Not sure where to start?
The printed collections at the National Library contain substantial collections of law reports both for Australia and overseas. Use the online catalogue to find and retrieve material using your Library login.
Some of these publications have changed title numerous times over the years and each change of title has its own record in the catalogue. See the Former Title and Later Title sections of the catalogue record for information.
Below is a selection of some key publications available at the Library.
Australia
- The Australian Digest. 1825+. Includes a subject index and summaries of all published cases from 1825 onwards.
- Australian Legal Monthly Digest -- Cumulative Tables and Digest of Law. 1947+. Updates The Australian Digest. These publications have changed title over the years and each new title has its own record in the catalogue. See the Former Title section of the catalogue records.
- Australian Case Citator. Lists all published cases by name arranged by year from 1825 onwards.
- The Laws of Australia. Legal encyclopedia which includes references to many major cases.
- Halsbury's Laws of Australia. Legal encyclopedia which includes references to many major cases.
- Australian Current Law. Reporter. Updates Halsbury's Laws of Australia.
Canada
- The Canadian Abridgement: Case Digests.1809-1986. A collection of case digests, or summaries, of issues decided by Canadian courts and administrative tribunals from the early 1800s onwards.
- Canadian Current Law. Case Law Digests. 1948-1995. Updates Canadian Abridgement. These publications have changed title over the years and each new title has its own record in the catalogue. See the Former Title section of the catalogue records.
Great Britain
- The English Reports. 1378-1867. Contents: Vols. 1-11 House of Lords (1694-1865); Vols. 12-20 Privy Council (including Indian Appeals) (1809-1865); Vols. 21-47 Chancery (including Collateral reports) (1557-1865); Vols. 48-55 Rolls Court (1829-1865); Vols. 56-71 Vice Chancellors' Courts (1815-1865); Vols. 72-122 King's Bench (1378-1865); Vols. 123-144 Common Pleas (1486-1865); Vols. 145-160 Exchequer (1200-1865); Vols. 161-167 Ecclesiastical (1752-1857), Admiralty 1776-1840), and Probate and Divorce (1858-1865); Vols. 168-169 Crown cases (1743-1865); Vols. 170-176 Nisi Prius (1688-1867). Includes index of cases in two volumes.
- All England Law Reports Reprint. 1558-1935. Volumes for 1558-1834 selected from early authorised reports; volumes for 1835-1935 selected from the Law Times Reports.
- All England Law Reports Annotated. 1936-1946. Updates All England Law Reports Reprint.
- All England Law Reports. 1947-1995. Cases decided in the House of Lords, The Privy Council, all divisions of the Supreme Court and Courts of Special Jurisdiction.
- The English and Empire Digest. 1200-1981. Aims to provide the whole case law of England and a considerable body of cases from the courts of other countries of the British Commonwealth.
- The Digest: Annotated British, Commonwealth and European Cases. 1982-1995. Updates The English and Empire Digest.
New Zealand
- Abridgement of New Zealand Case Law. 1861+. The digest covers decisions of the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Privy Council reported since 1861.
- LexisNexis Butterworths Current Law. 1974+. Updates Abridgement of New Zealand Case Law. This publication has changed title over the years and each new title has its own record in the catalogue. See the Former Title section of the catalogue record.
- The New Zealand Law Reports. 1883+. Cases from various courts from 1883 onwards.
United States
- Decennial Digest, American Digest System. 1658-1986. This publication has changed title over the years and each new title has its own record in the catalogue. See the Former Title section of the catalogue record.