In legal references, a digest is best described as:

• A. A collection of full-text opinions
• B. A book or index that arranges one-sentence summaries of cases by subject
• C. A compilation of statutes
• D. A directory of courts

Answer: (B)

Digests serve as a navigational tool in legal research. They are books or indexes that arrange one-sentence summaries of cases by subject. Each entry distills the court’s ruling on a specific issue, and the entries are organized under topic headings or key numbers so you can quickly find how different decisions address the same point of law. This structure lets you zero in on relevant authorities without reading entire opinions. Once you spot a suitable headnote in the digest, you can retrieve the full opinion from the reporters for complete context. Digests differ from collections of full-text opinions, which present complete texts, and from compilations of statutes or directories of courts.