Using Statutory Codes in Westlaw and Lexis
Once you have located a statutory section within a code, both Westlaw and Lexis provide significant editorial content that you should review to understand the statute’s meaning, currency, interpretation, and validity:
Using Statutory Codes in Westlaw and Lexis
The Notes to/of Decisions in Westlaw and Lexis allow researchers to quickly locate selected cases interpreting the statute and organized into topical categories.
In Westlaw, select the Notes of Decisions tab to the right of the main document.
In Lexis, scroll below the text of the statute to locate Notes to Decisions, or use the drop-down menu above the text of the section to select the same.
In Westlaw, legislative history materials may be provided under the “History” tab.
Secondary sources discussing the statute or topic are available in Westlaw under the “Context and Analysis Tab” and in Lexis under the “Research References and Practice Aids” heading.
Sometimes called citators, these features allow the researcher to see all cases, other statutes, regulations and more that cite to your statute. Both Westlaw Edge and Lexis+ citators provide post-search filters on the left-hand side of the search results list to allow users to narrow their results. Not all citing references will discuss the statute in depth.
In Westlaw, select the Citing References tab, and use filters on the left to narrow results by content type, jurisdiction, date, and to search within citing results.
To locate citing materials in Lexis, first select "Shepardize this document" link to the right of the statutory text. The Shepard's report will include citing case decisions, as well as other citing materials, and like Westlaw, includes filters allowing the researcher to narrow by jurisdiction and date, or to search within results.
​Displayed near the statute’s title and citation, KeyCite flags and Shepard’s signals provide insight into a statute’s present validity. Westlaw and Lexis may apply different treatment to the same statute, but both indicate why they have applied particular treatment (ex. “repealed,” “unconstitutional,” “proposed legislation”). These flags/signals are no substitute for your own analysis of a statute’s validity for the purposes of your research project. For further discussion of KeyCite and Shepard's, see the Cases section of this guide.
