Keyword Search

Keyword Search is the best choice when your research depends on the actual words used in the opinion text. It searches across a very large index of every word in every opinion in our database, so it is especially useful for precise legal research.

• Searching for exact legal terms or phrases that may appear in an opinion.
• Looking for statutory references, code sections, dates, or citations.
• Narrowing results based on wording that must appear in the opinion text.
• Testing different combinations of terms to find the most relevant authorities.

Keyword Search gives you more control than broader concept-based searching. If you care about exact language, recurring wording, or a precise reference, this is often the right tool.

Because it searches an index built from hundreds of millions of words across the opinion database, it can surface cases where the specific language itself is part of what makes the case useful.

• It searches a very large word-level index covering the full text of opinions in our database.
• It is helpful when wording matters and you want to control the search more precisely.
• It gives you multiple search modes so you can decide how strict the match should be.
• It is often the fastest way to find cases that contain a specific phrase, reference, or wording pattern.

Keyword Search is straightforward to use, but small changes in phrasing can make a meaningful difference in the results.

1. 1

   Start with the words you care about most

   Type the key terms you want to find in the opinion text. This can be a legal doctrine, a phrase, a statutory reference, or another exact wording pattern that matters to your research.

2. 2

   Choose the search mode

   Use Default mode for a standard keyword search. Use Proximity when the terms should appear near each other. Use Sequential order when the terms should appear in the same order you typed them.

3. 3

   Add a jurisdiction if needed

   Use the jurisdiction filter to narrow the search to a particular state or leave it broad if you are surveying more widely.

4. 4

   Use quotes when exact wording matters

   Put quotation marks around phrases, citations, dates, or section references when you want the search to match the exact text you typed.

5. 5

   Review the result excerpts

   The results show the original opinion excerpt where the terms appear, along with a plain-language summary of that segment, so you can quickly decide which cases are worth opening.

The mode selector changes how strict the keyword matching should be. If you are unsure where to start, begin with Default and then tighten the search if needed.

This tool becomes much more powerful once you start using exact phrases, exclusions, and more targeted wording.

The results view is designed to help you judge relevance quickly without opening every case.

Keyword Search is often the best tool when precision matters more than broad topical matching.

• It is especially strong when the exact wording matters.
• It can help you find cases containing precise references that broader search tools may not surface as cleanly.
• It gives you more control over how strictly the words should match.
• It is a strong complement to Concept Search when you want to move from broad topic research to exact-text searching.

Keyword Search is powerful, but it is not always the best starting point for every research task.

• It works best when you already have a sense of the words or phrases you want to search for.
• If you are still exploring a topic and do not know the likely wording, Concept Search may be a better place to start.
• It is not the right tool when you want a synthesized legal answer rather than a search results list.
• If you already know the exact case name or citation, the Case Name Search or Citation Lookup tools may be faster.

A few practical habits can make Keyword Search much more effective.

• Start broad, then tighten the search with quotes, exclusions, or a stricter mode.
• Try multiple phrasings if you are not seeing the results you expect.
• Use exact-phrase searching for statutes, code sections, dates, and formal wording.
• Use Proximity mode when the relationship between terms matters more than the mere presence of both words.
• Open the case details page before relying on a result, especially when treatment or procedural posture matters.