Key Number System

Although you have probably seen and are familiar with the famous West "Key" number system, you may forget to utilize key numbers when performing online searches. The key number system can aid your research in a number of ways.

• West Key Numbers give you case-finding power beyond words. It's clear how word searches on Westlaw produce better results than word searches on other services. You can find relevant cases faster because the West Key Number System indexes all reported cases.
• Search for legal concepts. Much legal research is a hunt for a principle or a concept not easily retrieved with a word search. Only West topic and key numbers enable you to find cases stating or applying a legal concept even if those terms aren't in the opinion.
• Sharpen your search on a specific point of law. Add a key number to your word search to narrow your search and still get the cases you want.
• Link to relevant cases in other jurisdictions. Finding one case on point leads you directly to others - in your jurisdiction or any other - so you don't miss important law.
• Shows you the issue addressed in each case. West headnotes speed you through a long case and let you connect other cases on the same issue. You can jump to where the court states its rulings, as well as distinguish between contentions and rulings.

Westlaw has enhanced the ease of their key number searching. Now when you sign into Westlaw from the "Software Version" you will see a link on the first screen that says KEY NUMBER SEARCH. If you log into the "Web Version" click on the tab titled KEY SEARCH.

If you click on the link you will be given the list of key numbers to browse, simple click on your topic and subtopic and Westlaw prompts you to enter a particular jurisdiction. You can search all Federal Cases, all State Cases, or narrow it down much further to specific states or Courts of Appeal, etc. For example, if you scroll down the list of topics until you find "Labor Relations" and click on that folder, you will notice a number of subtopics. Click on any subtopic (ex. k364 Unfair Labor Practices of Employers In General) and choose a jurisdiction at the prompt.

The search box will pop up and display: 232aK364

This means that you will search only for cases in your selected jurisdiction that contain this key number as a topic heading. Then you may add additional search terms to help further narrow your query. For example:

• Date Restrictions
• Keywords
• Additional Key Numbers

Here in the Wirtz Labor Library we have the Federal Practice Digests (in the Law-Ref section of the library, Call Number: KF127.W48). These contain listings of all the key numbers and allow you to browse for cases using the key numbers without accessing an online service.