Search Cases By Advanced Search

Keyword searches are an easy way to find the relevant case law you need.

1. In the left frame where it says Search Cases, click on Advanced Search.
2. A new screen will appear.
   
   
   
   
3. If you want to find cases where your search terms appear in the same paragraph, type your search terms in the "Keyword(s) in Paragraph" box. For example, if you type a search for drunk driving, JuriSearch® will find all paragraphs that have both of those words in the same paragraph.
4. Place your cursor in the “Keyword(s) in Paragraph” box. Type your keywords with spaces in between them (i.e. contract damages). JuriSearch® will look for these words in any order. If you enter a phrase in quotations (i.e. "search and seizure"), JuriSearch® will look for these exact words in this order.
5. There may be times when it is NOT important that the two search words are in the same paragraph, but IT IS important that the word be in the same opinion. If so, type your search in the "Keyword(s) In Full Text" box. For example, if you type a search for vehicle homicide, this will provide all opinions that contain the words "vehicle" and "homicide" in the case as a whole.
6. Or, if you want to find cases with the words "drunk" and "driving" in the same paragraph and the words "vehicle" and "homicide" in the entire opinion, you can combine a paragraph search with a full text search by typing drunk driving in the "Keyword(s) in Paragraph" box and vehicle homicide in the "Keyword(s) In Full Text" box.
7. Let’s conduct a search for attorney or attorney’s and mistake and Code of civil procedure Section 473. Type attorney or attorney’s and mistake in the "Keyword(s) in Paragraph" box and civil or ccp and 473 in the "Keyword(s) In Full Text" box.
8. All databases are selected by default.
9. If you would like to search all three databases, leave Select Database(s) as is. The 2d Series, 3d Series, 4th Series and Daily Opinions will remain highlighted and will be searched.
10. If you would like to search only one database, click on the database you want to search. This database will remain highlighted.
11. The Display Options are defaulted at 10 words around Hits.
    
    
    
    
12. Click on "Find It!"
13. A new screen with your Search Results for the 2d Series, 3d Series, 4th Series and Daily Opinions will appear.
14. Below the Search Results are the Hits.
15. A Hit is the number of times your search appears in a paragraph or the full text (depending on which option you select). For our sample search, the Hits are the number of times drunk driving appears in a paragraph and vehicle homicide appears in the full case. Hits do not refer to the number of cases.
    
    
    
    
    
    
16. For the 2d Series Cases, there are 109 Hits.
17. For the 3d Series Cases, there are 71 Hits.
18. For the 4th Series Cases there are 121 Hits.
19. When you have no Hits, you will receive a message to “Go back and revise your search.”
20. There are no Daily Opinions because you cannot do a full text search of Daily Opinions.
21. Below the box is a Results Map. The Results Map shows the number of Hits with each combination of words. A review of the Results Map will show you where you might want to change your search.
22. To see the results of your search, click on Click Here to View Results.
23. Let’s view 4th Series Cases so click on Click Here to View Results.
24. The results of your search will appear in two frames.
25. On the left is a Table of Contents with a list of cases containing your search. In the right frame is the full case of the first case listed in the Table of Contents.
    
    
    
    
26. The most recent California Supreme Court cases will appear first followed by California Courts of Appeal cases.
27. To view the case in full screen, click on the Document icon in the bottom frame.
28. To view the Table of Contents in full screen, click on the Table icon in the bottom frame.
29. Let’s click on Document and view the case in full screen.
30. If you are reading a case and come across a California case that you want to view, place your cursor directly on the citation of this case. Click the cursor and you will go directly to the case cited. This is a hypertext jump.
31. To return to the original case simply place the cursor on the Back arrow on your browser's toolbar, and you will return to your original case. [Note: This option works only for California cases and U.S. Supreme Court cases.] To return to the original case simply place the cursor on the Back arrow on your browser's toolbar, and you will return to your original case. [Note: This option works only for California cases and U.S. Supreme Court cases.]
    
    
    
    
32. In conducting a search, you may also use Full Boolean Connectors (AND, NOT, OR, XOR). For instance, a query may consist of several words with "And", "Or", "Not" as in: contract AND agreement, contract OR agreement, contract NOT agreement, contract XOR agreement.
33. You may conduct single character Wildcard Searches by placing a question mark on the relevant letter. (I.e. wom?n to find woman or women.)
34. You may conduct Multiple Character Wildcard Searches by placing an asterisk after a word or partial word. (I.e. work* to find work, worked, workers', workplace, working, etc.)
35. You may conduct Stem (Word Form) Searches by placing a % after a word. (I.e. run% to find ran, run, running, runs, etc.)
36. You may conduct Thesaurus (Synonym) Searches by placing a $ after the word. (I.e. murder$ will find cases with murder, killing, assassination, homicide, etc.)
37. For printing instructions, click here.