The printed collections at the National Library contain substantial collections of law reports both for Australia and overseas. Use the online catalogue to find and retrieve material using your Library login.

Some of these publications have changed title numerous times over the years and each change of title has its own record in the catalogue. See the Former Title and Later Title sections of the catalogue record for information.

Below is a selection of some key publications available at the Library.

Australia 

Canada 

  • The Canadian Abridgement: Case Digests.1809-1986. A collection of case digests, or summaries, of issues decided by Canadian courts and administrative tribunals from the early 1800s onwards. 
  • Canadian Current Law. Case Law Digests. 1948-1995. Updates Canadian Abridgement. These publications have changed title over the years and each new title has its own record in the catalogue. See the Former Title section of the catalogue records.  

Great Britain 

  • The English Reports. 1378-1867. Contents: Vols. 1-11 House of Lords (1694-1865); Vols. 12-20 Privy Council (including Indian Appeals) (1809-1865); Vols. 21-47 Chancery (including Collateral reports) (1557-1865); Vols. 48-55 Rolls Court (1829-1865); Vols. 56-71 Vice Chancellors' Courts (1815-1865); Vols. 72-122 King's Bench (1378-1865); Vols. 123-144 Common Pleas (1486-1865); Vols. 145-160 Exchequer (1200-1865); Vols. 161-167 Ecclesiastical (1752-1857), Admiralty 1776-1840), and Probate and Divorce (1858-1865); Vols. 168-169 Crown cases (1743-1865); Vols. 170-176 Nisi Prius (1688-1867). Includes index of cases in two volumes. 
  • All England Law Reports Reprint. 1558-1935. Volumes for 1558-1834 selected from early authorised reports; volumes for 1835-1935 selected from the Law Times Reports. 
  • All England Law Reports Annotated. 1936-1946. Updates All England Law Reports Reprint
  • All England Law Reports. 1947-1995. Cases decided in the House of Lords, The Privy Council, all divisions of the Supreme Court and Courts of Special Jurisdiction. 
  • The English and Empire Digest. 1200-1981. Aims to provide the whole case law of England and a considerable body of cases from the courts of other countries of the British Commonwealth. 
  • The Digest: Annotated British, Commonwealth and European Cases. 1982-1995. Updates The English and Empire Digest

New Zealand 

United States 

  • Decennial Digest, American Digest System. 1658-1986. This publication has changed title over the years and each new title has its own record in the catalogue. See the Former Title section of the catalogue record. 
Image
High Court of Australia Justice Isaac Isaacs reading in his office, Sydney, ca. 1930
Fairfax Corporation (1930).  High Court of Australia Justice Isaac Isaacs reading in his office, Sydney, ca. 1930, 1, nla.obj-162867488