Are the Federal Reporters considered official or unofficial reporters?

The Federal Reporters are classified as unofficial reporters. This is because they publish the opinions of federal appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, but they are not designated as the official source of these opinions. The official repository for Supreme Court decisions, for instance, is the United States Reports. While the Federal Reporters are widely used and considered authoritative for research and citation purposes, they do not carry the official designation that would afford them that status.

The term "unofficial reporters" indicates that while the content within the Federal Reporters is generally relied upon for legal reference and authority, it is not the recognized official record of court decisions. This distinction is important in the legal field, as the official reporter typically has a priority for citation in court proceedings and legal documents. In contrast, unofficial reporters may provide additional coverage and accessibility but do not replace the need for official sources.