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Research Guides

Supreme Court of the United States

Publication of Opinions

Slip Opinions: Opinions are first issued as slip opinions.  Then, "preliminary prints" of the United States Reports (the official case reporter of U.S. Supreme Court cases) are printed.  About 3 years later, once the Court has made its final corrections, the United States Reports bound volumes are printed.  The bound print volumes are located on the second floor and are available in PDF on the Supreme Court website.

As of April 2021, the most recent bound volume available on the Court's website is vol. 574, October Term, 2014.

See the Supreme Court's site for Information About Opinions.

United States Reports

U.S. Reports

The United States Reports is an official reporter and contains the final opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States. Preliminary Prints are available in print at the Reference Desk and online.

Location: BURNS (2ND FL)

- Sample citations: 531 U.S. 98 (2000) or 7 U.S. (3 Cranch) 73 (1805)*

*Early reports of U.S. Supreme Court decisions were named for the clerk who compiled them. U.S. Reports volumes include the content from these nominative reporters. 

See the Supreme Court's site for information about the United States Reports.

 

Supreme Court Reporter (West)

Supreme Court Reporter

West's Supreme Court Reporter is an unofficial reporter but contains the opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States along with headnotes, Key Numbers, and synopses. PDF versions are available on Westlaw.

Location: BURNS (2ND FL)

Sample citation:  121 S.Ct. 525 (2000)

Supreme Court Reports Lawyers' Edition (Lexis)

Supreme Court Reports Lawyers' Edition

 

Lexis's United States Supreme Court Reports (also called "Lawyer's Edition") is an unofficial reporter but contains the opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States along with headnotes, summaries and annotations.

Location: BURNS (2ND FL)

Sample citation: 148 L. Ed. 2d 388 (2000)

Official Reports Online

Unofficial Reports Online (commercial sources)

Unofficial Reports Online (free sources)