Help

This page contains help for some of the more common problems that can occur when using this site.

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1. Viewing and Downloading Files

Our opinion files are provided in 2 formats:
1. Word Processor files, usually named xxx.wpd, xxx.opn, xxx.dis, or xxx.con, etc. The great majority of these files, prior to 2003, are in WordPerfect format with a few in MS Word format. If you have any of the major word processors installed, you should be sure to install the proper conversion filters to enable the opening of these files, once you have saved them to your system.
2. Adobe Acrobat files named xxx.pdf.

If you navigate to the opinion listing that contains the opinion file you in which you are interested. You will see that the case name is highlighted followed by the case number and a "View" link. The highlighted case name is a link that allows you to download the file in word processor format, while clicking on "View" will load the PDF file into your Adobe Reader for viewing, without the need to download.

1. Open or save?
   When I click on a file and try to open it, nothing happens or I get an error message.
   
   Remember that clicking on the file name will allow you to download the word processor form of the file. Click on View to access the Adobe Acrobat Reader® file format.
   
   If you need to open the file with your word processor do not try to open the file directly from the web site
   It almost never works to attempt to open these files across the Internet. In almost every case it is much more efficient to click on the View prompt and view the file on-line. Viewing requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader®. Download the reader from the Adobe web site..
   
   
   When you click on the case, (see More Help ) you will be prompted to either "Open File from this location" or "Save to Disk". Always choose "Save to Disk". Note the location to which you save the file. Next run your word processor and use it to open the file (by choosing File, Open) from your own hard drive.
   Do not expect it to open just by clicking on the file name since we use proprietary extensions that your word processor may not recognize!
   More Help
   

2. Page does not show current information, or page has multiple errors

1. If the site is not displaying information which should have been updated, or you are having any of these problems, the first thing you need to do is to refresh your browser. You should be able to click on a button on your browser's toolbar or you can press the F5 key to reload the page. Sometimes if a page is updated, your browser may load the last copy it displayed. (You should also be able to set the refresh option so that it always loads the most recent page available). Please refer to your own browser to see how to make this setting.
   
   
2. In Internet Explorer 5, choose Tools, Internet options, General. Under the Temporary Internet files option, click on Settings. Set the option to "Every visit to the page".
   
   
3. If you still get this error, use our help request form, listing all detailed information, including the page you were originally on and the page you were trying to access when you received the error.