Alaska Case Law Service Help

Search by Word

With this search option, you can find all opinions that match your search terms, or you can find those opinions that match your search terms only for the courts that you specify. Complete the following steps to search opinions by word:

  1. Click By Word below the Search heading on the left side of the page. The Search by Word template is displayed.
  2. Type your search term(s) in the Search for text box.

    Note: For Terms and Connectors searching, add connectors (e.g., and, or, not) to your search terms to conduct multiple-word searches. Search terms and connectors must be separated by spaces. Refer to the following table for examples of using connectors.

    Connectors Examples Results
    and juvenile and felony Finds documents containing both terms, e.g., juvenile and felony
    or
    (default)
    juvenile or felony Finds documents containing one or both of the terms, e.g., juvenile or felony or both
    but not juvenile but not felony Finds documents containing the first term but not the second term, e.g., juvenile but not felony
  3. To exclude unpublished decisions from your search result, add % no(unpublished) to your query. To restrict your search to just unpublished decisions, add & no(unpublished) to your query.
  4. Click Search. The search result page is displayed, which includes links to all opinions that match your search.
  5. To view the text of an opinion, click the appropriate link.

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Search by Citation

With this search option, you can find opinions by citation. Complete the following steps to search by citation:

  1. Click By Citation below the Search heading on the left side of the page. The Search by Citation template is displayed.
  2. Enter a citation. Type the volume number in the first text box, select a publication from the middle drop-down list, and type the page number in the last text box.
  3. Click Search. The search result page is displayed, which includes links to all opinions that match your search.
  4. To view the text of an opinion, click the appropriate link.

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Search by Decision Date

This search option finds opinions by decision date. Complete the following steps to search by decision date:

  1. Click By Decision Date below the Search heading on the left side of the page. The Search by Decision Date template is displayed.
  2. Select a date using the drop-down lists.
  3. Select the desired date range by clicking the appropriate button (e.g., This date only).
  4. Type your search terms in the Search for text box.

    Note: Add connectors (e.g., and, or, not) to your search terms to conduct multiple-word searches. Search terms and connectors must be separated by spaces. Refer to the following table for examples of using connectors.

    Connectors Examples Results
    and juvenile and felony Finds documents containing both terms, e.g., juvenile and felony
    or
    (default)
    juvenile or felony Finds documents containing one or both of the terms, e.g., juvenile or felony or both
    but not juvenile but not felony Finds documents containing the first term but not the second term, e.g., juvenile but not felony
  5. To exclude unpublished decisions from your search result, add % no(unpublished) to your query. To restrict your search to just unpublished decisions, add & no(unpublished) to your query.
  6. Click Search. The search result page is displayed, which includes links to all opinions that match your search.
  7. To view the text of an opinion, click the appropriate link.

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Search by Party Name

This search option provides a quick way to find opinions by party name. Complete the following steps to search by party name:

  1. Click By Party Name below the Search heading on the left side of the page. The Search by Party Name template is displayed.
  2. If you know one party name, type it in the first search box. If you know both, enter one in each search box. Use last names only for personal names.
  3. Click Search. The search result page is displayed, which includes links to all opinions that match your search.
  4. To view the text of an opinion, click the appropriate link.

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Search by Judge and Opinion Type

With this search option, you can find opinions by judge and by opinion type. You can narrow the search by including search terms. Complete the following steps to search by judge and opinion type:

  1. Click By Judge and Opinion Type below the Search heading on the left side of the page. The Search by Judge and Opinion Type template is displayed.
  2. Type the judge's last name in the Judge Name text box.
  3. If you want to narrow the search to a particular opinion type (i.e., majority, concurring, dissenting), select the opinion type from the Opinion Type drop-down list.
  4. Type search terms (optional) in the Search for text box.

    Note: Add connectors (e.g., and, or, not) to your search terms to conduct multiple-word searches. Search terms and connectors must be separated by spaces. Refer to the following table for examples of using connectors.

    Connectors Examples Results
    and juvenile and felony
    Finds documents containing both terms, e.g., juvenile and felony
    or
    (default)
    juvenile or felony Finds documents containing one or both of the terms, e.g., juvenile or felony or both
    but not juvenile but not felony Finds documents containing the first term but not the second term, e.g., juvenile but not felony
  5. To exclude unpublished decisions from your search result, add % no(unpublished) to your query. To restrict your search to just unpublished decisions, add & no(unpublished) to your query.
  6. Click Search. The search result page is displayed, which includes links to all opinions that match your search.
  7. To view the text of an opinion, click the appropriate link.

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Search by Docket Number of Counsel

This search option provides a way to find opinions by docket number or counsel name. Complete the following steps to search by docket number or counsel name:

  1. Click By Docket Number or Counsel below the Search heading on the left side of the page. The Search by Docket Number or Counsel template is displayed.
  2. Select Docket Number or Counsel.
  3. Type the docket number or name of counsel in the Search for text box.

    Note: Add connectors (e.g., and, or, not) to your search terms to conduct multiple-word searches. Search terms and connectors must be separated by spaces. Refer to the following table for examples of using connectors:

    Connectors Examples Results
    and Miller and Cummins
    Finds documents containing both terms, e.g., Miller and Cummins
    or
    (default)
    Miller or Cummins Finds documents containing one or both of the terms, e.g., Miller or Cummins or both
    but not Miller but not Cummins Finds documents containing the first term but not the second term, e.g., Miller but not Cummins
  4. Click Search. The search result page is displayed, which includes links to all opinions that match your search.
  5. To view the text of an opinion, click the appropriate link.

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Search Result Display

Viewing the Citations List
Browsing Documents

Viewing the Citations List
To view a document in the citations list, click its hypertext link. To return to the citations list from a document, click Cite List at the bottom of the page. To edit or refine your search terms, click Edit Search at the bottom of the citations list.

Browsing Documents
To view the portions of each document that contain your search terms, click the Link to previous search terms Term Link to next search terms arrows in a Terms and Connectors search result.

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Technical Requirements

The requirements for using this website are:

  • Windows XP, 2000, 98, 95; Windows NT; or Mac OS 8.5 or later Windows XP requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or Netscape 6.1 or later Windows 2000, 98, 95, or Windows NT requires Internet Explorer 4.01 or later or Netscape 4.06 or later (Netscape 6.0 is not supported) Mac OS requires Internet Explorer 4.5 or later, Netscape 4.5 or later, or Safari 1.1 or later
  • Cookies enabled in the browser
  • JavaScript enabled in the browser
  • 640 x 480 or higher screen resolution (800 x 600 or higher screen resolution recommended)

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How to Print

If you print directly from the screen display, you will lose text on the right-hand side of each page. To avoid this problem:

  • Highlight the selected text.
  • If you have access to Microsoft Word, copy and paste the text to a new document and print from there.
  • If you do not have access to Word, print the selected text.

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