Legal Definitions - Atlantic Reporter

The Atlantic Reporter is a specialized collection of legal books and digital databases that publishes the written opinions of appellate courts from several states in the northeastern United States. It is a key component of the National Reporter System, a comprehensive system for publishing court decisions across the country.

This resource compiles every published decision from the highest courts of appeal in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, along with decisions from the District of Columbia Municipal Court of Appeals. It has been continuously published since 1885, making it an essential tool for legal research into the judicial history of these regions. Decisions are organized into two main series, known as "A." (for the first series, 1885-1938) and "A.2d" (for the second, current series).

Here are some examples of how the Atlantic Reporter is used:

• Legal Precedent Research: A lawyer in Maryland is preparing a brief for a client involved in a complex real estate boundary dispute. To support their arguments, the lawyer needs to find previous court decisions from Maryland's appellate courts that dealt with similar property line issues.

  Explanation: The lawyer would consult the Atlantic Reporter (specifically the volumes containing Maryland appellate decisions) to locate relevant precedents. This resource allows them to find how courts in the region have interpreted property law in the past, which is crucial for building a strong legal case.

• Academic Legal Study: A law school professor is writing an article on the historical development of consumer protection laws in New England. They want to analyze how courts in states like New Hampshire and Maine ruled on early cases involving product liability or unfair trade practices during the early 20th century.

  Explanation: The Atlantic Reporter provides access to these historical appellate decisions from the specified states, dating back to 1885. The professor can use it to trace the evolution of legal principles and judicial interpretations over time, offering a comprehensive view of how consumer law has changed in that region.

• Interstate Legal Comparison: A business operating across New Jersey and Pennsylvania is drafting a new employee non-compete agreement. Their legal team wants to ensure the agreement is enforceable in both states and needs to understand if there are any significant differences in how appellate courts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania have upheld or struck down similar agreements.

  Explanation: By examining decisions published in the Atlantic Reporter from both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the legal team can compare the judicial standards and interpretations applied in each state regarding non-compete clauses. This allows them to draft an agreement that is more likely to withstand legal challenge in both jurisdictions, demonstrating the Reporter's utility for understanding regional legal variations.