A libguide created by the georgetown law library which introduces the bluebook and basic concepts of legal citation to new law students. Statutes how to cite university of akron school of law. This is not a comprehensive citation reference work. The bluepages section located at the start of the bluebook is a miniguide to court documents andor legal memoranda. For party name abbreviation rules, it is the same as a citation. The bluebook also has citation rules for legal memoranda and other. Citation format examples for footnotes general rules times new roman, size 10, 1 line spacing, justified. Bluebook rule 10 covers how cases should be cited in legal documents. Bluebook citation for llm students bluebook citation for.
Generations of law students, lawyers, scholars, judges, and other legal professionals have relied on the bluebooks unique system of citation in their writing. Citing to the record in briefs marquette university law. In a diverse and rapidly changing legal profession, the bluebook continues to provide a systematic method by which members of the profession communicate important information to one another about the sources and legal authorities upon. The following information regarding the bluebook citation format is an adapted. Look up the abbreviation for the state in table 10. Always consult the bluebook for additional information on correct citation. The following information regarding the bluebook citation format is an adapted version of the style and formatting guidelines found in the bluebook, 20th ed. Use a citation clause when differing parts of one sentence require a citation. Short forms for cases bluebook guide guides at georgetown. Guides and tutorials bluebooking and legal citation. You can choose to include any portion of the citation, like the volume number and reporter or the case. Preceding citation may only contain one authority but ignore authority in explanatory parentheticals. Do not use at if citing a difference section of the statute. The samples in this section cover basic citation format for case law.
One of the keys to citing statutes properly is knowing where to find the proper legal citation. The bluebook style guide is used in the american legal profession for citation of all relevant sources. After a case is cited whether fully or using a short form, use a form of id. One of the books that all 1l law students are required to purchase is the bluebook. To have your reference list or bibliography automatically made for you, try our free citation.
Citations to written dissents from or concurrences with decisions issued without an opinion should. The bluebook contains rules that prescribe how to cite a variety of legal documents. Its limited aim is to serve as a tutorial on how to cite the most widely referenced types of u. Sources cited in explanatory parentheticals or phrases or as part of a case prior or subsequent history are not counted as intervening authorities preventing the use of id.
In other words, a parallel citation references location information for more that one source of a case. The two major instances in which a parallel citation. Set off with commas, unless it ends a sentence, then end with a period. Citing case law sample bluebook citations libguides at.
Kirwin, professor emeritus william mitchell college of law. The bluebook also has citation rules for legal memoranda and other practiceoriented materials the blue pages, which students in lrwa2 use for their memo assignments. The central function of a legal citation is to allow the. The whitepages rules for case citations are under r10, starting on page 87 of your bluebook. California style manual for many years, the california style manual has served as the official guide for styling citations to legal materials in documents filed with state courts in california. Experiential legal writing i citations quiz instructions put the following information in correct bluebook citation form. Cases how to cite university of akron school of law. Bluebook citation for legal materials purdue writing lab. The bluebook legal citation guide now available online.
Princes dictionary of legal citations by mary miles prince call number. However, the following are rules and examples for other types of legal documents that many firstyear law. When citing immediately preceding authorities like ibid from the. Bluebook case guide bluebook citation generator legalease. Assume that the authority is being cited in citation sentences in a brief to the united states supreme court unless. The bluebook is a style guide for legal citation in the united states that is used by lawyers, scholars, judges, law students, paralegals, and others involved in the legal. This book is a reference guide that, believe it or not, will be just about the only book you take from law school into your practice as a lawyer. Any change in what is being cited, such as page numbers, needs to be indicated after id. Rule 4 provides additional information on using id. Always check the blue pages in the back of the bluebook table 1 to. Provides example bluebook citations for specific sources, organized alphabetically by the. Follow the rules below step by step to create a full citation. Whitepages bluebook guide libguides at university of.
A citation to a judicial opinion is typically referred to as a case or court case citation. In a diverse and rapidly changing legal profession, the bluebook continues to provide a systematic method by which members of the profession communicate important information to one another about the sources and legal. Short form citations basic legal citation cornell university. Books, reports, treatises bluebook legal citation tarlton law. This book is a reference guide that, believe it or not, will be just about the only book you take from law school. For help with other source types, like books, pdfs, or websites, check out our other guides.
The bluebook requires citation to printed material provided it is available, unless there is an authenticated, official, or exact digital copy of the printed sources. Short form citations should only be used where the reader will find it. In certain circumstances, it is permissible to use a shortened citation to a previously cited authority. Bluepage rules are sometimes different but are always based upon the normal nonbluepage rules. A bluebook guide for law students suffolk university. This book, available in the law librarys practical skills collection, will help you learn bluebook citation. The short form should include an identifiable portion of the case. Consult the blue pages, rule b12, if you are writing a brief or memo. Citation rules for court documents and legal memoranda. Generally, rule 4 will provide guidance for proper shortform citation of this type of authority, as is discussed under general shortform citation rules in this guide. Search the blue book online and you will find over 800,000 company listings. Never use the two character postal abbreviations for states.
Complicated variations are not shown in these samples. Once a full citation to a case, statute, regulation, book, or journal article. Because you will often cite a case and other legal materials multiple times in a document, the bluebook has established a short form for use in subsequent citations. Industry source of regional, categorized construction information and is available in print and online.
Once a full citation to a case, statute, regulation, book, or journal article has been provided, subsequent references within the same discussion can be less complete. A uniform system of citation, a style guide, prescribes the most widely used legal citation system in the united states. Always use a signal unless 1 the cited authority directly. Bluebook citation for llm students harvard library research guides. The less complete or short form citation must clearly identify the referenced work. Weird bluebook rules bluebook citations libguides at. Thus far, this guide has described how to cite cases in long form, i. The bluebook legal citation guide now available online editors of the yale law journal have announced that the bluebook. Citation practices and the bluebook cuny school of law. Used only if the statute you are citing is found immediately before the current citation. In this bluebook cheat sheet, weve laid out the essential bluebook elements and bluebook examples for a few of the most common types of case citations. Additionally, the chicago manual of style recommends its use for all citation of legal material. Citations are to the 20th edition of the bluebook, a uniform system of citation rule 16. Parallel citations are used when the same case is printed in two or more different reporters.
There are too many rules for this introductory guide to cover. Weird bluebook rules bluebook citations libguides at william s. Bluebook citation hamline university school of law. A uniform system of citation is now available online.
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