Gavin Howe
American Law Reports (ALR) are a resource used by American lawyers to find a variety of sources relating to specific legal rules, doctrines, or principles. ALR articles, also known as annotations, provide background, analysis, and citations to relevant cases, statutes, law review articles, and other annotations. While ALR annotations are not jurisdiction-specific, they do contain citations to cases from throughout the United States and secondary sources like law review articles. Each annotation includes a Table of Jurisdictions to help users find relevant cases within specific states or circuits. ALR articles are also careful to provide cases on both sides of a legal issue and list cases according to their jurisdiction.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Material | Articles and cases |
| Number of Jurisdictions | Varies, but includes cases from throughout the United States |
| Nature of Articles | In-depth analysis of narrow topics |
| Nature of Annotations | Summaries of the evolution of specific legal concepts |
| Nature of Citations | Relevant cases, statutes, law review articles, and other annotations |
| Nature of Cases | Leading cases from all U.S. jurisdictions addressing the issue |
| Frequency of Updates | Not on a regular schedule |
| Availability | Westlaw, Lexis Advance, and print |
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ALR annotations
American Law Reports (ALR) are a secondary source that combines elements of legal encyclopaedias with case reporters. ALR articles, also known as ALR annotations, are in-depth articles on narrow topics of the law. They are not jurisdiction-specific and contain a Table of Jurisdictions to help readers find relevant cases within specific states. Annotations usually focus on developing areas of the law or areas of the law in which not all jurisdictions are in agreement.
ALR citations always include the word "Annotation" after the author's name. If there is no author designated, begin with "Annotation", followed by a comma. For example, an ALR citation might look like this: "George L. Blum, Annotation, Effectiveness of Employer's Disclaimer of Representations in Personnel Manual or Employee Handbook Altering At-Will Employment Relationship, 17 A.L.R.5th 1 (1994)".
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ALR articles
American Law Reports (ALR) are a resource used by American lawyers to find a variety of sources relating to specific legal rules, doctrines, or principles. Each ALR volume contains several annotations, which are articles that summarise the evolution of a specific legal concept. These articles collect cases from a variety of state and federal courts or jurisdictions and arrange them according to how the courts have ruled. ALR articles are not jurisdiction-specific, and each annotation contains a Table of Jurisdictions to help readers find relevant cases within specific states.
ALR annotations are published in the order the leading cases were decided, and they are not organised alphabetically. They tend to delve more deeply into a specific legal principle or doctrine, providing cases on both sides of the legal issue and listing cases according to their jurisdiction.
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ALR series
The American Law Reports (ALR) is a resource used by American lawyers to find a variety of sources relating to specific legal rules, doctrines, or principles. It has been published since 1919 and remains an important tool for legal research. Each ALR volume contains several annotations, which are articles that summarize the evolution of a specific legal concept in a concise and precise fashion. Annotations are not jurisdiction-specific and contain a Table of Jurisdictions to help readers find relevant cases within specific states.
ALR has been published in several series, with the current series being ALR7th. There are also series of ALR Fed, which focuses on federal law. The first and second series of ALR are now used mostly for historical perspective, while current information is found in the remaining series. ALR3d through ALR6th and ALR Fed are updated by pocket part supplements, while the first series has a citation service and ALR2d a Later Case Service.
ALR annotations contain citations to primary source materials, as well as citations to law review articles and other related ALR annotations. Annotations usually focus on developing areas of the law or areas where not all jurisdictions are in agreement. They provide an overview of the current state of the law and allow for the comparison of the law in multiple jurisdictions. ALR annotations are not considered authoritative sources of the law and generally should not be cited in court documents or scholarly articles.
ALR is prepared by the American Law Institute (ALI), an organization comprising judges, professors, and lawyers. The ALI's aim is to distil the "black letter law" from cases to indicate trends in common law and occasionally recommend what a rule of law should be. Restatements, which cover broad topics such as Contracts or Property, are not primary law but are considered persuasive authority by many courts.
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ALR citations
American Law Reports (ALR) are a resource used by American lawyers to find a variety of sources relating to specific legal rules, doctrines, or principles. ALR articles, also known as annotations, provide background, analysis, and citations to relevant cases, statutes, law review articles, and other annotations.
ALR annotations contain citations to primary source materials, as well as citations to law review articles and other related ALR annotations. Annotations usually focus on developing areas of the law or areas where not all jurisdictions are in agreement. Each annotation contains a Table of Jurisdictions to help readers find relevant cases within specific states. In the federal series, the Table of Jurisdictions directs readers to cases by circuit.
ALR annotations are not jurisdiction-specific, but they do contain a wide variety of relevant citations to cases from throughout the United States. They are published in the order that leading cases were decided and provide cases on both sides of the legal issue, listing them according to their jurisdiction.
ALR is organized into two parts: six "series" covering state law topics (ALR, ALR 2d, ALR 3d, ALR 4th, ALR 5th, and ALR 6th), and two "series" covering federal law topics (ALR Fed and ALR Fed 2d). There is also a series for international law (ALR Int'l).
While ALRs are generally not cited in court documents or scholarly articles, Rule 16.7.6 of The Bluebook (19th and 22nd editions) covers how to do so.
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ALR in legal research
American Law Reports (ALR) are a valuable resource for legal research, providing in-depth analysis of specific legal topics. ALR is published by Thomson Reuters (West) and is available in print and electronic formats. While ALR is not an authoritative source to be cited in court, it serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding the current state of the law and comparing different jurisdictions.
ALR annotations, or articles, delve into narrow legal topics, offering summaries of specific legal concepts and their evolution. Each annotation includes a Table of Jurisdictions, directing readers to relevant cases within specific states or circuits for federal cases. Annotations also provide citations to primary sources, such as key cases, and secondary sources, including law review articles and other ALR annotations. These citations offer a balanced perspective by presenting cases from both sides of a legal issue.
The structure of ALR follows the West American Digest System, with headnotes for reported cases and references to annotations. It is organised into two parts: six series covering state law (ALR to ALR 6th) and two series covering federal law (ALR Fed and ALR Fed 2d). The first two series are primarily for historical reference, while the remaining series contain current information. ALR also includes the Quick Index, which provides easy access to annotations for topics covered entirely by federal law.
ALR is a valuable starting point for legal research, saving time by identifying key sources and providing an overview of the legal landscape. It is particularly useful for understanding developing or controversial areas of law, where jurisdictions may disagree. While ALR should not be directly cited in court, it can guide researchers to relevant primary and secondary sources, aiding in comprehensive legal analysis.
In conclusion, ALR plays a significant role in legal research by offering concise summaries, jurisdictional comparisons, and comprehensive citations for specific legal topics. Its organisation and depth make it a valuable tool for lawyers, students, and researchers seeking to navigate the complex landscape of American law.
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Frequently asked questions
American Law Reports are a resource used by American lawyers to find a variety of sources relating to specific legal rules, doctrines, or principles.
An ALR annotation is an article that summarizes the evolution of a specific legal concept. It contains citations to primary source materials, law review articles, and other related ALR annotations.
ALR annotations provide an in-depth analysis of narrow topics. They are useful for researching specific legal issues, doing a survey of existing law, identifying trends in the law, and finding persuasive case law.
An ALR annotation includes a list and summary of leading cases from all U.S. jurisdictions that address a specific issue, as well as citations to relevant cases, statutes, law review articles, and other annotations.
ALR annotations can be found electronically on Westlaw and Lexis Advance. To access, simply type "American Law Reports" in the search box and click the link that appears.
