Search Information and Examples

Searches can be conducted by entering one or more key words in the search box. If you want the search engine to find documents containing all the words, select "All" in the drop-down box next to "Match." The search engine will try to rank the documents found by relevance to your query, but you should not rely very heavily on that relevance ranking. The best way to find what you are looking for is to structure your search carefully. The following information is designed to help you do that.

Use search terms that are unique to your subject or are otherwise likely to define your topic with precision.

For example, if you want guardian ad litem information, you can simply search for the word litem, and you will probably find what you are looking for.

Use search terms that contain three or more letters (the search engine will not find numbers).

Please note that the search engine is not capable of searching by proximity or by phrase.

For example, if you search for workers compensation, the search engine will find not only documents pertaining to workers' compensation but also those pertaining to other issues involving workers if the word compensation appears elsewhere in the document.

You can use the asterisk as a wildcard at the end of a root word to find variations of the word that may be relevant.

For example, work* compensation would find documents that refer to workers' compensation as well as those that refer to workmen's compensation.

You can use Boolean logic, including parenthetical groupings, to find documents containing different words that may be used to describe the same legal concept.

To use Boolean logic, select "Boolean" in the drop-down box next to "Match." The Boolean phrase (statute* or action*) and limitation* would find documents pertaining to the statute of limitations whether expressed in those terms or in terms of limitation of actions. (Of course it would also find other documents containing the terms, even though they do not appear near one another.)

When your searches result in "hits," a list of opinions containing your terms will be displayed.

Click on a document title or file name to view the full text of the document. Then use your browser's "find" function (usually CTRL-F) to find the specific text for which you are searching.