Library Guides: Litigation Resources: Briefs & Oral Arguments

Finding Briefs - Research Services

Bloomberg Law This link opens in a new window
Briefs can be located several ways using Bloomberg Law search features:
- Browse > All Legal Content > U.S. Courts > Court Briefs. This collection features briefs filed in the US Supreme Court from 2015 to current, plus selected older briefs.
- Another way to find briefs in Bloomberg Law if you have a specific case is to search for the case using the Docket Search. Search by docket number or party.
- Or search by case name with the Court Opinion Search feature. Once you have located the case opinion, click on "General Info" to the right of the opinion and then click on the docket link.
- Once at a docket sheet, click on the number to the left of the brief you want to see. The number will be either blue or green. If it is blue it means it is available now. If the number is green the item is not yet available; click on the number to request the item; if it can be obtained, Bloomberg will retrieve it for you within minutes.
HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
- Notable Trials
Law students and faculty may need to enter their My Mercer account ID to access HeinOnline remotely.
Lexis Plus This link opens in a new window
- Briefs, Pleadings & Motions
- CourtLink
- U.S. Supreme Court Transcripts
- When viewing a relevant court opinion, check under the Filings tab at the top of the case or Related Court Material on the right to see if any briefs are available.
LLMC Digital This link opens in a new window
- A searchable collection of archival legal literature, case reports, statutes and documents. LLMC Digital provides online records and briefs for selected California and New York cases. Click on Search Collections and then the Records & Briefs tab to search or browse briefs. Records and briefs for the New York Court of Appeals cover the time period 1863-1991. California case records and briefs are available for various dates, with some as early as the nineteenth century.
Westlaw Precision This link opens in a new window
- Briefs
- Trial Transcripts & Oral Arguments - beginning in 2000
- When viewing a relevant court opinion, check under the Filings tab at the top of the case to see if any briefs are available.

Oyez (pronounced OH-yay) is a free law project from Cornell’s Legal Information Institute (LII), Justia, and Chicago-Kent College of Law with the mission to make the U.S. Supreme Court accessible to everyone.

It has the most complete collection of the Court’s audio recordings since the installation of a recording system in October 1955. Oyez offers transcript-synchronized and searchable audio, plain-English case summaries, illustrated decision information, and full-text Supreme Court opinions through Justia's Supreme Court Center.

Oyez also provides detailed information on every justice throughout the Court’s history and offers a panoramic tour of the Supreme Court building, including the chambers of several justices.

Online Services

ABA Supreme Court Preview

Preview Archives

CourtListener

Advanced RECAP Search
- Collects docket sheets and documents that other people have downloaded from PACER and makes the collection publicly available. PACER documents limited to federal cases.

Court Records Directory

Provides direct links to U.S. trial courts, some of which provide downloadable documents

C-SPAN Supreme Court

Oral Arguments

Office of the Solicitor General

Provides access to government briefs filed on behalf of the United States. All briefs filed by the Solicitor General with the Supreme Court on or after July 1, 1998, except for responses to petitions in "in forma pauperis" or "IFP" cases. Selected briefs from 1982-1986

SCOTUSblog

Reports Supreme Court cases and provides links to some decisions and briefs. (September 29, 2002 - present) For a specific term click here.

U.S. Supreme Court

Where to Find Briefs
Gale U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs (1832-1978) - This is the most comprehensive online resource available for U.S. Supreme Court records and briefs. Search case name, citation, or full-text.
Landmark Briefs and Arguments of the Supreme Court of the United States
Oyez Project
U.S. Supreme Court Argument Audio
- Coverage begins with 2010-2011 Term.

Sharon Bradley

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Contact:

Mercer University School of Law
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Oral Presentations

Improving Your Presentation Skills
- University of Edinburgh
Oral Argument: The Essential Guide
- Stetson Law School
Oral Presentation Evaluation Checklist
- For self evaluation
- University of Hawaii
Oral Presentation Evaluation Rubric
- University of Michigan
Oral Presentations
- Thompson Writing Program, Duke University