Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: Texas v. Johnson (1989)
A law reporter is a book that contains written accounts of court proceedings and judicial decisions. These books can be official, meaning they are published by the government, or unofficial, meaning they are published by a private company. They are used by lawyers and judges to research past cases and make decisions in current cases. Think of it like a history book for the law!
A law reporter is a published volume of judicial decisions made by a particular court or group of courts. These decisions are first printed in temporary paperback volumes and then printed in hardbound reporter volumes. Law reports may be either official, published by a government entity, or unofficial, published by a private publisher. Court citations frequently include the names of both the official and unofficial reports.
These examples illustrate how law reporters are used to document and publish judicial decisions made by courts. They serve as a reference for lawyers and judges to use in future cases and provide a historical record of legal decisions.