Research Guides: Case Records & Briefs Research Guide: U.S. Supreme Court

Subscription Databases

Making of Modern Law: United States Supreme Court Records and Briefs, 1832 - 1978 This link opens in a new window
Browse and full text searching available. Search by specific keywords or phrases, author (counsel or organization), case name, court term, document filing date and U.S. Reports citation. Document types include: briefs, applications, jurisdictional statements, opposition for review, oral transcripts, petitions, among other sources.
ProQuest Supreme Court Insight This link opens in a new window
This collection spans from 1975 through the 2016/2017 term. It includes a complete collection of full opinions from U.S. Supreme Court argued cases, including per decision, dockets, oral arguments, joint appendices and amicus briefs.
Lexis This link opens in a new window
Briefs: Earliest brief dated August 12, 1936 through current. Includes merit briefs for cases granted cert., amicus curiae briefs, joint appendices and special masters beginning in January 1979, with selected coverage from 1936. All briefs for cases granted cert. begins after 1993. Also includes all briefs for cases petitioning for cert. after 2001. Oral Argument Transcripts: Source name, United States Supreme Court Transcripts. Coverage is from 1979 through current. Update schedule: within 2 weeks of publication.
Westlaw This link opens in a new window
Briefs: this database includes Merits and Amicus Briefs filed with the Court for cases in which certiorari has been granted or probable jurisdiction has been noted, and for which oral arguments have been scheduled. Merits Briefs date from the 1990-91 term to the present. Amicus briefs date from the 1995-96 term to the present. Oral Argument Transcripts: coverage is from the 1990-1991 term to current. This database includes official transcripts of oral arguments in cases heard by the Court.
Westlaw Campus Research This link opens in a new window
U.S. Supreme Court Briefs, Petitions & Joint Appendices. This collection provides selected coverage as early as 1870. Browse or search Briefs, Joint Appendices, and Petitions for Writ of Certiorari.

Open Access Web Sources

Case Documents - U.S. Supeme Court
The Court's web site contains docket, calendar and other information for cases pending before the court. Oral argument transcripts are available from as early as 1969. Audio of oral arguments are also available starting with the 2010 term.
SCOTUSblog - Case Files
Coverage from 2007 to current term. Includes briefs and other case filings, and are arranged by term. Select the term and then click on the "Sort by Case Name" link to locate case by name.
Office of the Solicitor General - Supreme Court Briefs
Includes briefs filed in all cases by the Solicitor General other than responses in "in forma pauperis" (IFP) cases. All briefs filed by the Solicitor General with the Supreme Court (except IFP cases) are available from July 1998. Selected merits briefs and responses are available as early as 1982. See web site for details of coverage, document format and search and browse options.
Oyez: U.S. Supreme Court Media
Recordings of oral arguments from leading constitutional law cases. New Recordings are added approximately 10 months following the term in which the cases were argued. Coverage from 1955 to current, (pre-1995 coverage is selective).
Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse
The University of Michigan Law School's Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse is a growing collection of case documents and other information about civil rights cases in over 20 selected case categories across the United States. Coverage includes case filings and transcripts from state and federal courts at all levels (trial to highest appellate).
Where to Find Briefs
This guide published on the U.S. Supreme Court's website, lists subscription databases, internet sources, and document retrieval services for obtaining Supreme Court records and briefs. It also lists depositories of printed Supreme Court briefs, such as the University of Minnesota Law Library.

Print Sources

Print Sources

Landmark Briefs and Arguments of the Supreme Court of the United States by Philip B. Kurland, Gerhard Casper
Call Number: KF101.8 .K87 (Available online see below)
Publication Date: 1975-
Contains selected briefs and transcripts of oral arguments from "landmark" cases 1793 - date. Arranged in chronological order. Briefs are published in this set approximately 1-2 years following the decision.
Also available via HathiTrust access.
Records and Briefs in Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States
Call Number: Law Library Storage US- JU6.8:
Briefs from 1905-1917 are arranged by term and from 1917-1978 are arranged by U.S. Reports citation.

Law Library Depository Collection

Location: Basement (request at Circulation, no call number). Some unbound briefs and records from 1979-date are in the library's storage area and are arranged by docket number. Place requests for these items at the circulation desk.

Microform Sources

Records and Briefs

1832-1896 (microfilm). Location: Basement (request at Circulation, no call number). Arranged by U.S. Reports citation (v.1 - 167).

1897-1906 (microfiche). Location: Basement (request at Circulation, no call number). Arranged by U.S. Reports citation (v.168-206).

1974-date (microfiche). Location: Microform Collection, Drawers 7D - 9F. Arranged by docket number

Oral Argument Transcripts

Complete Oral Arguments of the Supreme Court of the United States (1953 - 2011/2012 term).
Location: Microform Collection, Mfiche KF101.9.C65.
Note: This set does not include transcripts for many early cases (pre-1968) that were argued before the Supreme Court, this is because the Supreme Court Library's own collection of transcripts for the period between 1935 - 1968 consists of a random selection of cases, and is not comprehensive. Consult the Supreme Court's Transcripts and Recordings of Oral Arguments web page for more information on obtaining transcripts & audio recordings.

Additional Resources & Information

Where to Find Briefs
This guide published on the U.S. Supreme Court's website, lists subscription databases, internet sources, and document retrieval services for obtaining Supreme Court records and briefs. It also lists depositories of printed Supreme Court briefs, such as the University of Minnesota Law Library.
Transcripts and Recordings of Oral Arguments
The Supreme Court's guide to locating oral argument transcripts and recordings. It includes print and electronic sources available from subscription databases, internet sources, and document retrieval services.
Transcripts of Supreme Court Oral Arguments from Before OT1955 – They Exist!
This post from the blog, "Mostly IP History" includes a list of oral argument transcripts from the U.S. Supreme Court Library. It also includes lists form other sources for locating SCOTUS oral argument transcripts.