Can I search by citation?
The Signet Online does not search through subscription publications and is not designed to retrieve specifically cited cases or articles. However, it will be able to search through its database for material in which the citation is mentioned and you should click on “Find exact phrase” to restrict your search accordingly.
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Can I search by number?
If you know the number of a document, whether it is a Scottish court ruling, a piece of legislation or a resource from the European Union, then you should be able to retrieve it. Again, the more specific you can be, the more likely you are to find the exact item you are looking for.
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I don’t understand the results page
There are three main parts to the results page:
- The ‘Refine your search’ boxes – this allows you to either change the wording of your query, or to search on the same query using an alternative from the search instruction box.
- The left-hand side search results list – this details the categories of information that can be searched. It also shows the number of items, relevant to your search, it has found in each category. You can restrict the search results to a specific category (e.g. legislation) or look at them all.
- The main search results- this is a list of the results generated by the search, showing the title, reference, and a link for each item. Sometimes, depending on whether your computer is set up to use Java script, these details can be minimised or increased by means of a “Hide/Show” button.
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I have far too many results. What should I do?
You can limit the number of results by using the “Refine your search” boxes. These allow you to change the wording of your query, or to search on the same query, but using an alternative from the search instruction box.
You can also restrict the types of material searched. Go to the left- hand side search results list, which is a list of the categories of information being searched- not all of which may be relevant to your needs. By highlighting the categories that you think are relevant to your search, the other results will drop out. If you are using check boxes, remember to press the “View selected” button.
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I have very few results. Where have I gone wrong?
It may be the case that your search was too restricted, or not all the results are showing yet.
Check the left-hand side search results list. This shows how many items The Signet Online has found in relation to each category of information. Sometimes, depending on how your computer is set up, only the results from the first category are initially shown on the screen. Therefore, if you are looking for Scottish legislation, and the top category in the left-hand side is English cases, then you are not likely to see many results.
Click on a more relevant category and see if that helps. If not, it may be the case that your search was too specific, and you need to start with a more general search term.
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Why does the format of the results page change?
The format of the results page depends on whether or not Java script is switched on –or off (via the Accessibility page).
If the Java function is on then you can check boxes in the left-hand list in order to narrow the search. You can also delete the left-hand list entirely, by clicking on the ‘view by’ menu.
If the Java function is off, then you do not have these options. The search results default to show only the results from the top-most category on the left-hand list. To access results from further down the list you must click on whichever category you are interested in.
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Is there a limit on the number of results shown?
Yes. The Signet Online will show a maximum of 50 results per category. If you cannot find the result you are looking for, your query may be too general.
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Why am I having problems linking to a result?
The site that you are trying to link to may be down for maintenance, or there maybe disruption on the internet. Unfortunately this is out with our control.
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How do I know if a case has been appealed?
The results from The Signet Online search will not show whether a particular case has been appealed or is the most up to date authority in that area. However, if you enter the most distinctive word or words from the party case name in the search box then the results will include appeal judgements in the same case provided that the case name has not been changed and the appeal judgement has been made available to the sites being searched. For example, type McKie Strathclyde to find McKie v The Strathclyde Joint Police Board & Others and related cases.
However, to be certain that a judgement has not been the subject of an appeal before relying on it as an authority, use traditional search techniques such as up-to date textbooks and Current Law Case Citators.
If you need help in establishing if a case has been appealed then please contact The Signet Library’s information services team. (Contact us)
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How can I find what cases cite a particular judgement?
Formulate a search query using the most distinctive words from the case name, e.g., type Shergold to find judgements citing the case Shergold v Fieldway Medical Centre
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How do I know if a piece of legislation has been amended or repealed?
The results from The Signet Online search will not show whether a particular piece of legislation has been amended or repealed, or remains in force. If you need help in establishing this then please contact The Signet Library’s information services team. (Contact us).
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Why can’t I get Session Case reports from The Signet Online?
Session Case reports, and other subscription publications, are not searched by The Signet Online for copyright reasons. These subscription based resources are available from The Signet Library. (Contact us)
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Are the cases I download from The Signet Online official for court purposes?
Cases that are the official judgements of the court will be considered official for court purposes. In the main, cases downloaded from BAILLI and the Scottish Court websites meet this criterion. However, if in doubt, please contact The Signet Library’s information services team. (Contact us).
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