Save a Forest or Two

The first-year LRWA final is just about over, and because our Westlaw rep just told us that she observed a 700-page KeyCite result for a single case (!!) at one of the Zief printers, we thought it would be a good time to dispense some tips on how to print in an environmentally-friendly fashion on Lexis and Westlaw:

• Tip #1:  Use Limit KeyCite Display on Westlaw:  If you are printing a KeyCite result, take advantage of the "Limit KeyCite Display" function to customize your KeyCite result and make it easier to use BEFORE you print.  The "Limit KeyCite Display" function appears at the bottom left of your KeyCite result screen (this Westlaw guide shows you where to find it).  You can limit your KeyCite results by Jurisdiction, by Headnote, by Date, by Document Type, by Depth of Treatment, and by Keyword.  Usually, you can create a KeyCite printout that doesn't kill a couple of forests or confuse you endlessly just by applying the jurisdiction and document type limits.  For example, do you really need to know what the Seventh Circuit had to say about your California Supreme Court case?  Probably not, so limit your result by checking the boxes next to the jurisdictions that matter. If you're not sure which jurisdictions matter, come and talk to us at the reference desk, and we can help you figure it out.
  
  Similarly, if you are KeyCiting just to figure out if your case is still good law, you don't need to print out the long list of secondary sources and appellate briefs that cite to your case or statute.  Click on the Document Type restrictor, and uncheck the boxes next to secondary sources and briefs.  When you're done setting limits, click "Apply," and you will see a much more user-friendly result that you can print without guilt!

• Tip #2:  Use the "FOCUS Restrict By" Function on Lexis:  If you're a Lexis user, you, too, can be a friend to the environment.  You can filter your Shepard's results by clicking on the "FOCUS Restrict By" link at the top of your Shepard's results screen (this guide shows you exactly where to find this link).  After clicking this link, you can limit your results by Analysis, by Jurisdiction, by Date, and by Keyword.  You can also choose to display only "all negative" or "all positive" Shepard's results to refine your result.

• Tip #3: Don't print out the annotations to a statute unless you really need them.  Statutory annotations can be quite lengthy, and if you have already reviewed them online and picked out the relevant annotations, think twice before printing out the annotated version of the statute.  If you just want to print the statute's language, on Westlaw, select "Print," then at the next screen, select "Statutory Text Only" before you click the Print button. 
  
  On Lexis, look up your statute.  When you have the statute on the screen, click on the word "Custom" at the top left of the screen.  You'll be presented with a number of boxes.  Make sure that the only box that is checked is the "Text" box, then hit "OK."  When you return to the screen, you will just be viewing the statute's text, and you can now go ahead and print the statute without printing the annotations.  To return to a full, annotated view of the statute, click the word, "Full," at the top left of your screen.

• Tip #4:  Call the Lexis & Westlaw Customer Service Numbers.  The Westlaw and Lexis reference attorneys can help you with all of the above functions.  To reach them, call Lexis at 1-800-455-3947 (1-800-45-LEXIS) or Westlaw at 1-800-733-2889 (1-800-REF-ATTY)