West Key Number System
The key to fast case-finding and the industry classification system for all American law
Only West Topic and Key Numbers help you find cases stating a concept not in the opinion
West attorney-editors index cases under more than 400 topics and 100,000 points of law, allowing you to quickly find other cases that address your exact point of law in any jurisdiction.
This arrangement of breaking a court opinion into its distinct points of law and then classifying each point with a number has worked so well that the West Key Number System has become the de facto classification system for all American law. And, it's easy to find the right Key Number for your issue by navigating the outline on Westlaw.
How the West Key Number System helps your work
- Key Numbers help you search for legal concepts - much legal research is a hunt for a principle or a concept not easily retrieved with a word search and 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
- Key Numbers can 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
- Key Numbers can also lead you 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
Example from a sample case
Take a look at the Topic and Key Number in a sample case:
applying the due process clause to private parties: 92k254(4).
To make this point of law easier to find, it has been assigned:
- Topic 92 (Constitutional Law)
- Key Number 254 (Application to governmental or private action)
- Sub-number 4 (Private persons, corporations, or associations, actions of).