Ensuring Currency and Validity of Law KeyCite History

Once you have found the relevant cases and statutes, you must determine the current status of the law. Check the validity of any relevant case or statute before continuing your research. A case may be reversed, vacated, remanded, or overruled. A statute may be repealed, amended, declared unconstitutional, or preempted.

KeyCite History Online citators have distinct advantages over print citators: –There is a single source of information. (Checking the validity of a case in print citators involves checking in multiple volumes and updating pamphlets.) –Online citators are extremely current. (Print citators cannot be as current due to the necessity of printing and mailing updating pamphlets.) KeyCite is the citation research service available on Westlaw.

One of the cases in the results of your key number search, LaBrane v. Lewis, displays a yellow flag in the upper left corner and and on the Links for tab in the left frame. The yellow flag indicates the case has some negative history, but hasn’t been reversed, overruled, vacated, or remanded. Click either yellow flag to display this negative history. KC History

The negative history includes cases in which factual distinctions led to a different outcome. These would be very valuable cases to read as you try to fit the Acme case into the texture of Louisiana cases.

Another case retrieved in your key number search, Moore v. Blanchard, is tagged with a red flag on both the case and the Links for tab. The KeyCite Direct History of the case indicates that the judgment was reversed by a higher court. When you see a red flag on a case, you should investigate before relying on that case to support your argument. Judgment Reversed