This tutorial is about the process by which American case law is created and published, in print and online.

But before we can talk about how cases are published, let’s take a look at where they come from and how they fit into the legal system.

Why do we care about what judges said in cases from yesterday, or a year ago, or a century ago? Answer: These decisions may be “precedents.” A precedent is a decision in a previous case that provides a rule of law that may apply in a current situation....