Once you click on the case, take a look at the following: 

Tip: How to cite this: R v Beaver, 2020 ABCA 203

In text: (R v Beaver, 2020 ABCA 203 at para 7). *Indicate paragraph number if you are directly quoting text.  If you are summarizing you only need to cite the neutral citation in text). 

Why am I seeing stuff with square brackets and different acronyms? 

Example: R. v. Morelli, 2010 SCC 8, [2010] 1 SCR 253, 316 DLR (4th) 1

• This citation is telling us that the case name or style of cause is Regent (abbreviated) v. Morelli. 
• The first citation is the neutral citation or the number attributed by the courts. it was the 8th case heard in 2010 at the Supreme Court of Canada.
• The second citation denotes the official report that was published in 2010 (square brackets indicate publication date) in Supreme Court Reports, the 1st volume of that year on page 253.
• The third citation is a case reporter or a parallel citation.  You can find a copy of this case with a publisher-written headnote (case summary) in the 4th series of the Dominion Law Reports, volume 316, starting at page 1.

For the purposes of your writing, citing the neutral citation in McGill 10th ed. citation style is the most important. Often legal researchers use two citations (neutral, official reporter, or parallel citation) when citing case law in their work. It is best practice to cite the version in which you consulted. 

If you have a burning desire to know what a legal acronym stands for, you can check using the Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations

Judicial treatment refers to what subsequent court decisions have said about a particular case.  It also refers to what cases have said about statutes or sections of a statute.

Research is not satisfactory until the researcher looks at the judicial treatment of the case or statute provision.

Searching for judicial consideration of a case or statute is called "noting up."

In CanLII, we can take a look at how a case has been treated by clicking on the treatment tab.  This can be helpful for both sides of the moot to determine if other SCC or lower court judgments have decided on similar issues. Cases that have been discussed with a certain level of “intensity” have the blue pepper icon. If you see a yellow pepper, it indicates the case was mentioned unfavorably since the original decision was rendered (See R v Oakes).

Most quoted paragraphs

CanLII has also added indicators to let the readers know how often a paragraph has been cited within a case.  The darker the bar, the most significant that paragraph has been in subsequent case law, and if you click on the bubble, you will be directed to all the cases that have cited that paragraph within CanLII's repertoire. 

(from R v Wittwer, 2008 SCC 33, para 21)

The Supreme Court of Canada website contains a lot of helpful information to the public about anything related to the SCC (you can read about current SCC judges, case law, legislation, rules of court, media releases etc.) 

Like CanLII, you can search for cases by the style of cause, citation, or number.  When the case comes up in a search, pay attention to some value-added features...they can link to additional documents that will be helpful to this course! Click on the case number link provided in the heading box.

By clicking on the Case Information link, you can then find resources available to your case, such as factums, leave to appeals, memoranda, and if it is a recent decision, you can even stream a recording. 

 summaries etc.  ​

• Winning the moot court oral argument: a guide for intramural and intermural moot court competitors 
• Oral argument before a jury: tips for the new attorney 
• Mock Jury Research: Where Do We Go from Here?