SCOTUSblog 4.0 and merits cases
on Nov 16, 2010 at 8:00 am
With the new SCOTUSblog Merits Cases page, we have combined all the familiar features of SCOTUSwiki into one main section of our site, making it easier than ever to navigate present and past Terms.  This post will provide a quick overview of the new format.
Upcoming merits cases
From the home page, you can see which merits cases are next in line for oral argument by scrolling down to “Upcoming Merits Cases.â€Â From the “Upcoming Merits Cases†window on our home page, you can see the issues presented by each upcoming merits case and access both the Court’s electronic docket and our Case Page for those cases.
Case pages
We have created a case page for each case that the Court has considered on the merits since OT2007. These pages perform the function of SCOTUSwiki, providing a central location where all case documents (opinions below, cert.-stage documents, amicus briefs, merits briefs, and the final Supreme Court opinion) and SCOTUSblog analysis can easily be accessed. Whenever possible, we also provide links to the transcript and audio recording of oral argument as soon as they become available. By clicking on a case’s docket number you are directed to the Court’s electronic docket page for the particular case, where you can view a detailed procedural schedule and other information (such as the arguing counsel).
Accessing merits cases pages
There are a few different ways to access case pages for merits cases.
From the menu atop the home page, select the drop-down “Case Files†menu. From there, you can select the appropriate Term. To access merits cases from OT2008 or OT2007, or to see all the Terms for which we have created case pages, select “Term Archives†from the drop-down menu.
To see a list of all the merits cases for OT2010 (along with each case’s argument date, docket number, and issue/holding), you can also select “All Merits Cases from October Term 2010†from the top-right corner of the “Upcoming Merits Cases†window on the home page. From here, you can access each case page and, as they become available, the case’s transcript, oral argument audio recording, and final opinion.
Along the right-hand side of the home page, you can easily search the SCOTUSblog archives to access Merits Cases pages.
Search by Case Files: Use the “Cases This Term†drop-down menu to access any of the Merits Cases pages for the present Term, and use the “Term Archives†drop-down menu to access the main page for each Term for which we have created case pages.
Search by Word: You may also perform keyword searches to search the SCOTUSblog archives or the Supreme Court docket pages. For more information on how to perform keyword searches, select the [?] above the search bar or click here.
Our team also creates case pages for notable recent petitions for certiorari, which can be accessed either by selecting “Pending Petitions†from the drop-down “Case Files†menu atop our home page or via the “Upcoming Petitions We’re Watching†window below the Upcoming Merits Cases window.
