While the LII excels at providing present day court information, the Findlaw site has distinguished itself as the premier source for historical research. Lauded several weeks ago in this column for its overall excellence, the Findlaw Supreme Court archive is one of its most impressive and useful achievements. The archive currently boasts the complete collection of Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1893. Moreover, many decisions contain hypertext links that allow for easy navigation to related or precedential cases. Founded by Jerry Goldman, a political scientist at Northwestern University, this site is named for the announcement evoked by the Marshall of the Court to bring the Court to order.
Multimedia is also an instrumental component of the site's gallery of justices.
The most recent addition to the site is a virtual tour of the Supreme Court building. Once a particular view is downloaded, users can manipulate their mouse to move up or down and right or left. At the moment, views are available from First Street, the North Fountain, and the front steps of the courthouse. In the coming months, the Great Hall, courtroom, library, and conference room views will be added. Each site is rapidly becoming an essential destination for Court observers by providing wonderful tools for legal research and education from cyberspace.