The Canadian Abridgment is Canada's most comprehensive case digest service. This large multi-volume set provides a summary of every reported case in Canada, and selective coverage of unreported decisions. Canadian Abridgment 3rd is located in the Law Library reference room (level 2). To find cases relevant by subject, use either the Key & Research Guide, which provides a detailed table of contents, or the General Index volume. Once you have located case digests on your topic in the relevant bound volume of the Can Abr 3d, remember to update your research by consulting the soft cover supplement, and monthly issues of Canadian Current Law for more recent case summaries.
To find a case by its case name, use the Canadian Abridgment's Consolidated Table of Cases, located in the Law Library reference room (level 2).
If you want to read the full text of a decision, write down the case citations given at the end of the case summary. For example: Rooney v Chan (1992), 76 BCLR (2d) 186. Legal citations include: the names of the parties, the year of the decision, the volume number, the abbreviation for the law reports set, a series statement (if any) and the first page of the decision. Check the ICLL Periodicals List or the Abbreviations table, published in the front of the bound volumes of the Abridgment, to determine the full name of the set of law reports. Finally, use the library catalogue to find the call number for the set of law reports containing the case. Law reports are shelved on level 4 of the Law Library.
To research the history of a case and its subsequent treatment in later court decisions, use the Canadian Case Citations volumes, which are published as part of the Canadian Abridgment. This multi-volume red set is located in the Law Library reference room (level 2). This research step allows you to ensure that the cases you want to rely on are still considered 'good' law.
To 'note up' a particular federal or provincial statute or statute section, to see if it has been 'judicially considered' in a court case, use the Canadian Statutes Citations volumes, which are published as part of the Canadian Abridgment. This multi-volume grey set is located in the Law Library reference room (level 2)
