First Instance of a Digital Video File Cited in Supreme Court Opinion

Kathy Carlson, State Law Librarian, Wyoming State Law Library, has spotted what may be the first digital video file cited in a US Supreme Court opinion. In Scott v. Harris, No. 05-1631 (April 30, 2007), Justice Scalia, writing for the Court in footnote 5, refers to a video that was used in evidence.

"JUSTICE STEVENS suggests that our reaction to the videotape is somehow idiosyncratic, and seems to believe we are misrepresenting its contents. See post, at 4 (dissenting opinion) ("In sum, the factual statements by the Court of Appeals quoted by the Court . . . were entirely accurate"). We are happy to allow the videotape to speak for itself. See Record 36, Exh. A, available at http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/video/scott_v_harris.rmvb and in Clerk of Court's case file."

The video is posted on the Court's website. Kathy reports that Lexis is relying on the URL from the Court and have not put the digital file in their own database. Westlaw is doing the same. [JH]