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Alaska State Libraries, Archives & Museums Alaska State Library

Deciphering Legal Citations: Judicial Sources

Alaska Supreme Court Decisions (1960 – present) - Jurisdiction: State

Publications

Alaska Reporter
Pacific Reporter

Citation styles

Williams v. Zobel, 619 P. 2d 448 (Alaska 1980)

<parties><volume><abbrev. for name of publication><page number><court & year of decision>

Parties = Appellant versus Appellee

Variations:   619 Pac. R. 2d 448
                    619 Pac. Rep. 2d 448
                    619 Pacific  Rep. 2d 448

 

Where to find online

Alaska Court of Appeals Decisions (1980 - present) - Jurisdiction: State

Publications

Alaska Reporter
Pacific Reporter

Citation style

Zimmerman v. State, 706 P. 2d 343 (Alaska App 1985)

<parties><volume><abbrev. for name of publication><page number><court & year of decision>

Parties = Appellant versus Appellee

Variations:   706 Pac. R. 2d 343
                    706 Pac. Rep. 2d 343
                    706 Pacific  Rep. 2d 343

Where to find online

Alaska Trial Courts – Superior & District Courts (1960 – present) - Jurisdiction: State

Publications

Decisions not published – contact court where case was filed

Citation styles

Bean v. Grant, 1JU-96-01727CI

<Parties>  <Case Number>
Parties = Plaintiff versus Defendant

Case Number = Judicial District & Court – Year – Unique Number & Case Type

Alaska Court System's Information on deciphering case numbers

Where to find online

           CourtView Online Access is updated daily, contains information for trial court cases 1990 +, some older cases may be included

 Note:  For cases not included in CourtView Onlnie Access, contact the court where the case was filed.
           Contact Alaska State Archives for trial court cases before 1960 (prior to Alaska Court System and statehood).

U.S. Supreme Court Decisions - Jurisdiction: Federal

Publications

United States Reports (1790 +)
United States Supreme Court Reports, Lawyer’s Edition (1790 +)
Supreme Court Reporter (1882 +)
United States Law Week (1933 +)

Citation styles

 

Listed in order of publications above

Alaska v. Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government,  522 U.S. 520 (1998)

Alaska v. Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1998)

Alaska v. Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government, 86 S. Ct. 1602 (1998)

<parties><volume><abbrev. for name of publication><page number><year of decision>
Parties = Appellant versus Appellee

Alaska v. Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government, 66 U.S.L.W. 4145 (U.S. Feb. 25, 1998)

<parties><volume><abbrev. for name of publication><page number><court & date of decision>

Variations:   United States Reports:  U.S., U.S. Reports, U.S. Rep.
                    United States Supreme Court Reports, Lawyer’s Edition: L. Ed., L Ed, U.S. Law. Ed., 
                           U.S. Sup. Ct. Rep. (L. Ed.), U.S. L. Ed.
                    Supreme Court Reporter: S. Ct., Sup. Ct., Sup. Court Rep.
                    United States Law Week: U.S.L.W., U.S.L. Week

Where to find online

U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (Alaska included from 1900 – present) - Jurisdiction: Federal

Publications

Federal Reporter

Citation styles

State of Alaska v. Babbitt , 54 F.3d 549 (9th Cir. 1995)

<parties><volume><abbrev. for name of publication><page number><court & year of decision>

Parties = Appellant versus Appellee

Variations:  Federal Reporter:  F., Fed., F.R., Fed. R., Fed. Rep.

Where to find online

U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska (1960 – present) - Jurisdiction: Federal

Publications

Federal Supplement

Citation styles

Hendricks v. Tug Gordon Gill, 737 F.Supp. 1099 (D. Alaska 1989)

Parties = Plaintiff versus Defendant

<parties><volume><abbrev. for name of publication><page number><court & year of decision>

Variations:  Federal Supplement:  F. Supp., F.S., Fed. Sup., Fed. Supp.

Where to find online
  • Westlaw at Court Law Library

District Courts of Alaska Decisions – had local jurisdiction from 1884 -1959 (Pre-Statehood) - Jurisdiction: Federal

Publications

Federal Supplement (1932 – 1959)
Federal  Reporter (1884 – 1932)
Alaska Reports (1884 – 1959)
Alaska Federal Reports  (1884 -1937)

Citation styles

Bolshanin v. Zlobin, 76 F. Supp. 281, 11 Alaska 539 (D. Alaska 1948)
   [cites to Federal Supplement & Alaska Reports]

United States v. The Coquitlam, 57 F. 706, 1 Alaska Fed. 317 (D. Alaska 1893)
   [cites to Federal Reporter & Alaska Federal Reports]

<parties><volume><abbrev. for name of publication><page number><court & year of decision>

Variations:   Federal Supplement:  F. Supp., F.S., Fed. Sup., Fed. Supp.
                    Federal Reporter:  F., Fed., F.R., Fed. R., Fed. Rep.
                    Alaska Reports:  Alaska, Alk
                    Alaska Federal Reports:  Alaska Fed., A.F. Rep., Alas F, Alaska Fed. Rep.  

Where to find online

  • Westlaw at Court Law Library

U.S. District Courts for California and Oregon, and District Courts of Washington – had local jurisdiction in Alaska until 1884 (Pre-Statehood) - Jurisdiction: Federal

Publications

Federal Reporter (1880 – 1884)
Federal  Cases (1867 – 1880)
Alaska Federal Reports (1869 -1884)

Citation styles

United States v. Williams, 2 F. 61, 1 Alaska Fed. 101 (D. Oregon 1880)
   [cites to Federal Reporter & Alaska Federal Reports]

Waters v. Williams, 29 F.Cas. 412, 1 Alaska Fed. 95 (C.C.D. Oregon 1877)   
   [cites to Federal Cases & Alaska Federal Reports]

<parties><volume><abbrev. for name of publication><page number><court & year of decision>

Variations:   Federal Reporter:  F, Fed., F.R., Fed. R., Fed. Rep.
                    Federal Cases:  F. C. F. Cas., Fed. Ca., Fed. Cas.
                    Alaska Federal Reports:  A.F. Rep., Alas F, Alaska Fed., Alaska Fed. Rep.

Where to find online

  • Westlaw at Court Law Library