In its computer form, a disk stores approximately 30-60 volumes of case law. The disks are very cheap to physically produce, and costs have been dropping. Commonly one uses a program which allows quick searches and access to the material in an organized way. The search engine is often bundled with the CD-Rom data. There are over 100 commercially available search engines.
Search engines are still rudimentary, but are steadily being improved.
Availability As of January of 1994 there were in excess of 250 CD-Rom titles containing legal materials, other than compilations of state statutes and case laws. The titles had over 30 different proprietary search engines bundled within them. There has been, and will probably continue to be, a rapid explosion in the number of titles available. Currently two major legal publishers, West Publishing Company and Michie's, offer CD-Rom compilations of Wisconsin case law. The compilations include proprietary search engines and licenses which prohibit detaching the case law itself from the search engine.