For years, I have been told that Shepard's online for cases is
identical to Shepard's in hardcopy. In fact, when I noticed last
summer that the info for U.S. Supreme Court cases differed in its
online versions from LEXIS and WESTLAW, I called Shepard's about it.
The difference involved supplying headnote info for US Rpts cites. I
was told by high-ups in Shepard's that they only produce one master
tape for all of that info & that they ship copies of the same to
LEXIS and WESTLAW. The reason for the difference was that LEXIS had not
loaded the newest tape yet which deleted the headnote info. It
sounds like Shepard's might be holding back info now if the rep's
statement is true and that LEXIS/WESTLAW are no longer getting a master
tape with complete info.
When you get that call from the editorial dept, I'd like to hear
what they have to say.
> I have just had my Shepard's rep visit with a study done by the
>Shepard's editorial department saying that the information found in
Shepard's in Lexis and Westlaw is missing 15 percent of the citations.
He could not explain how this happens but did tell me that was why we
need the new Federal books or CD. He said they had all the data
including the missing 15 percent.
>I called Westlaw and they have never heard of the study. I haven't had
a chance to call Lexis yet. He did indicate he would have someone from
the editorial department of Shepard's call me with specific examples of
the missing data.
>
> Have any of you heard of this study or the fact that the data
online is faulty? I think we went throught this last summer and the rep
tells me that is why the study was done to prove the fact that online is
no good.
>Carol Bannen
>cbannen@gatekeeper.rbvdnr.com
>Reinhart, Boerner etal
>1000 N. Water St.
>Milwaukee WI 53202
>414-298-8253
>fax 414-298-8097
>
>
>
-- Nanna K. Frye Law Librarian Calif. Court of Appeal, 4th Dist., Div. 1 750 B St., Ste. 300 San Diego, CA 92101-8196 619/645-2833 FAX: 619/645-2850 e-mail: nfrye@ix.netcom.com
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