Secondary Sources: Using ALR
Using ALR
There are six series of A.L.R. – the First through Fifth series, plus American Law Reports Federal, which focuses on federal cases. A single print index covers the second (1948-1965), third (1965-1980), fourth (1980-1991), fifth (current), and federal series, while a separate index covers the first (1919-1948) series.
All series of the ALR continue to be updated, but they are not updated in the same way or on a regular basis. To update annotations in the first series, use the Blue Books of Supplemental Decisions. To update annotations in ALR2d, use a source called the Later Case Service. To update ALR annotations in the third through fifth series as well as the ALR Federal Series, simply check the pocket part for the volume in which your annotation is located.
Also, ALR annotations may be superceded by later annotations. Use the History Table at the end of the ALR Index to make sure that an annotation has not been superceded. Online, an annotation will indicate if it has been superceded. While many people use the print indices to locate a relevant annotation, it is also possible to locate annotations by using a keyword search in an online ALR database. One useful way to find ALR annotations online is to look for your search terms in the title of the annotation since the titles tend to describe the contents of the piece. Another way to locate ALR annotations is to Shepardize or KeyCite a relevant case using Lexis or Westlaw since the results should include relevant ALR annotations from all but the First Series. A final way to locate A.L.R. annotations is to use the legal encyclopedia Am.Jur.2d, since it provides references to relevant ALR annotations.