Researching Judges

Conducting judicial research can provide many strategic advantages for both practicing attorneys and law students. As an attorney, researching a judge you will appear before in court will allow you to understand the judge’s ruling style, how his or her courtroom is run and to calculate the best way to present your case to that particular judge. Similarly, law students interested in clerking for a judge will be able to use information about that judge’s prior decisions, past legal and educational background and other personal affiliations to prepare for an interview with the judge.

This guide provides a quick overview of materials used to research judges. It covers the major print materials, free web sources, and online databases. The guide can be used by students, faculty members, lawyers, and the general public.

Please contact any of our UC Law Librarians if you need assistance in finding or using any of the resources in the guide.