what is a headnote?
Overview. Headnotes are summaries of the issues in a case. They are not actually part of the opinion. Each headnote is numbered. Headnotes in a West reporter address a specific point of law in the case, including the relevant facts regarding that point of law. Headnotes in West reporters are written by the editors. Lexis headnotes are a little different from Westlaw headnotes.