What we do

We provide a database/index of case law useful to those involved with the law of the UK. It is a uniquely effective legal research tool.
The database is:

  • An index of cases. A case comes first as an index entry, and as time goes by we add information to more important cases.
  • Free and open. No part of the site is hidden
  • Extensive
    • Currently (Jul 2020) we index some 264k cases. They begin from 1024ad, and finish (usually) today or yesterday. We have a great deal of information about many thousands of cases which are otherwise unavailable online – for free or not.
    • We cover all areas of law.
    • The main jurisdictions are England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Europe (both ECJ and ECHR)
    • The current database online represents just over a half of our total index. Other cases are added from the arrears as we can provide additional information.
  • We do a lot of work to identify when a case cites other cases and is itself cited in later cases. This creates a unique and very effective research tool to show the standing of a case.

We try to help you:

  • Identify the case you might want or need
  • Decide whether you need to read it in full
  • Identify where you might find the full text
  • Provide a link to the full text where available online.
  • Summarise as best we can where the full text is not freely available online.
  • If you want more on any particular case, or a case which is missing, we can at your request pull it up our queue of cases for inclusion or upgrading. It helps us if you can provide whatever information you have about the case you need.

What we don’t do:

  • Give legal advice. None at all. Nada.
  • Do your research. We can sometimes guide your search strategy, and improve our notes for particular cases, but not much more.
  • We do not hold the full text of judgments. We provide a huge number of links to full texts of decisions held by others, but very many judgments remain held either offline and or by copyright holders, and are available only on subscription.
  • Provide a single standard amount for each case. We provide what we properly can, and what we think appropriate for each case.
  • Provide material which you can take into court. Our summaries are here to assist you identify the judgments you mightt wish to present to a court.