Fastcase Reviews

“free and easy to use

Pros

Its super useful when it was part of my legal practice for free. It's pretty comprehensive and does a solid job as a search engine for finding case citations. But you do have to be very specific with your search queries.

Cons

I would not pay for this program. I used it when it was free as part of my law practice but once it stopped being free, I switched to Google Scholar.

“Useful but not thorough enough

Pros

I was fortunate enough to access it for free, thanks to my membership in a bar organization. It has proven to be an incredibly useful legal research tool, helping me with various tasks and making my work much more efficient.

Cons

I never felt like the search results were as thorough as I wanted. I am used to Lexis and Westlaw, so it didn't quite meet my expectations and I ended up using law library resources which was inconvenient.

“good for on-the-go research but limited

Pros

i get it for free through major bar associations and it lets me do decent research whenever I need to on the go.

Cons

Its definitely more limited compared to Lexis and Westlaw. Plus, it does not work as well for legal research in areas with older caselaw.

“Easy to use but lacks features

Pros

Honestly...the best part about it is that its free and so easy to use especially when I am out of the office and can't access my usual tools.

Cons

it's just not as feature-packed as Westlaw or Lexis. While it can be useful in a pinch, it does not handle the volume of research I need to do on a regular basis.

“friendly and missing save option

Pros

The platform is incredibly user friendly and interactive, making it simple to use. It's also neatly structured which allows me to find everything I need quickly and efficiently.

Cons

It would be great if I could save researched information into files on the software.

“best for solo practitioners

Pros

As a solo practitioner... having access to so many different legal authorities is really helpful.

Cons

recently... the format changed and it no longer carries US legal forms. I had to figure out how to access them again and those forms were really helpful to me.

“nice UI & needs better filtering

Pros

the new user interface is way easier to use and feels a lot like Westlaw Next, which is an industry standard. It's not complicated and is pretty interactive.

Cons

sometimes, it's hard to filter out criminal cases from civil cases, no matter how much I adjust the search terms. I find it takes more work to focus on civil cases compared to Westlaw but honestly, this is not a huge dealbreaker for me.

“Perfect for basic research

Pros

I have been using this tool for years and it's honestly the best for computer research. There are so many features and as a senior lawyer, it's perfect for my basic research needs. Younger lawyers, though, would find it super easy and enjoyable to use. For me sometimes its a challenge but I recommend it to other attorneys who are used to the big-name research platforms.

Cons

It took me a time to learn all its features which was a challenge.

“Quick and accurate tool

Pros

It is really quick, accurate and always has the most current research methods. Its great for getting reliable information fast.

Cons

setting defaults is tricky and I wish I could narrow results more easily.

“my experience with this tool

Pros

I've used Westlaw for years but having this tool through the Arizona State Bar has saved me hundreds of dollars a year. It's one of the most important sites for my practice now.

Cons

I am hoping that in the future, I can access more of the underlying briefs to help with my practice.

“Practical and useful

Pros

its great because it gives practical and useful results, making it easy to find what I need quickly without wasting time.

Cons

Like most software, it takes some getting used to. But the more you use it, the more comfortable you'll likely get with it.

“affordable and reliable.. with no complaints

Pros

It's just as good as the expensive tools like Westlaw and Lexis but much easier on the wallet. I never feel like I am missing anything important.

Cons

honestly I would not change anything. It's great as it is.

“Simple and trustworthy solution

Pros

Finding the law I need is simple and I can always count on it to be up-to-date and correct. It saves me a lot of stress knowing I can trust it.

Cons

that's a tough one. Nothing really comes to mind right now, especially since I am extremely busy at the moment.

“handy tool and easy to use

Pros

Super convenient. I can access Fastcase through my Bar Association login which makes it easy to use no matter where I am. The natural language search is simple and works great and it even includes administrative decisions which I use a lot. I also love using Fastcase 7 because the design is much newer and easier to use.

Cons

sometimes, decisions that should be available are not in the database which can be frustrating.

“very helpful solution

Pros

this is excellent at returning accurate results. The negative treatment flags are helpful because they show if a case has been criticized or overturned. Plus, their customer service is always quick, friendly and honest.

Cons

I wish it had sentence and proximity terms so I don't have to rely on the usual proximity of /6. The subscription database only goes back to 1950 in some states which has limited my research a few times especially in places with less case law.

“affordable and needs improvements

Pros

best thing about it is how easy it is to use and it's affordable since its included with the California Lawyers Association membership. Many volunteers, like me, can't afford expensive subscriptions, so this service fills that gap. It's definitely made my volunteer work better and given me more confidence in my legal research.

Cons

only issue I've had is that some secondary materials are not included in my subscription. It's not a huge deal, though since primary sources are easy to access and fast to find.

“Works well but sometimes misleading

Pros

It works really well. I usually find exactly what I am searching for, which is important when I am short on time.

Cons

It can get confusing at times. I often end up with misleading results or get pushed to sign up for something else.

“Quick, reliable with no support

Pros

one of the best tools I have used for legal research. It's quick, reliable and I can always count on it.

Cons

the only negative is that we don't have their team working for us. Lol

“best for quick case searches

Pros

It's perfect when I need to quickly find key cases for court whether I am getting ready for a hearing or checking something during the trial.

Cons

Doing thorough research on a specific question or area of law can be awkward but maybe I just need a tutorial to figure it out better.

“always reliable but missing some features

Pros

Every time I use it, I am able to find exactly what I need which makes my tasks so much easier. I can always count on it to provide the right information

Cons

It's missing some features like a draft tool which Lexis Nexis has. But hey, I get it for free through my bar membership, so I can't really complain.