Digest is defined as which of the following?

• A. A chronological record of all court decisions.
• B. A full-length opinion of a court.
• C. An index to reported cases that provides brief, unconnected statements of court holdings on points of law, arranged by subject and subdivided by jurisdiction and courts.
• D. A compilation of statutes.

Answer: (C)

A digest is a topic-based index to reported cases that provides brief summaries of a court’s holdings on points of law, organized by subject and subdivided by jurisdiction and courts. This tool helps you quickly find the legal rule or doctrine across different decisions without rereading full opinions. It’s not a full-length opinion, which would be found in a case reporter, nor is it a compilation of statutes (that would be a code). It also isn’t merely a chronological record of decisions; the organization by subject matter is what makes a digest efficient for research.