
	Objectives What is case law? Structure of a case Law reports Case citation Finding cases: full citation Finding cases: incomplete citation Finding cases by subject Updating cases

Updating cases / noting up a case

To ensure the cases are still 'good' law (i.e. not overruled by subsequent cases) ...

Research the judicial history of a case to ascertain whether the case has been overruled by subsequent cases or it is still being used.
Checking a case's judicial history may also alert you to more recent judgments on your topic. This task is usually referred to as noting up.
Noting up Australian cases is done by using a case citator. Common Australian case citators are Legal Online: FirstPoint, and LexisNexis AU: CaseBase
The most noteworthy annotations in a case citator are: disapproved, overruled, applied and followed.
A detailed description of these terms can be found:
Legal Online: -> FirstPoint -> Help -> Status Symbols Guide
LexisNexis AU: -> Help -> CaseBase Court Annotations
Annotations differ between databases.

Example of the judicial history of the case Yorta Yorta v Victoria:

Updating cases

This case has not been overuled and is still good law.

[Image used by permission of Legal Online™.]