law Practice papers and LawNow. LexisNexis Practical Guidance modules are also included. - Westlaw Australia This link opens in a new windowAustralian legal material including law reports, unreported judgements, legal research titles, Australian cases by series, jurisdiction and practice areas.When linking to Westlaw for the first time from a non-Bond PC or wireless device if there is a message: Access with a single-sign-on enter the group ID bond and tick Remember group ID and tick Always use single sign-on. To create a persistent link, copy the url from the Copy Link function and then add &groupid=bond
- AustLii This link opens in a new windowMajor web site in Australian cases and legislation. It also has comprehensive links to international and other Australian legal sites.
- CCH iKnowConnect This link opens in a new windowCCH iKnowConnect replaces CCH Intelliconnect from 15 December 2023.
CCH iKnowConnect contains full text versions of CCH Australia publications in different practice areas, including family law, taxation, industrial law, intellectual property, occupational health and safety, and contract law.
- Jade - No subscription requiredJudgment and Decisions Enhanced ('JADE') is a free current awareness service and professional legal research platform designed by the legal profession for the legal profession.
- Quicklaw (Lexis+ Canada) This link opens in a new windowQuicklaw is now available on the Lexis+ Platform.
Canadian legal research database which provides court decisions from all levels, news reports, provincial and federal statutes, journals, and other legal commentary. Includes a case citator and case digests.If using Lexis Advance Pacific on the same browser in the same session, you must click on Sign Out in Quicklaw. Quicklaw will timeout when a session remains inactive for a period of 15 minutes - this timeout period is set by Lexis and cannot be changed. - CanLII This link opens in a new window
CanLII is a free resource which provides access to court judgements, tribunal decisions, statutes and regulations from all Canadian jurisdictions.
- Westlaw International This link opens in a new windowThis link will take you to the Westlaw homepage. From here select 'International Materials', then 'Canada', then you can select the 'Cases' options.
Canadian cases note up automatically in Westlaw through "KeyCite". When you access a case, have a look at the tab options on the top next to where it says "Powered by KeyCite".
- On the web: Where to find Canadian case lawThe research guide of the Great Library, Law Society of Upper Canada. Provides links to case law, as well as case-related services and information available mainly from the websites of Canadian courts and administrative tribunals.
- ICLR Online This link opens in a new windowICLR Online contains all law reports published by the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales, since 1865. This includes over 77,000 case reports from The Law Reports, The Weekly Law Reports, The Industrial Case Reports, The Business Law Reports and the Public and Third Sector Law Reports. Also includes CitatorPlus a database including over 83,000 cases reported by ICLR, the All England Law Reports, Lloyd's Law Reports, Criminal Appeal Reports, Local Government Reports, Road Traffic Reports and Tax Cases.
- Westlaw UK This link opens in a new windowWestlaw UK provides access to UK case law, legislation, news, legal journals, commentary, current awareness alerts and EU legal materials.
Do not use the PDF icon, choose Download and then Word, PDF, etc.
- BAILIIBritish and Irish case law & legislation, European Union case law, Law Commission reports, and other law-related British and Irish material.
- Westlaw International This link opens in a new windowWestlaw is an international online legal research tool providing full text access to case law, statutes, reports, journals and law reviews with a United States of America focus.
For other jurisdictions, select 'International Materials'. - Lexis China This link opens in a new windowBond University has access to the LexisNexis China Legislations and Cases module only.
Click Go to Lexis China (no login required).
A collection of Chinese laws, regulations, tax information, judicial decisions, and other legal documents, collected from government sources.
- LII (Legal Information Institute)The Legal Information Institute (LII) is a non-profit, public service of Cornell Law School that provides no-cost access to current American and international legal research sources.
- WorldLii This link opens in a new windowMajor website covering international cases and legislation. It also has comprehensive links to international legal sites in a variety of subject areas.