Reply #14: No [View All]

[jberryhill]

I've been in plenty of law libraries, thank you.

You seem not to understand the word "reporter" in this context.

A "reporter" is not a person, it is an unofficial publication...

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O184-SupremeCourtReporter.html

For example, when you see a legal citation like Doe v. Roe, 35 F.3d 276, 280 (4th Cir. 1995), what that citation is saying is:

"look at page 280 of the 35th volume of West's Federal Reporter, Third Series for the decision of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1995 in the case of Doe versus Roe, which starts at page 276"

The official decisions of the court are indeed written. Historically, private publishers of reporters added an indexing and headnote system that made researching them easier. The deal with the Santa Fe decision involves an erroneous headnote which is not part of the decision, but for which the case is often incorrectly cited.

It's odd you would suggest I go to a law library when anyone at the front desk of same will be happy to show you what a "reporter" is.

If this is news to you, then ponder a simple question. Here is the text of the decision in Marbury v Madison:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0005_0137_ZO.html

Do you actually believe that was taken down as oral dictation using inkwell pens? Really?