Search US case law and check citations in Microsoft Word
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Install free in WordLexDraft adds a Case law tab and citation checks to Microsoft Word. With a US jurisdiction selected, you can search US case law from CourtListener while you draft. When a LexDraft answer cites a US case, LexDraft checks the citation with CourtListener's citation lookup and links to the opinion.
How US case-law lookup works
- Choose a US jurisdiction. Set the jurisdiction chip to US Federal or a state.
- Open the Case law tab in the LexDraft panel.
- Search by case name, citation, keywords or the issue. For example, search for Brown v. Board of Education or 347 U.S. 483.
- Open the opinion. Each result links to the opinion on CourtListener. Read it; LexDraft does not summarise it for you.
Citation check on LexDraft answers
When an answer in the Assistant pane cites cases, a "References" button under the answer opens a card for each one. US reporter citations and US public-domain citations are sent to CourtListener's citation lookup, and the card shows the result as text:
| Card result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Citation matched | One opinion was found for the citation. | Open it on CourtListener and check the passage you rely on. |
| Multiple matches | The citation fits more than one case, so none is marked matched. | Pick the right case from the list. |
| No match found | The lookup ran and found no opinion. | Treat it as unverified until you find the opinion yourself. |
| Reporter not recognized | The reporter abbreviation may be misspelled, or CourtListener may not know it. | Check the citation. |
| Not checked | The citation is not in a format the check can read. | Check the source yourself. |
The check runs on citations in LexDraft's answers, not on citations already typed in your document. To check one of those, search for it in the Case law tab.
Worked example: 347 U.S. 483
An answer about school desegregation cites Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). The citation means volume 347 of the United States Reports, starting at page 483, and LexDraft sends it to CourtListener's citation lookup. If one opinion matches, the card says "Citation matched" and links to the opinion on CourtListener. If the answer had cited a volume and page where no opinion starts, the card would say "No match found". Either way the check is about the citation, not the argument: read the opinion before you rely on it.
Where the results come from
US case law in LexDraft comes from CourtListener, a legal research website run by the non-profit Free Law Project. Its coverage is broad but not complete, so a "No match found" result is a reason to check, not proof that a case does not exist. LexDraft is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Free Law Project or any court.
Free lookups and paid plans
The Free plan includes 5 case-law lookups a month, shared between US and UK searches, with no card required. Professional ($99 a month) and Business ($199 a month) include unlimited lookups. Prices are in US dollars.
Also checking UK or Canadian authorities? See case citation checking in Word, UK neutral citations and Canadian neutral citations.
Frequently asked questions
Can I search US case law in Microsoft Word?
Yes. With a US jurisdiction selected, open the Case law tab in the LexDraft panel and search by case name, citation, keywords or a short description of the issue. Results come from CourtListener and link to the opinion there.
Which US citations does LexDraft check?
US reporter citations, such as 347 U.S. 483, and US public-domain citations. When a LexDraft answer cites one, the reference card shows whether CourtListener's citation lookup found a matching opinion.
What do the card results mean?
"Citation matched" means CourtListener found one opinion for that citation. "Multiple matches" lists the possible cases. "No match found" means the lookup ran and found nothing. "Reporter not recognized" usually means a misspelled or unknown reporter abbreviation.
Does a match mean the case supports my argument?
No. A match confirms the citation points to a real opinion. It does not confirm a quotation, the holding, or that the case is still good law. Read the opinion and check its later treatment.
Does LexDraft check citation format, such as Bluebook style?
No. LexDraft checks whether a citation points to a real opinion. It does not check or correct citation formatting.
How many free lookups do I get?
The Free plan includes 5 case-law lookups a month, shared between US and UK searches, with no card required. Professional and Business include unlimited lookups.
Look up US case law from Word
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This guide is general information, not legal advice. LexDraft does not give legal advice; qualified counsel must review every draft and verify every authority. LexDraft is not affiliated with or endorsed by Free Law Project or any court. Spotted something out of date? Email support@lexdraft.ai and we will fix it.