Law reports are publications that court judgments are published in. Law reports are accessible online through the databases linked below. You will find South African law reports on Jutastat Online and Lexis Library.
Not all court judgments are published in law reports. Judgments that are not published in law reports are referred to as unreported judgments. These are still available online, through the databases listed below, but only to a limited extent.
Court judgments are also known as case law and precedent. Law reports are primary sources.
For further reading on law reports, consult this publication: Beginners Guide for Law Students (chapter 3)
Find search guides, training videos and tutorials to assist you with finding Law Reports and conducting research with Law Reports on the Research Support tab.
The lists below will assist you to locate South African law reports in the UJ Law Library and in the UJ Law Library's subscribed databases.
Click on thenext to a particular database link to view the database description
South African Databases for Case Law:
International and Foreign Databases for Case Law:
LAW REPORTS BEFORE 1947
Electronic copies of these cases are available on the Lexis Library database.
LAW REPORTS AFTER 1947
Electronic formats are available in the Jutastat Online and Lexis Library databases.
SPECIALIST LAW REPORT SERIES
Since the early 1990's several specialist law report series were published such as the South African Criminal Law Reports, the Butterworths Labour Law Reports and the Butterworths Constitutional Law Reports.
TO FIND THE SOUTH AFRICAN LAW REPORTS IN PRINT OR ELECTRONIC, CLICK ON ONE OF THE LINKS UNDER THE "LISTS" HEADING.
Click on thenext to a particular database link to view the law reports available in that database.
