The West Key Number System® in Westlaw®

The key to fast case-finding.

West attorney-editors index cases under more than 400 topics and 100,000 points of law, allowing you to quickly find other cases that address your exact point of law - in any jurisdiction.

This arrangement of breaking a court opinion into its distinct points of law and then classifying each point with a number has worked so well that the West Key Number System has become the de facto classification system for all American law. And it's easy to find the right key number for your issue by navigating the outline on Westlaw.

Key numbers help you search for legal concepts. Much legal research is a hunt for a principle or a concept not easily retrieved with a word search. Only West topic and key numbers enable you to find cases stating or applying a legal concept even if those terms aren't in the opinion.

For example, look at the following topic and key number in a sample case:

To make this point of law easier to find, it has been assigned Topic 92 (Constitutional Law), Key Number 254 (Application to governmental or private action), and sub-number 4 (Private persons, corporations or associations, actions of).

Key numbers can sharpen your search on a specific point of law. Add a key number to your word search to narrow your search and still get the cases you want.

Key numbers can also lead you to relevant cases in other jurisdictions. Finding one case on point leads you directly to others - in your jurisdiction or any other - so you don't miss important law.

More Case Law Enhancements in Westlaw