Evaluating Alternatives to Lexis & Westlaw

By Todd Venie and Roger SkalbeckDecember 10, 2009

Presentation for:Law Librarians' Society of Washington, DC

Federal Case Law Coverage Comparison

Database U.S. Supreme Court Federal Circuit Courts Federal District Courts Other Federal Courts

Fastcase 1790 - current (ALL) 1924 - current 1912 - currentTax Court 1924 – current

Bankruptcy: 1979 – currentBIA 1996 – current

Casemaker 1790 - current (ALL) 1930 - current 1932 - currentTax Court 1999 – current

Bankruptcy 1999 – currentBIA 1996 – current

Loislaw 1790 - current (ALL)

Generally 1924 – Current10th Circuit 1929 – Current11th Circuit 1981 – Current

Federal Circuit 1929 – Current

1921 - Current (SELECTED)

Tax Court 1942 - Current Bankruptcy 1975 - Current

(SELECTED)

VersusLaw 1886 - currentGenerally 1930 – currentDC Circuit 1950 – current9th Circuit 1941 – current

Varies widely - Some back to 1930, others to early

1970s

Tax Court 1999 – currentBIA 1996 - current

U.S. Code Coverage Comparison

Database Full Text Search Browsable Find by

Citation Currency Session Laws

Fastcase Yes Yes Yes 2006 version None

CasemakerYes Yes Yes Titles 1-41 through 01/08/2008

Titles 42-50 through 01/03/2007Current

NOT integrated into Code

Loislaw Yes Yes Yes 2006 Version Current Integrated into Code

Versuslaw Yes Yes Yes 2006 Version Current Integrated into Code

Search & Finding FunctionsDatabase Terms &

ConnectorsNatural

LanguageLinks Across

Materials Federated Searching Sorting Options

Fastcase Yes Yes No* Yes

Date Relevance Most CitedParty Name

Casemaker Yes No No Yes – with limited search functions Date Relevance

Loislaw Yes No Yes Yes Date

Versuslaw Yes No No YesDate

JurisdictionParty Name

Notable Differences

• Currency of codes and integration of session laws

• District court coverage

• State case law coverage

• Linking across materials

• Sorting & searching options

Bar Association Benefits• Fastcase

– 22 state and local bar associations including: • Virginia State Bar• Maryland State Bar Association

• Casemaker– 28 state and local bars

• Loislaw– None

• VersusLaw– A few bar associations and malpractice insurers

Output & Personalization

• Print / Download– 2-column: Fastcase, Casemaker– 1-column: Loislaw, Versuslaw

• Personalization and saved documents– Fastcase: “My Library”– Versuslaw: save searches

Bells & Whistles

• Loislaw: automated updates– Get new materials that cite your case or

match your search criteria– Can create intranet search form (widget)

• Casemaker & Loislaw– Thesaurus for searching

Bells & Whistles• Fastcase

– Authority Check: citation analysis, sorting & visualization

Ease of use Issues

• Casemaker: – Statute linking limited– Link highlighting is subtle

• Fastcase:– Cross-case and cross-statute linking not 100%– Links to Lexis / Westlaw for Credit Card users

Pre-Searching Only

• Use alternative source only for initial search:– Identify terms of art– Locate a few good cases

Initial research ONLY on Loislaw

All research on premium service;

may repeat research

Parallel Searching

• Simultaneous use of both service types• Feasible for multi-task researchers• Impractical for hourly search charges

Serial Searching

• Start search with alternative • Proceed to Lexis/Westlaw for updating and unique

content• Return to alternative for more research

Integration Hurdles

• Changing search behavior is difficult• Training is tricky• Integration between online services is far

from seamless

Open Discussion

• Which integration options work?

• What are people already doing?– Option #1: Promote bar/association benefits– Option #2: Provide incentives– Option #3: Prohibit specific uses

Contact and Credits

• Direct questions or comments to: – Roger V. Skalbeck rvs5@law.georgetown.edu– Todd Venie tmv22@law.georgetown.edu

• Copyright 2009 Todd Venie and Roger Skalbeck

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