Fastcase Fast Facts By Cathy Underwood In the last column, we talked about the difference between searching and browsing, and how to choose specific jurisdictions. (Remember that when you first enter Fastcase, “Current Sources” is set to the Entire Database.) But most of us are usually interested in only certain jurisdictions. For instance, as Arkansas attorneys, we are generally interested in Arkansas cases and statutes, and maybe Eighth Circuit or U.S. Supreme Court cases. For convenience, we would like that always to be the selected scope in the opening screen of Fastcase; we want it to be our “default scope.” To set a default scope requires three simple steps: (1) select the jurisdictions; (2) save it; and (3) set as default. In Fastcase, click on “Jurisdictions and Sources” to the right of the search bar. (Remember you can also get there by clicking on the cog on the far right, and then choosing “Jurisdiction and Sources.”) Here’s what your screen looks like:
Notice that on the right side, all the primary and secondary law is listed. Here you can drill down to the jurisdictions you want, and click in the boxes to add them to your search. Or, on the left side of the screen, click on “Ark.” to limit your options to a more relevant list. (Note that sometimes there is a delay of just a few seconds. At first, this led me to think it wasn’t working, so be patient!) Now, your screen looks like this:
Now the options for Arkansas and Eighth Circuit are all open on your screen, ready to be clicked. Click on each item you wish to add to your search–you can mix and match them however you like. Note that if you want to add U.S. Supreme Court cases, you will have to go back to the left side, click “U.S.,” then select that option on the right. Now that you’ve selected your sources, the next step is to save the selection. The easiest way to do this is before you leave the “Jurisdiction and Sources” screen. Notice near the top to the right of “Current Sources” there is an x and then a star. Hover over the star and a popup appears that says “Save Source.” Click once to save the source, then click again immediately to save as your default search. Note - If you hesitate too long before your second click in this process, you lose the ability to save as default this way. No worries! Click on the cog to the right of the search bar to get to “Advanced Search Options.” Choose the tab that says “Saved Sources.” This lists every source you have ever saved. Find the one you want, and hover your mouse on the right side of it. Options will pop up to “Apply to Search,” “Set as Default,” or “Delete this Source.” Click on “Set as Default,” and you’re done! The next time you come back to Fastcase, “Current Sources” will show your personal default selection. Cathy Underwood has provided editing services to ArkBar for over 35 years, and provides training to its members on Fastcase and ArkBar Join the Fastcase User Forum in the ACE Community Docs. 36
The Arkansas Lawyer
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