When searching legal databases for cases involving FASD please keep in mind the following search tips.
Most relevant search terms include:
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: This is a newer term but is not a diagnosis. It is an umbrella term for a spectrum of disorders that can be diagnosed. This search term did return cases that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome did not.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: This term is a diagnosis and it returned the highest number of cases.
Fetal Alcohol Effects
Alcohol Related Neurological Disorder
Other Tips:
Some cases use the spelling "Foetal" (British spelling) instead of Fetal. However, this is rare.
Many times, you can omit viewing any cases that don't have "R. v." in the title. The other cases are usually family law and child welfare cases.
British Columbia and the Yukon Reports have the greatest amount of cases. Be prepared to spend a lot of time in this jurisdiction. Add another search term like "assessment" or "robbery" or "sexual assault". If you choose "sentencing" as your additional search term, there will still be a long list of cases.
As of March 2006, there were very minimal cases in jurisdictions east of Ontario.
"Alcohol" will return many unrelated cases.
"Alcohol" and "mother" will return unrelated cases.
"Mental" "disorder" will return many unrelated cases.
"Birth" "defect" will return unrelated cases.
"Alcohol" "Birth" "defect" will return unrelated cases.