Self Paced Lesson - Case Law - Subject Guide: 13. Judicial Definitions

Step 1: 

From the Lexis Advance homepage, click on Advanced Search and then select Cases from the drop-down menu.

Step 2: 

Complete the Words & Phrases Judicially Considered search fields

Example:   duress

Step 2: 

Step 3: 

Click on the magnifying glass icon to Search.

Step 4: 

Narrow the Results by Legal Topics
              Expand Legal Topics
              Select Family Law from the menu

Step 4: 

Step 6: 

Select the case with the relevant catchwords
Family law — Property interests — Property settlement — Financial agreements

Example:

Thorne v Kennedy (2017) 263 CLR 85

Step 7: 

Access the case
             > Clicking on the title of the case will take you to the CaseBase entry.
             > You can find the full text by clicking on the blue hyperlinked Australian Law Reports (ALR) citation.

Step 8: 

Download the document.
Select either the
             > download button from the top task bar
             > Download Document button located below the case name

This will allow you to download the PDF version to the case and view the case as it appears in the print version of the Australian Law Reports.
Of course, the authorised version is (2017) 263 CLR 85, available from Westlaw Australia.

Step 8: 

Step 1:

Select Cases from the Content types on the Westlaw Australia home page

Step 1:

Step 2:

Select Advanced search

Step 2:

Step 3:

Complete the Words & Phrases search fields

Example:   duress

Step 3:

Step 4:

Click the magnifying glass icon to Search.

Step 5: 

Step 6: Navigate to the case Thorne v Kennedy (2017) 263 CLR 85

Step 7: Access the case

Click on the PDF icon next to the citation, and you will be taken to the case as it appears in the Commonwealth Law Reports.

Clicking on the case name will take you to the Digest entry, which gives an overview of the case, citing references (cases and articles), and the Table of Authorities, which includes cases and legislation considered by the case.

Included in the Results record:

• Digest
• case name
• common/famous name in brackets beside the case name
• parallel citations in order of authority (most authoritative is first, then decreasing order)
• KeyCite numbers
• Catchwords
• Jurisdiction
• Court
• Judgment Date​
• Negative Treatment
• History
• Citing References
• Table of Authorities

Step 7: 

Step 8: Judicial consideration of term

From the Digest, navigate to point 2

Select the link to Cases that cite this case on this point of law to source similar cases

Select the KeyCite links to source similar cases

Step 8: 

Click on the Other Versions drop-down arrow to access the authorised version

Step 1:

Select Advanced Search... from the drop-down arrow

Step 1:

Step 2:

Select the Boolean Query tab

Step 2:

Step 3:

Complete the Enter your search field:

(character* OR compris* OR defin* OR describ* OR discuss* OR element* OR expla* OR interpret* OR mean* OR phras*) W/15 SearchWord

Example:

Step 3. Complete the Enter your search field:

(character* OR compris* OR defin* OR describ* OR discuss* OR element* OR expla* OR interpret* OR mean* OR phras*) W/15 duress

Step 4.

 Scroll down and click in the check-box beside Select the database(s) to search... to clear the checked boxes

Step 5:

Check the box for All Case Law Databases

Step 5:

Step 6. 

Click on Advanced Search

Step 7. 

Results can be sorted by:
* Relevance
* Database (recommended)
* Date
* Title

Step 1: 

Select Advanced Search from the drop-down arrow

Step 1: 

Step 2: 

In the Text field, type duress

From the Tag drop down menu, select Duress

From the Topic drip down menu, select Family 

Step 2: 

Step 3:

 Select Search

Step 4: 

Determine the required case

From the Results list, use the Summary tab to view each case to determine the required case

Select the entry for the case

Thorne v Kennedy 

[2017] HCA 49 (08 November 2017) (Kiefel CJ, Bell, Gageler, Keane, Nettle, Gordon and Edelman JJ) 263 CLR 85; 91 ALJR 1260; 350 ALR 1; (2017) FLC ¶93–807; 56 Fam LR 559

Step 5: 

Select the Focus matches button to navigate quickly to the relevant sections of the case 

• Select the Show in document button to return to the original full text

CaseTrace entry (summary pane to the right of screen) provides:

• Citations
• Number of citations to this case (cases citing this case)
• most recent case citing this case
• Number of cases cited
• Statutory material cited (legislation)
• link to Jade Citator (searches for all references to the case)
• link to Citation report  which provides:
• Legislation cited by this case
• Cases citing this case
• Cases cited by this case
  • Cited Documents - case and legislation used to support the arguments made in the case
  • Citing References - cases, commentary and articles written about the case

Step 6: 

CaseTrace entry (summary pane to the right of screen) provides:

• Citations
• Number of citations to this case (cases citing this case)
• most recent case citing this case
• Number of cases cited
• Statutory material cited (legislation)
• link to Jade Citator (searches for all references to the case)
• link to Citation report  which provides:
• Legislation cited by this case
• Cases citing this case
• Cases cited by this case
  • Cited Documents - case and legislation used to support the arguments made in the case
  • Citing References - cases, commentary and articles written about the case

Step 7: 

Use the Visualisation tools to represent the CaseTrace information graphically

Step 7: 

Step 8: 

Use the Print and Export option to download the PDF version of the case