NFPA Paralegal Core Competency Exam (PCCE)Legal ResearchEasy
A paralegal is conducting research for a federal case involving a constitutional law issue. They need to find the full text of a U.S. Supreme Court decision from 1985. Which of the following primary sources would be the most authoritative and accessible for this purpose?
- AFederal Reporter (F. series)
- BUnited States Reports (U.S.)
- CFederal Supplement (F. Supp.)
- DAmerican Law Reports (A.L.R.)
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. United States Reports (U.S.)
The United States Reports (U.S.) is the official reporter for the decisions of the United States Supreme Court. While other reporters might publish Supreme Court decisions, the U.S. Reports is the most authoritative for official citation and reference.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The Federal Reporter publishes decisions from the U.S. Courts of Appeals and sometimes district courts, not the official Supreme Court decisions.
- C. The Federal Supplement publishes decisions from the U.S. District Courts, not the U.S. Supreme Court.
- D. American Law Reports (A.L.R.) is a secondary source that provides annotations on selected cases, not a primary reporter for Supreme Court decisions.
United States Reports (U.S.)
The official reporter for the decisions of the United States Supreme Court, containing the full text of opinions.
- Official publication of U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
- Considered the most authoritative source for these opinions.
- Cited as 'U.S.' in legal documents.
Memory trick: Supreme Court's official words are in the 'U.S.' book.