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Cases & Codes
Answers to common questions about FindLaw’s free Cases & Codes tools are available below.
Last reviewed
This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw’s team of legal writers and attorneys and in accordance with our editorial standards.
What Free Information Does FindLaw Provide?
FindLaw provides free case law resources for all users. This includes:
- U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1893
- California Supreme Court Appellate Court decisions dating back to 1934 (with citations and internal page numbers)
- Recent U.S. Circuit Court cases
- Other state court decisions
- Federal and state codes
Where Can I Look Up U.S. Codes?
You can look up legal code for United States Laws on FindLaw.com. FindLaw Codes will give you access to federal and state statutes and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
What Are the 7 Stages of a Legal Case?
The seven stages of a civil lawsuit generally include:
- Investigation and retaining counsel
- Pleadings (filing the complaint)
- Discovery (evidence gathering)
- Pre-trial motions/hearings
- Settlement negotiations/mediation
- Trial
- Potential appeal
These phases move from initial legal assessment through investigation, negotiation, and final resolution.
FindLaw Cases and Codes is useful during the investigation phase if you are unsure whether you have a case. It can also be helpful to learn if you need an attorney or can handle the legal matter on your own.
How Current Is the U.S. Code on FindLaw?
FindLaw Codes are provided courtesy of Thomson Reuters Westlaw, the industry-leading online legal research system. Update frequency varies by state/code.
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs.
Westlaw is a premium, subscription-based, comprehensive database of case law and statutory codes. It is a standard tool for lawyers, law students, and legal professionals to find and verify the law.
How Can I Access Court Opinions on Findlaw?
Access court opinions on FindLaw by visiting FindLaw Caselaw (U.S. Supreme Court, federal appellate, and state courts).
How Do I Search for Specific Legal Cases on FindLaw.com?
Use the search bar to look up cases by party name, citation, or keyword, or browse by jurisdiction and court. Select a specific jurisdiction (e.g., Minnesota Court of Appeals) to browse cases by date.
The U.S. Supreme Court covers decisions from Volume 1 through 557+ of U.S. Reports, with summaries from 2000-present.
FindLaw provides summaries of cases, which are helpful for quick research. If a search yields too many results, use more specific keywords or citations, such as party name or docket number. Use the state-specific pages to find relevant state court cases and codes.
What Full Text Searching Options Are Available?
Our cases and codes search provides state and federal resources based on your keywords.
For overviews of a general legal topic, check out our Learn About the Law section. If you’re looking for an attorney in your area, try searching in our Find a Lawyer section.