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Bluebook Legal Citation System Guide

Getting started, six steps to creating a citation, bluebook navigation, bluebook troubleshooting, beyond the bluebook, citing & bluebooking faqs, getting help, what is the bluebook.

The Bluebook is a guide to a system of legal citation frequently used by law schools and law journals. This guide will introduce you to how to use the Bluebook. 

Print copies of the Bluebook are available in the Library in Reference and on Reserve at circulation. Copies can also be purchased in print or online at https://www.legalbluebook.com/ .

References to page numbers in this guide are from the 21st edition.

Before You Start

• There are other citation formats.
• Pick the correct one for your project.
• There are gaps in the Bluebook, particularly for non-traditional and non-U.S. sources.
• Use the closest analogous rule.
• Make sure that you are citing the same source or types of sources in the same way. 
• Keep in mind that the main goal for all citation systems is to make it easy for your reader to find the source you are citing. 

Six Steps to Your Citation

To create a Bluebook citation follow this six step process:

1. Identify the Type of Source

What  type of source do you want to cite?

• The Bluebook rules are organized by source type
• Common types include cases, statutes, books and book chapters,  journal articles, web pages, etc.

2. Find the Bluebook Rule

Go to the  Bluebook rule  for that source type. 

• Check the Quick Guides on the inside cover to identify major source types
• Use the index to find rules for other types of sources not included in the Quick Guides
• If you found a traditionally printed source online, review both the rules for the print source and the rules for online sources
• The print and online rules are often used together

3. Read the Rule & Examples

• Read the rule carefully
• Study any examples provided closely
• Examples are provided inside the front cover, at the beginning of each rule, and within the text of the rules
• Note which components are required to create a citation for a specific type of source

4. Gather the Citation Components

• Gather the required components of the citation from your source

5. Draft a Citation

• Draft a citation that looks like the most relevant example
• Do your best, but don't worry if your first draft isn't perfect

6. Edit the Citation

• Edit your draft citation using the Bluebook's style rules and tables
• Note typeface and punctuation conventions for different types of sources
• Note the rules for abbreviations and use the tables to abbreviate your citation

The Six-Step Process in Action

To see an example of how this process works with an article from the NY Times website, check out the powerpoint below.

• PowerPoint Slides: Six-Step Citation Creation Process

Organization & Blue and White Pages

The Bluebook is organized into sections:

• Style Rules
• Primary Law
• Secondary Law
• Internet & Electronic Sources
• Foreign & International Materials
• Tables: Jurisdictions & Abbreviations

Use the Bluepages   when drafting citations that will appear in documents like legal memoranda and court filings. 

Use the Whitepages  when drafting citations that will appear in legal academic publications.

Quick Guides

The Quick Reference inside front and back covers of the print include rule cross references and sample citations for common citation types:

• Inside Front: Quick Reference: Citations in Law Review Footnotes
• Inside Back: Quick Reference: Citations in Court Documents & Legal Memoranda

There is also a Quick Style Guide online for common citation types used in law reviews:

• Online: Quick Style Guide for Citations in Law Review Footnotes

Finding Aids

Consult the following to find the appropriate rule or table for your citation

• Back cover compact table of contents
• Full table of contents (pp. IX-XVI)
• Index (pp. 329-365)

Solving Citation Problems

The Bluebook isn't always clear.  Try the following if you're having difficulty with a citation:

• Make sure you have the correct rule for your type of resource
• If your type of resource isn't specifically included, find the one that is most similar
• If you are citing material for a country that isn't in the Bluebook, find a country with a similar legal system to base your citation on
• Search recent articles in law reviews on Hein, Westlaw and Lexis. Has anyone else cited this material?
• Check the resources linked in Beyond the Bluebook 
• Be consistent with the citation format you pick
• Make sure to include enough information for a reader to follow in your footsteps.

Library Help

We are not Bluebook experts, but we're happy to help guide you through the Bluebooking process.

• Provide access to Library copies of the Bluebook
• Assist you as you navigate Bluebook rules
• Help you locate supplemental citation guides and self-help materials

We cannot check footnotes for you, proofread your paper or provide authoritative Bluebook interpretations. 

Bluebook Orders, Comments & Corrections

• The Harvard Law School Library is not affiliated directly with  The Bluebook or the Harvard Law Review Association
• The Bluebook is compiled by the editors of the Columbia Law Review , the Harvard Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review , and the Yale Law Journal  and is published and distributed by the Harvard Law Review Association

Please contact the editors of The Bluebook directly ( https://www.legalbluebook.com/ ) with orders, questions, comments or corrections. 

Additional Bluebook Help

• Bluebook Guide (Georgetown Law Library)
• Foreign Law by Jurisdiction: Citation (NYU Law) List of citation guides and abbreviation dictionaries for foreign and international law sources.
• Cornell LII: Introduction to Basic Legal Citation

Over It? Here Are Some Other Options...

• ALWD Guide to Legal Citation The ALWD (Association of Legal Writing Directors) Guide to Legal Citation explains legal citation formats for all types of legal documents in a clear, pedagogically sound manner. The Guide’s plain language, numerous examples, and clear, integrated structure to explaining the legal system of citation for legal materials is easy for students, professors, practitioners, and judges to understand and use.
• The Indigo Book The Indigo Book is a free, Creative Commons-dedicated implementation of The Bluebook’s Uniform System of Citation. The Indigo Book was compiled by a team of students at the New York University School of Law, working under the direction of Professor Christopher Jon Sprigman.
• OSCOLA: Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities The Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities is designed to facilitate accurate citation of authorities, legislation, and other legal materials. It is widely used in law schools and by journal and book publishers in the UK and beyond.

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Citing other resources.

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The Bluebook contains rules that prescribe how to cite a variety of legal documents. There are too many rules for this introductory guide to cover.  However, the following are rules and examples for other types of legal documents that many first-year law students may need to cite in addition to cases and statutes.

Constitutions

Rule 11 covers how to cite the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions.

A citation to a constitution includes three elements:

• U.S. or the state abbreviation (see Table 10)
• Const. ( The Bluebook 's abbreviation for constitution)
• Section or subdivision 

For example, here is how you would cite the provision of the U.S. Constitution that says that each state shall have two Senators:

U.S. Const. art. I, § 3, cl. 1

Regulations

Rule 14 covers how to cite administrative and executive materials, including U.S. federal regulations. For more information on federal regulations and other types of administrative (i.e., agency) materials, see our Administrative Law Research Guide . 

A citation to a U.S. federal regulation in the  Code of Federal Regulations  (C.F.R.) includes four elements:

• C.F.R. title number
• C.F.R. ( The Bluebook 's abbreviation for the Code of Federal Regulations)
• Section symbol and specific section cited
• Date of code edition cited

For example, here is how you would cite a federal regulation that prescribes rules for pets in National Parks in the United States:

36 C.F.R. § 2.15 (2017)

For state regulations, follow the citation format provided for the state in Table 1.

Books and Reports

Rule 15 covers how to cite books, reports, and other non-periodic materials, such as encyclopedias.

A basic citation to a book includes the following six elements:

• Volume number (for multivolume works)
• Author's full name as it appears on the title page
• Title of the book (italicized or underlined)
• Page, section, or paragraph cited
• Edition (for works with multiple editions)
• Year of publication

For example, here is a citation to a section in a well-known treatise on federal procedure:

9C Charles Alan Wright & Arthur R. Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure  § 2552 (3d ed. 2008)

Citations to books vary based on the features of a particular publication. For example, the format is slightly different if a book has an editor rather than an author (Rule 15.2). Be sure to carefully review the publication and consult Rule 15 in order to cite it correctly. Additionally, the typeface used for books is different in academic writing. Rather than underlining the title, use small caps (Rule 15).

Tip : Rule 15.8 provides citation formats for several publications commonly used by first-year law students, such as Black's Law Dictionary and legal encyclopedias.

Law Reviews & Other Periodicals

Rule 16 covers how to cite law reviews and journals, newspapers, and other periodic materials.

A citation to a consecutively paginated* journal article includes the following six elements:

• Author's full name as it appears on the article
• Title of the article (underlined or italicized)
• Volume number
• Journal title abbreviation (see Table 13)
• First page of the article
• Date of publication

*A consecutively paginated journal is one in which the page numbers continue throughout a volume as opposed to starting at the number one for each issue.  Most law reviews and academic journals are consecutively paginated.

Here is an example of how to cite an article in the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology:

Dan L. Burk & Julie E. Cohen, Fair Use Infrastructure for Rights Management Systems , 15 Harv. J.L. & Tech. 41 (2001).

For more information on citing law journal articles, watch our  Law Review Citations  tutorial.

Tip : Rule 16.7.6 describes how to cite annotations in American Law Reports (A.L.R.) . 

Online Sources

Rule 18 covers when and how to cite online sources as well as other non-print sources (e.g., films). The rules for specific types of documents often also include a section on how to cite the online version.  For example, Rule 12.5 describes how to cite statutes on Westlaw and Lexis.

Citation formats to online sources are too varied to provide meaningful examples here, so be sure to consult Rule 18 carefully.

Citing to the Record

First-year law students will likely need to cite to depositions, interrogatories, or trial transcripts in the record in order to develop facts for briefs.  As a general rule of thumb, you must cite to the record for every factual assertion you make in a brief.

Bluepages Rule B17 covers how to cite to the record, and the abbreviations that are used in citing to the record are listed in Bluepages Table BT1  (e.g., brief = br.)

The key elements of a citation to the record are as follows:

• Name of the document (abbreviated according to BT1)
• Page number where the fact can be found in the document
• Date of the document, if required (see Rule B17.1.3)

For example, suppose you are asserting as a fact in your brief that a witness, Mr. Dames, saw a blue car speeding through the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue NW and New Jersey Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. The source of this fact is Mr. Dames' deposition testimony.

Your citation for this fact would approximate the following example:

According to Mr. Dames, he was waiting to cross New Jersey Avenue NW outside the Edward Bennett Williams Law Library at approximately 6:15 p.m. on Sept. 3, 2009, when he saw a blue car traveling at approximately 70 miles per hour through the intersection of New Jersey Avenue NW and Massachusetts Avenue NW. Dames Dep. 12, Aug. 7, 2002.

Writing "at" before the page number is generally not required, although it is generally used when citing documents in an appellate record (see Rule B17.1.2).

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Bluebook Citation: Law Reviews/Articles & Other Non-Book Publications

• Common Building Block Rules
• Bluepages v. Whitepages
• Regulations & Adminstrative Opinions
• Law Reviews/Articles & Other Non-Book Publications
• Tables & Bluepages Tables
• Electronic Resources
• International Materials
• Foreign Materials

Authors - Rule 15.1 & 16.2

Follow same rules as for books - Rule 15.1 . The only difference is to use normal type (as versus large and small capitals).

In essence, use the authors name as found on the document (and not in reverse, i.e. its first then second name, not last, then first):

• Decimus Junius Brutus.

When there are two authors, use an ampersand: 

• Marcus Aemilius Lepidus & Marcus Antonius Creticus.

When there are three or more, use the first followed by et al: 

• Gaius Cassius Longinus, et al

Follow the same rules for institutional authors (all Rule 15.1) .

Article and Journal Titles - Tables 13-16

Use the article title as it appears - do not use abbreviations (like in case names). Capitalize according to Rule 8 .

To abbreviate English language periodical titles use tables T13.1, T13.2 and T10 . Omit the words "a," "at," "of," and "the." If the title only consists of one word after the words "a," "at," "of," or "the," do not abbreviate the remaining word (See Table 13).

Examples - Rule 16 & Tables 13-16

James R. Hackney, “Law and Neoclassical Economics: Science, Politics and the Reconfiguration of American Tort Law Theory,” 15  Law and History Review  275, 1997, at page 280.

James R. Hackney, Law and Neoclassical Economics: Science, Politics and the Reconfiguration of American Tort Law Theory , 15  Law and Hist. Rev. 275, 280 (1997).

Author; article title; volume; law review title; page number; pinpoint cite; year

Note: In court documents (bluepages), the article title is underlined. In law reviews, the journal name is in small-caps and the article title is italicized.

For short forms, see Rule 16.9.

Newspapers & Other Non-Conseutively Paginated Materials - Rule 16.6

Generally the same as normal articles. However, as there is no consecutive pagination within a newspaper, you have to specify a location differently (Rule 16.6) .

e.g. Al Baker, Indicting DNA Profiles Is Vital in Old Rape Cases , N.Y. Times , Oct. 18, 2009, at A20,

Note: abbreviations for newspaper extract from the Tables, as with the date abbreviation. Remember for law reviews to use large and small capitals for the newspaper.

These rules also apply to other non-consecutively paginated materials. What does that mean? For example, a collection of magazines bound together in one volume. Between the magazines there is no continuity of pagination. Hence, like newspapers, you have to specify location differently, usually with a specific date (Rules 16.6 - 16.6) .

Subject Guide

Other Types

Other type of documents include:

• Student written law review materials  (Rule 16.7.1)
• Student written book reviews (Rule 16.7.2)
• Symposia (Rule 16.7.3)
• Annotations, i.e. ALRs (Rule 16.7.6)
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Guide to Legal Writing and Style: Bluebooking for Law Review Footnotes

• Internet Resources
• Bluebooking for Court Documents
• Bluebooking for Law Review Footnotes
• Formatting your Appellate Brief

Basic Bluebooking for Law Review Footnotes

• Basic Bluebooking-Case Law in Law Journal Footnotes Two page guide to basic bluebooking for case law in legal documents. Includes examples and relevant rules for federal and New York case law. Also includes examples of short forms.
• Basic Bluebooking-Secondary Sources in Law Journal Footnotes Three page guide to basic bluebooking for the most commonly used secondary sources in law journal footnotes. Includes examples and relevant rules for books (single and multi-volume), law review articles, ALR, Am Jur, CJS, Black's, and Internet resources.
• Basic Bluebooking-Statutes in Law Journal Footnotes Two page guide to basic bluebooking for statutes in law journal footnotes. Includes examples and relevant rules for federal and New York statutes, and McKinney's practice commentaries.
• Bluebooking Differences between Court Documents and Law Review Articles. One page chart of major differences between in-text citation (for court documents) and citation in footnotes (for law review articles). Includes comparison of text with citations in a legal document to the same text with citations in a law review articles. his handout will help you prepare for the law review write-on competition.
• Changes in the 21st Edition of the Bluebook Includes a chart of the changes from the 20th Ed.
• Inserting Footnotes in MS Word
• Introduction
• Arrangement
• Organization
• Case Law (Federal)
• Case Law (New York)
• Secondary Sources

Citations in legal writing serve two purposes:

• Attribution  - to identify the source of ideas expressed in the text, and
• Support  - to direct the reader to specific authority supporting the proposition in the text

Avoid accidental plagiarism by citing a source for any idea that is not original.

There are many copies of the Bluebook on reserve. Ask for one at the Circulation Desk. You can subscribe to the Bluebook online here .

The white pages in the Bluebook  address academic citation. This is citation for law reviews, journals, and other academic legal publications. These are the rules you will use for an academic paper or law review article.

The Bluepages section of the Bluebook  addresses  non-academic citation . It is citation for practitioners and law clerks. Here you will find guidance and examples of citation formats that you will use when writing your memoranda, briefs, and other court documents. This is the format for legal documents .

Page 7 has a helpful table that sets out the differences between the typeface used in non-academic and academic citation.

• Pace Law Library Guide to Case Citations Includes details on which court decisions are cited in each of the West regional reporters, federal reporters, and N.Y. state reporters.

*The trial level courts in New York include the Supreme Court, Court of Claims, Family Court, Surrogate's Court, County Courts, City Courts, Civil Court of the City of New York, Criminal Court of the City of New York, District Courts of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and Town and Village Justice Courts. Opinions of the Appellate Term, an intermediate appellate court in the 1st and 2nd Departments, are also published in Miscellaneous Reports.

To summarize: for New York, cite the New York Supplement for all courts except the highest court, the New York Court of Appeals. Cite the North Eastern Reporter for the New York Court of Appeals.

• Guide to New York Case Citations Single page chart of most commonly cited case reporters for New York State.

Bluebook rule 12.3.2 requires the publication date of the print or an authenticated electronic edition in the parenthetical for all state statutes. The date for any form of the U.S.C. is optional as of the 21st ed.

• For the U.S.C., there is an authenticated version here .
• For the U.S.C.A., the most recent chart with the  dates of the print volumes is on this page . Click Summary of contents on the left.
• For N.Y., the most recent chart with  dates of the McKinney's print volumes is on this page . Click Summary of contents on the left .
• For Calif., there is a chart with the  dates of the print volumes here
• For Pa., there is a chart with the dates of the print volumes on this page . Click Summary of contents on the left.
• For N.J., the most recent chart with  dates of the print volumes is on this page . Click Summary of contents on the left .

If the code is published by West (Thomson Reuters), look in the  Thomson Reuters store  and very often there will be a TOC with the dates of publication.

• Citing McKinney's Practice Commentaries
• Citing N.Y. Criminal Jury Instructions
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Cite Checking Guide for Law Reviews & Publication: Bluebook Tips

• Circulation Policies
• Interlibrary Loan
• Statutes & Legislation
• Federal Legislative History Materials
• How to Update a Federal Statute Using Official Sources
• Regulatory Materials
• Newspapers, Periodicals, and Journals
• Electronic PDFs and URL tips
• State Law Materials and the Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act
• Foreign & International Materials
• Bluebook Tips
• Wisconsin Guide to Citation

The Bluebook rules (that's a verb) with few exceptions!

For law review editors, most legal publishers, and judges and practitioners, too, the  Bluebook  is the citation rule book of choice. Within the  Bluebook , and also in supporting materials, help can be found for deciphering the rules of citation. Some advice and sources are offered here. The 21st edition of the  Bluebook  was published in July, 2020.  Some of the major changes from the 20th edition are featured in the preface to the 21st Edition. Some contributing authors will continue to use older editions of the  Bluebook  and it will be left to the members of the publishing law review to bring outdated citations into compliance. You must use the most recent version for journal editing, with very few exceptions. Some of the changes in the new edition are significant and quite helpful.  

Bluebook Checklist

Bluebook Checklist  

Use the Quick Reference: Law Review Footnotes table located on the front inside cover of the Bluebook to help you identify the appropriate rule for the type of authority cited.  CAVEAT: Note that the citations are for illustration purposes only and do not cover the nuances of each rule.  ALWAYS review the relevant rules in their entirety.

Use the index at the back of the Bluebook when you begin to search for applicable rules. Use it for most if not every source you are cite checking.  The Index provides useful cross-references and will help you learn the categories of citation.

Confirm that the preferred source has been used  by the author for the type of authority cited.  Citation must be to the preferred source if possible.  The tables for primary authority will list preferred sources as will the specific rules for different types of authority if multiple sources exist (e.g., Rule 21.4.5 Treaty Sources).

Verify that the proper typeface, abbreviations, capitalization, and short citation forms (if applicable) have been used for each type of authority.  The Bluebook index often isolates short form and long form citations.

Verify that id. , supra , infra and hereinafter are used correctly.

Use the actual source to verify that the appropriate signal and, where necessary, parenthetical have been used to indicate how an authority relates to the proposition being made. For assistance locating official and other Bluebook -approved sources, use guides provided by your law review editors, as well as this guide, Cite Checking Guide for Law Reviews & Publication.

Include pinpoint citations, like page numbers or statute sections, to the exact location within the authority that relates to the proposition made in the text of the law journal note or article.

Verify that the date provided conforms to the rule for the type of authority cited. As a general rule, citation will be to the year.

Deciphering Abbreviations

The library has several resources that can help you decipher the meaning of abbreviations and acronyms you come across in a source. Table 6 and many other parts of the Bluebook provide specific abbreviations for citing cases names, etc.  Often, it is best to use the Bluebook index, look up "abbreviations" and consult the categories for abbreviations listed there. 

For help identifying an unfamiliar abbreviation in a source, consider:

Prince’s Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations (KF 246. B5 located in the reference area): Focuses on U.S. legal materials. Available in print and on Lexis.

Index to Legal Citations and Abbreviations (KD 400. R35 located in the reference area): Focuses on U.K. and Ireland, the Commonwealth and the U.S., but many more countries from accross Europe, Africa, Asia and South America are represented. Updated by the Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations .

World Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations (K 89.K38 located in reference area): Focuses on foreign law abbreviations; arranged by language and/or country.  

Bluebook Aids

Try reader aids for the Bluebook if you need help understanding its citation methods:

• Interactive Citation for the Bluebook: a Uniform System of Citation by Tracy L. McGaugh Call Number: KF245 .U561 2020 ISBN: 9781522185550

Bluebook Insider Tip

If auxiliary sources do not have a helpful Bluebook example, or you are struggling with an unusual citation, you might want to check to see if it was cited in a previously published article.  Search the Law Journal Library in HeinOnline for the source you need to cite.  HeinOnline, unlike Lexis or Westlaw, offers PDF images from the actual print sources, so the citations will be in proper typeface. 

Check to see if the publication has been cited in a recent article in the Columbia Law Review, Harvard Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, or the Yale Law Journal.  The editors of these four law journals are the compilers and publishers of  The Bluebook. A r ecent citation of your publication in these journals may be the most accurate.  If the citing journal pre-dates the 21st edition of the Bluebook (published in 2020), make sure you are satisfied the new edition has not altered the citation format for your source.  If you need to compare earlier editions of the Bluebook , you will find them in the stacks on the second floor of the library.

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• Last Updated: Oct 24, 2023 3:48 PM
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How do I cite resources?

• Legal Citation (Bluebook)
• APA, MLA, Chicago & Turabian
• Other Styles

The Bluebook

Other citation & style manuals, foreign legal citation & style manuals.

• Citing Government Documents
• Academic Honesty & Plagiarism
• Citation Resources and Tools
• Citation Managers

The main citation guide for legal materials is The Bluebook . The D'Angelo Law Library has several copies available in the Reserve Room and at the Reference Desk. The 20th edition was published in early 2015. A document highlighting the most noteworthy changes is posted below.

The  Bluebook Online  is available via individual subscriptions only, so  unfortunately, the Library is not able to provide access to the online version.

• The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (21st ed.) Call Number: XXKF245.B59, D'Angelo Law, Reference & Reserve Publication Date: 2020
• The Bluebook Twentieth Edition: Noteworthy Changes Compiled by the editors of the Columbia Law Review, the Harvard Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and the Yale Law Journal.
• Introduction to Basic Legal Citation Compiled by Peter W. Martin (Cornell Law School). Provides an overview of the basic rules of legal citation in both The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation and the ALWD Guide to Legal Citation.
• The University of Chicago Manual of Legal Citation (Maroon Book) XXKF245.U55 2010 Law Reference, Law Reserve. 
• The University of Chicago Law Review Style Sheet This style guide, used by the Law Review and Legal Forum, incorporates the Maroon Book and highlights imporant rules from the Chicago Manual of Style.
• ALWD Citation Manual: A Professional System of Citation - Published by the ALWS Association of Legal Writing Directors. XXKF245.​A45 2010 D'Angelo Law, Reference
• Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations, 3d ed. XXKF246.B46 1988 D'Angelo Law Reference - dictionary of US and foreign legal abbreviations.
• Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations, 4th ed. XXKF246.B460 1993 Law Reference - dictionary of Anglo-American legal abbreviations
• Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Citation, 6th ed. XXKF246.P73 2001D'Angelo Law Reference - includes a complete reprint of the Bluebook, 16th ed.
• Cardiff's Index to Legal Abbreviations - Searches of abbreviations for English language legal publications, from the British Isles, the Commonwealth and the United States, including those covering international and comparative law. Indexed by journal title or citation. Offers alternate legal citations when available. A selection of major foreign language law publications is also included. The database mainly covers law reports and law periodicals, but some legislative publications and major textbooks are also included.
• Prince's Dictionary of Legal Citation. 8th ed. XXKF246.P732 2011 D'Angelo Law Reference
• TaxCite: A Federal Tax Citation and Reference manual. XXKF245.T390 1995 D'Angelo Law, Reference
• Uniform Citation Standards - From the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center
• Universal Citation Guide - From the Committee on Citation Formats, American Association of Law Libraries XXKF245.​U568 2014 D'Angelo Law, Reference
• Chicago Manual of Style. 16th ed. Z253.C54 D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks & Reserve
• Sample Legal Citations
• Australian Guide to Legal Citation. 2d ed. XXKU48.A978 2002 D'Angelo Law, Reference
• Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation. 7th ed. XXKE259.C362 2010 D'Angelo Law, Reference
• How to Cite Legal Authorities (Great Britain)

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Bluebook Citation 101 -- Practitioner Format

Secondary sources, constitutions, statutes & legislative materials, internet citation, commercial databases, administrative law, law library useful links, get help & about the author.

The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is generally the default legal citation manual. It is compiled by the editors of the Columbia Law Review , the Harvard Law Review , the University of Pennsylvania Law Review , and The Yale Law Journal and began in 1926 . It is now in its 21st edition. Other general legal citation manuals include ALWD , and The Redbook . Additionally, each jurisdiction and court may have its own citation rules. Ohio, for example, has its own writing manual.

Bluebook Organization

• Quick Reference:  Law Review Footnotes
• Blue Pages (these are practitioner oriented)
• General Rules (R. 1 – 9)
• Specific Source Rules (R. 10-21)
• Tables (T. 1-16)
• Quick Reference: Court Documents and Legal Memoranda

Style Guides

Citation Help (mostly practitioner format but useful for rules)

• The Indigo Book: A Manual of Legal Citation The Indigo Book is a free, Creative Commons-dedicated implementation of The Bluebook’s Uniform System of Citation. The Indigo Book was compiled by a team of students at the New York University School of Law, working under the direction of Professor Christopher Jon Sprigman. The scope is comparable to the Bluepages in The Bluebook.

Dictionaries

Rule 15.8 of  The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) governs the citation of dictionaries. You may also find it helpful to look at B16.

The citation should include the following:

• Title of entry (italicized or underlined)
• Title of dictionary (italicized or underlined)

Example: 

Replevin, Black's Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014).

Encyclopedias

Rule 15.8 and BT.1 of The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) covers the citation of encyclopedias. 

• Encyclopedia abbeviation
• Article title (underlined or italicized)
• Copyright date of the volume (in the parenthetical)

88 C.J.S. Trial § 192 (1955).

17 Am. Jur. 2d Contracts § 74 (1964).

14 Ohio Jur. 3d Civil Rights § 82 (2006).

American Law Reports

Rule 16.7.6 of The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) covers how to cite ALRs. 

The citation should contain:

• the word "Annotation"
• Title (italicized or underlined)
• Page number
• Copyright date of volume

William B. Johnson, Annotation, Use of Plea Bargain or Grant of Immunity as Improper Vouching for Credibility of Witness in Federal Cases , 76 A.L.R. Fed. 409 (1986 & Supp. 2017).

Restatements

Rule 12.9 of The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) covers the citation of restatements.

• Restatement series (italicized or underlined)
• Copyright date of the volume

Restatement (Third) of Torts § 46 (2012).

Rule 23 of the ALWD Citation Manual (7th ed.) covers the citation of restatements.

• Copyright date

Legal Periodicals

Rule 16 of  The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) covers the citation of law reviews.

Consecutively paginated law reviews and journals (R. 16.4)

• Author's name
• If the article is written by a student author, the designation of the piece (see R. 16.7.1)
• Title of the article (in italics or underlined)
• Volume number (if no volume, use the year as the volume and don't put the year at the end)
• Abbreviation of journal name (Tables 10,13, and 13.2 in the Bluebook )
• The beginning page number (if pinpoint citing, include the beginning page number and the pinpoint cite)
• Year (in parenthesis)

Charles A. Reich, The New Property , 73 Yale L.J. 733, 737-38 (1964).

Nonconsecutively paginated periodicals (R. 16.5)

• Abbreviation of journal name (see Tables 10 and 13 in the Bluebook )
• Date as it appears on the cover (if no date of issue is available, provide the issue number and indicate the volume number before the title)
• the word "at"

Susan A. Berson, Starting Up: If You're Hanging a Shingle in 2011 , A.B.A. J., Jan. 2011, at 40.

Newspapers (R. 16.6)

  The citation format for newspapers and newsletters is largely the same as for nonconsecutively paginated periodicals. See your Bluebook for specific exceptions involving special designations, place of publication etc.

Rule 21 of the ALWD Citation Manual (7th ed.) covers the citation of periodicals.

Consecutively paginated law reviews and journals

• If the author is a student, insert "student author" after the name.
• Volume (if no volume put the year and don't repeat the year at the end)
• Periodical Abbreviation (see Appendix 5)
• Page (if pinpoint citing, include the beginning page number and the pinpoint cite)

Nonconsecutively paginated periodicals

• Volume number (if exists)
• Publication Date
• Date (use exact date and if there is no specific date, include the abbreviation "no." and the issue number followed by the year)

Susan A. Berson, Starting Up: If You're Hanging a Shingle in 2011 , 97 A.B.A. J., Jan. 2011, at 40.

Rule 15 of the Bluebook (20th ed.) covers citing treatises. There are many variables in citing a treatise so definitely consult the rule for its many permutations. 

Generally, a citation to a treatise should contain the following elements:

• Volume (if applicable)
• Author (see R. 15(b) for more than 2 authors and R. 15(c) for institutional authors)
• Section and/or Page
• Editor, translators (if applicable)
• Copyright Date

2 Joseph M. Perillo & Helen Hadjiyannakis Bender, Corbin on Contracts § 1.1 (1993).

Rule 20.3 of the ALWD Citation Manual (5th ed.) covers the citation of books.

• Volume number (if applicable)
• Author (see R. 20.1(b)(2) for multiple authors and R. 20.1(b)(3) for institutional authors

Constitutions

Rule 11 of The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) covers the citation of Constitutions.

• U.S. or the abbreviated name of the state (see T. 10)
• Abbreviate any subdivisions per Table 16

U.S. Const. amend. XIII, § 1.

Ohio Const. art. I.

Session Laws

Rule 12.4 of  The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) covers the citation of session laws. The Bluepages B12.1.1 and Table 1 should also be consulted. The citation should include the following:

• Use official or popular name if one exists
• Otherwise identify the act with the date of enactment or effectiveness (abbreviated per T. 12)
• Volume (if no volume, give the year)
• Abbreviated name of session law publication (see  T. 1)
• Pages and sections (if pinpoint citing give the beginning page and the relevant page to which you are citing)
• Year of enactment (if no date of enactment, use effective date)
• Codification information (as a parenthetical)

Immigration and Nationality Act, Pub. L. No. 82-414, § 101, 66 Stat. 163, 167 (1952) (codified as amended at 8 U.S.C. § 1101).

Act of Dec. 31, 1996, Pub. Act 89-685, 1996 Ill. Laws 685 (codified as amended at 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/3-107).

Act of Apr. 12, 1994, § 2, 1993-1994 Ohio Laws 6546, 6548-50.

Am. S. B. No. 47, 2013 Ohio Legis. Serv. Ann. L-13, L-23 (West) (codified as amended at Ohio Rev. Stat. § 3503.06).

Am. S. B. No. 47, 2013 Ohio Legis. Bull. 24, 39, (Lexis) (codified as amended at Ohio Rev. Stat. § 3503.06).

Rule 14.6 & 14.8 in the ALWD Citation Manual (7th ed.) covers the citation of session laws.

• Use official or popular name if one exists (omit "the")
• Otherwise identify the act with the date of enactment or effectiveness (abbreviated per Appx. 3(A))
• Law abbreviation
• The abbreviation "No."
• Pinpoint reference (if applicable)
• Abbreviated name of session law publication (See Appx. 1)

Rule 12 of The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) covers the citation of statutes.

• Name and original section number as it appears in the session laws (only if the statute is commonly cited that way)
• Title, Chapter, or Volume (see  T. 1, 1.3)
• Code (cite to the official code if at all possible)
• Publisher, editor or compiler (unless the code is published by or under the supervision of government officials)
• Year (optional for federal codes) (on spine or title page if available, otherwise year on title page, and if not that, the copyright year)
• Supplements (see Rule 3.1 to cite any material appearing in supplements)

42 U.S.C.§ 1983.

8 U.S.C. §§ 1187-89.

Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3503.06 (West 2007).

Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3503.06 (LexisNexis 2009).

Citing to Online Codes -- Rule 12.5 and 18.3:

The Bluebook requires you to cite to the official code if it is available. If citing to a statute that is available on a commercial online service such as Lexis or Westlaw, provide the following:

• Title, Chapter, or Volume (see  T. 1)
• Publisher, editor or compiler
• Name of the database
• Currency of the database

Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3503.06 (Lexis, Lexis Advance current with legis. passed by the 132d General Assemb. and filed with the Sec. of State through file 178 (HB 532)).

Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3503.06 (West, Westlaw through File 42 of the 132d General Assemb. (2017-2018) and 2017 State Issue 1).

Rule 14 of the ALWD Citation Manual (7th ed.) covers the citations to codes.

A citation to the Federal statutes should include the following:

• Title number (if applicable)
• Code Abbreviation (cite to official code where possible - see Appendix 1)
• Publisher (if unofficial)

42 U.S.C.§ 1983 (2006).

8 U.S.C. §§ 1187-89 (2006 & Supp. IV 2011).

Online Codes

• Use regular citation form but add the name of the database provider and currency information

Citation Format

Rule 10 of The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) governs the citation of cases.

• Case Name - first listed parties on each side (italicized or underlined) (use T. 6)
• Reporter (see T. 1)
• Court and jurisdiction in parenthetical (see T.1, T.7, T.10)
• Year in parenthetical
• Subsequent History after parenthetical (if applicable)

United States v. Prince Line, Ltd. , 189 F.2d 386, 387 (2d Cir. 1951).

Explanation:

• Case Name:  Note there is no abbreviation of United States per 10.2.2.  Abbreviate Ltd. Per R. 10.2.1(c), T.6. 
• Reporter:  Abbreviate the F.2d reporter per R. 6 (single adjacent caps), R. 6.2(b)(ii) (no superscript, use 2d instead of 2nd) & T.1.
• Court:  Abbreviate Second Circuit per R. 6, T.1, T.7.  Note that there is no superscript per R. 6.2(b)(ii).

Rule 12 of the ALWD Citation Manual (7th ed.) covers the citation of cases.

• Case Name - first listed parties on each side (italicized or underlined) (see chart 12.1)
• Reporter (see chart 12.2, local court rules - Appendix 2, )
• Court and jurisdiction (see Appendices 1 and 4 for court abbreviations)
• Subsequent History (if applicable)

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.  See R. 18.2 . 

• Authenticated :  those sources using encryption based authentication such as digital signatures and public key infrastructure (preferred by The Bluebook - look for certificates, seals,or logos )
• Official :  materials that a jurisdiction has designated as "official"
• Exact Copy :  unaltered copy of the printed source in a format that preserves pagination and other format attributes (most likely PDF)

Example:  The Ohio Supreme Court has designated the Supreme Court website as the Ohio Official Reports for opinions of the courts of appeals and the Court of Claims. See Ohio Rep. Op. R. 3.2 , http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/LegalResources/rules/reporting/Report.pdf .  These opinions are in PDF format and bear a watermark.

Rule 18.2.2 Direct Citation to Internet Sources

If there is no print format or if the print format is obscure and is, for all practical purposes unavailable, cite to the most stable Internet source available.

Elements of citation:

• Author (if available)
• Use title bar or page-identifying heading (use descriptive title if needed)
• Include main page title and abbreviate it per T. 13
• Use dates that refer clearly to the material cited
• Otherwise use last updated or last modified
• Or last visited
• URL (but not too long or complicated)

Eric Goldman, When Should Search Engines Ignore Court Orders To Remove Search Results? ,Tech. & Marketing L. Blog (Sept. 4, 2013), http://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2013/09/when_should_sea.htm.

Bill Ong Hing, Understanding SB1070 from the Lens of Institutionalized Racism and Civil Rights , Legal Services N. Cal., http://www.equity.lsnc.net/understanding-sb1070-from-the-lens-of-institutionalized-racism-and-civil-rights (last visited Sept. 5, 2013).

Rule 18.2.3 Parallel Citation to Internet Sources

A parallel citation to an Internet source may be provided if it substantially improves access to the source.  Follow the regular rules for citing the source and then add the parallel Internet citation.

Elements of Citation

• Original print citation
• Introduce the parallel citation with available at

Commission on Women in the Profession, American Bar Association, From Visible Invisibility to Visibly Successful: Success Strategies for Law Firms and Women of Color in Law Firms (2008), available at http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/women/woc/VisiblySuccessful.authcheckdam.pdf.

D. Andrew Austin & Mindy R. Levit, Cong. Research Serv., The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases (Aug. 27, 2013), available at http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/213995.pdf.

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 201-1 (date), available at http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol04_Ch0201-0257/HRS0201/HRS_0201-0001.htm.

Traton News, L.L.C. v. Traton Corp. , No. 12-4139 (6th Cir. June 11, 2013),  available at  http://federal-circuits.vlex.com/vid/traton-news-llc-v-corp-440553998.

• Id. , per R. 4.1
• Supra per R. 4.2

Rule 18.3 of The Bluebook covers the commercial databases such as Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law. The Bluebook still requires the use and citation of printed sources where available ( see R. 18.2). Commercial databases should be cited in preference to other, general Internet resources.

Codes should be cited according to R. 12.3, but if citing to an electronic database, additional information is required.

• Title (for Federal)
• Abbreviated name of the code per T. 1
• Subject (where applicable)
• Title, Chapter, Volume (where applicable)
• Section and/or paragraph
• Currency of the database (as opposed to year of the code)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. § 1670.2 (West, Westlaw through Ch. 202 of 2013 Reg.Sess. and all 2013-2014 1st Ex.Sess. laws).

Cal. Bus. & Prof. § 1670.2 (Deering, Lexis through Ch. 129 of  2013 Reg. Sess.).

Secondary sources should be cited according to the rules for that source, but add a parallel cite to an electronic database. Include the database identifer if it is available.

Nicole Perlroth et al.,  N.S.A. Able To Foil Basic Safeguards Of Privacy On Web ,  N.Y. Times, Sept. 6, 2013, at A1, available at 2013 WLNR 22171198 .

According to Rule 18.3.1, an "unreported" case may be cited to an electronic database. 

• Case name (see R. 10)
• Docket number
• Database identifier (if unavailable, add information on the specific collection in a parenthetical)
• Page or paragraph numbers
• Court name (see R. 6, R. 10, T. 7, T. 10)

Beaven v. U.S. Dep't of Justice , No. 03-84-JBC, 2007 WL 1032301, at *3 (E.D. Ky. Mar. 30, 2007).

Beaven v. U.S. Dep't of Justice , No. 03-84-JBC, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24459, at *3 (E.D. Ky. Mar. 30, 2007).

Beaven v. Ridley-Turner , No. 3:04-CV-160 RM (N.D. Ind. Apr. 18. 2005) (CaseMaker, U.S. District Court Case Law).

Use the database identifier in the short form.

Beaven , 2007 WL 1032301, at *3.

Beaven , 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24459, at *3.

Rule 1.2 of The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) covers the use of signals.  Signals are used in front of citations to alert the reader as to how that citation is being used.  They can be quite confusing!

Do not use a signal with a citation when you have directly borrowed someone else’s words or have paraphrased her words or ideas.

Signals can also be used as verbs in text.

Signals Used for Supportive Citations

• E.g. , – string cites, multiple examples but not an exhaustive list.  Here are a few examples to illustrate /support my statement.  You can combine this with other signals such as See.
•   Accord – 2 or more in agreement. The signal accord comes after another citation that supports the proposition.  The first citation here directly supports the statement and the accord signal and second citation indicates another source that supports it.   A common use of this signal is to show that two different jurisdictions agree.
•   See – clearly supports (obviously follows but not directly stated).  Slightly less direct support than no signal.
•   See also – additional material supporting the proposition.  Parenthetical explanation is encouraged.

Signals Used for Comparative Citations

• Cf. – compare (different but analogous – it doesn’t exactly support your statement but it is close).  Parenthetical explanation encouraged.
•   Compare -- To actually compare two authorities directly.  You must use “ with ,” and another citation  with this signal.  Parenthetical explanation encouraged.

Signals Used for Contradictory Citations

• Contra –  directly states the contrary.  The opposite of using no signal at all
• But See – authority supports proposition contrary to main proposition
•   But cf. – analogous to the contrary of the main proposition.  Parenthetical strongly encouraged.

Signals Used for Citation to Background Material

See generally – Background.  Parenthetical explanation encouraged.

Adminstrative Law

Regulations.

Rule 14 and Table 1 of  The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) covers Administrative and Executive Materials. Rule 14.2 is specific regarding regulations .

A citation to the CFR would look like this:  

29 C.F.R. § 825.112 (2015).

The 29 refers to the CFR title.  The CFR part is 825.  The CFR section is 825.112.

A citation to the Federal Register would look like this:

Office of the Attorney General; Applicability of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, 75 Fed. Reg. 81,849 (Dec. 29, 2010) (codified at 28 C.F.R. Pt. 72).

The 75 is the Federal Register volume.  The 81,849 is the Federal Register page number.  The Federal Register issue date is December 29, 2010.

Adjudications

Rule 14.3 is specific regarding administrative adjudications and arbitrations.  Generally, they should conform to Rule 10 for cases but apply Rule 14.3.1 exceptions.

Executive Orders & Proclamations

See T.1. Generally you will cite to Title 3 of the CFR when available. The citation elements consist of:

• Exec. Order abbreviation or Proclamation
• No. followed by the order or proclamation number
• Original Year Promulgated

Exec. Order No. 13827, 3 C.F.R. 794 (2018).

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Answered By: Harvard Law School Library Research Services Last Updated: Dec 11, 2023     Views: 91344

Bluebook Rule 15 gives the citation format for books, reports, and other nonperiodic materials as well as shorter works in collection, including book chapters. 

Generally, the a book citation should include the author's full name , the title of the book , the page cited , e ditor's name (if applicable ), edition (if applicable) , and year of publication . A chapter citation will also include the chapter author and starting page. 

• Book Citation: See J ONATHAN Z ITTRAIN , T HE F UTURE OF THE I NTERNET AND H OW TO S TOP IT 125 (2008).
• Book Chapter Citation: See Matthew C. Stephenson, Law and Corruption , in  E LGAR C ONCISE E NCYCLOPEDIA OF C ORRUPTION L AW  (Mark Pieth & Tina Søreide eds., 2023).

HINT: Use Ctrl-Shift-K (Windows) or Command-Shift-K (Mac) for small caps.

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Bluebook Citation Guide

Citation Style Examples

The Bluebook, a Uniform System of Citation, published by the Harvard Law Review, is the definitive style guide for the legal field. 

Citing U.S. Supreme Court Decisions:

REFERENCE LIST ENTRY

Basic Format Name v. Name. Vol. number U.S. Page number. (Year).

Note: The volume and page numbers refer to U.S. Reports. All reporting services include this information. Ignore the "Cite As" at the head of the page in Supreme Court Reporter, because this form of the citation is not used in APA style.

Example: United States v. Lane, 474 U.S. 438 (1986).

IN-TEXT CITATION

Basic Form Name v. Name (Year) (Name v. Name, Year)

The Supreme Court has held in United States v. Lane (1986) that misjoinder under Rule 8(b) is subject to harmless-error analysis.

The Supreme Court has held that misjoinder under Rule 8(b) is subject to harmless-error analysis (United States v. Lane, 1986).

Citing Decisions of Lower Federal Courts:  

REFERENCE LIST ENTRY Basic Format Name v. Name, Volume number Reporter abbreviation Page number (Court Name).

Reporter Abbreviations  F., F.2d or F.3d for Federal Reporter (circuit courts) F. Supp. or F.Supp.2d for Federal Supplement (District Courts).

Examples Flibotte v. Pennsylvania Truck Lines, Inc., 131 F. 3d 21 (1st Cir. 1997). SBC Communications, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission, 981 F. Supp. 996 (N.D. Texas      1997).

IN-TEXT CITATION Basic Form Name v. Name (year ) or (Name v. Name, year)

In Flibotte v. Pennsylvania Truck Lines, Inc. (1997), the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit held that it is appropriate for a judge to refuse to direct the verdict.

The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has held that it is appropriate for a judge to refuse to direct the verdict (Flibotte v. Pennsylvania Truck Lines, Inc., 1997).

Citing Florida Decisions:

Basic Form Name v. Name, Volume number Reporter abbreviation Page number (Court Name)

Examples Swofford v. Richards Enters., Inc., 515 So. 2d 231 (Fla. 1987). City of N. Miami v. Fla. Defenders of the Env't, 481 So. 2d 1196 (Fla. 1985).

IN-TEXT CITATION Basic Form Name v. Name (Year) or (Name v. Name, Year)

Examples In Silverleib v. Hebshie (1992), the Florida Court of Appeals held that an order for the removal of a sewer line is in the nature of an equitable order. The Florida Court of Appeals held that an order for the removal of a sewer line is in the nature of an equitable order (Silverleib v. Hebshie 1992).

Citing Federal Statutes:

Cite a statute in its location in the U.S. Code. Alternatively, cite the statute in its original publication in the Statutes at Large, rather than in the code. This is usually done when the statute is an appropriation, has been repealed, or has its contents scattered in different parts of the Code.

Basic form Name of Act § Section number, Volume number U.S.C. § Section number (Year). Name of Act, Pub. L. No. Number , § Section number, Volume number Stat. Page number.

Examples National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 § 102, 42 U.S.C. § 4332 (1994). Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, § 2, 104 Stat. 328 (1991).

IN-TEXT CITATION Basic form Name of Act (Year) Name of Act of Year

The National Environmental Policy Act (1969) established the Council on Environmental Quality. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 established the Council on Environmental Quality.

Citing Public Laws:

Federal Laws: Basic Form

Title, Public Law number, vol Stat. page (date)

ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Public Law 110–325, 122 Stat. 3553 (2008).

IN- TEXT CITATION ADA Amendments Act (2008)

Citing Florida Statutes:

REFERENCE LIST ENTRY Basic Form Source § Chapter (date)

Examples Fla. Stat. § 671.1-101  (1973)

Fla. Stat. Ann. § 671.1-101  (1973)

Fla. Stat. Ann. § 671.1-101 (1973) 

§ 671.1-101, Fla. Stat. (1973)

IN-TEXT CITATION Example:   Section 216.177 of the Florida Statutes 64 governs the form and content of the annual statement of intent that accompanies each General Appropriations Act

The examples used above are courtesy of Librarian Susan Silver & USF Libraries Citation Style for Law Guide.

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Don't Forget This Rule

Rule 8 capitalization (p. 91).

(a) Headings and titles.

Capitalize words in a heading or title, including the initial word and any word that immediately follows a colon. Do not capitalize articles, conjunctions, or prepositions when they are four or fewer letters, unless they begin the heading or title, or immediately follow a colon.

A.L.R. Annotations

Citations are to the 20th edition of The Bluebook, A Uniform System of Citation .

Rule 16.7.6 Annotations (p. 168)

Cite discussions in selective case reporters (such as American Law Reports and Lawyer’s Reports Annotated ) by the author’s full name, followed by the designation “Annotation” in ordinary roman type and the title of the work in italics:

Elaine K. Zipp, Annotation, Actions of Off-Duty Policeman Acting as Private Security Guard as Actions "Under Color of State Law" Actionable Under Civil Rights Act of 1871 (42 U.S.C.A. § 1983) , 56 A.L.R. Fed. 895 (1982).

Points worth noting:

• Elaine K. Zipp, J.D. is listed as the author.  Exclude the J.D. [Do not include a designation such as “ Dr .” or “ Prof .” even if it appears on the title page. (R. 15.1)]
• The word, "Annotation," follows the author's name.  This designation immediately alerts the reader to the type of material being cited, a selective case reporter.
• It isn't clear in the Bluebook, but for A.L.R. annotations, they are cited to the book rather than commercial electronic databases like Westlaw or Lexis Advance.
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• Last Updated: Aug 28, 2020 8:33 AM
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Bluebook Citation Generator

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What are Bluebook citations?

The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, prescribes the most commonly used legal citation system for law professionals in the United States. The Bluebook is compiled by the Harvard Law Review Association, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and the Yale Law Journal.

Generations of law students, lawyers, scholars, judges and other legal professionals have relied on the Bluebook’s unique system of citing in their writing.

How to create Bluebook citations

There are many sources supported within The Bluebook including legal cases, Supreme Court cases and statutes. The way in which citations are formatted depends on which type of source you are citing.

A case citation, for example, includes the name of the case; the published sources in which it may be found, if any; a parenthetical that indicates a court and jurisdiction and the year or date of decision; and the subsequent history of case, if any. It may also include additional parenthetical information and prior history of the case.

It’s important to note that the format in which your source should be cited depends on a number of factors (filed but not decided, unpublished interim order etc.) explained in most detail in the latest version of The Bluebook, Edition 19; alternatively, check with your lecturer if you are unsure.

Looking for a simpler option? Generate your citations using Cite This For Me’s Bluebook citation generator within seconds. Fast, accurate and hassle free, it’s citations made easy.

Popular Bluebook Law Review style Citation Examples

How to cite a book in bluebook law review style.

Use the following template to cite a book using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

In-text citation

Place this part right after the quote or reference to the source in your assignment.

How to cite a Journal in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite a journal using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite Film or Movie in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite a film or movie using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite an Online image or video in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite an online image or video using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite a Website in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite a website using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

Additional Bluebook Law Review style Citation Examples

How to cite a blog in bluebook law review style.

Use the following template to cite a blog using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite a Court case in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite a court case using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite a Dictionary entry in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite a dictionary entry using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite an E-book or PDF in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite an e-book or pdf using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

” “

How to cite an Edited book in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite an edited book using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite an Email in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite an email using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite an Encyclopedia article in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite an encyclopedia article using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite an Interview in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite an interview using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite a Magazine in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite a magazine using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite a Newspaper in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite a newspaper using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite a Podcast in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite a podcast using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite a Song in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite a song using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite The Bible in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite The Bible using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

How to cite a TV Show in Bluebook Law Review style

Use the following template to cite a TV Show using the Bluebook Law Review citation style.

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Bluebooking and Legal Citation

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Rules for Periodicals

Basic bluebook format for periodicals, distinguishing between consecutively and nonconsecutively paginated periodicals.

• CSM for Cases
• CSM for Statutes
• CSM for Regulations
• CSM for Books and Treatises
• CSM for Periodicals
• Bluebook Updates - 21st Edition

Get Research Help

Contact Information  [email protected] 213.736.1177

• B16 - basic format for periodicals in court documents.
• R16 - detailed format for periodicals in academic writing.
• R16.6 - special rules for newspapers. 
• T13 - abbreviations for periodical titles.

Caution by kaneiderdaniel/ CC BY SA 3.0

Do not rely solely on this page to Bluebook.

Please keep in mind:

• Your professor or court system may have special rules.
• Rules or situations may have changed since this page was last updated.
• We may be wrong! 

Double check with your professor, outside guides, and the Bluebook rules themselves.

If you notice a mistake, please contact [email protected]

Basic Format for Law Reviews, Scholarly Journals, and Other Consecutively Paginated Periodicals

Basic Format for Magazines and Other Nonconsecutively Paginated Periodicals

Formatting Tips

• In academic writing, the periodical title is in small caps .  To make small caps in Word or other Microsoft products, highlight the text and press Ctrl+Shift+K on a PC or Command+Shift+K on a Mac.
• The article title is italicized  in academic writing and underlined  or italicized in court documents. However, use ordinary roman type for words that would be italicized in the main text (i.e. case names and titles of publications, speeches, and articles) ( R16.3, R2.2 . )
• Everything else is in normal type.

Most law reviews and scholarly journals are consecutively paginated and most magazines and other non-scholarly publications are nonconsecutively paginated. 

A periodical is "consecutively paginated" if page numbers continue between issues within each volume and "nonconsecutively paginated" if they start over with each new issue.

For example:

• Within Volume 46 of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review, Issue 1 ends at page 410 and Issue 2 begins at page 411, picking up the page numbering where the previous issue left off. Because the numbering continues between issues, Loyola Law Review is "consecutively paginated."
• In contrast, each issue of the Loyola Lawyer starts over at page 1. The Loyola Lawyer is "nonconsecutively paginated."

So why the different formats?

• To find an article in a consecutively paginated periodical, all you need to know is the volume and page, so the Bluebook does not require you to include the issue.
• To find an article in a nonconsecutively paginated periodical you need to know the specific issue, so the Bluebook requires you to include the date on the issue cover.
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Northern Illinois University College of Law David C. Shapiro Memorial Law Library

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Sample Bluebook Citations

• Citing Secondary Sources
• Introduction to Sample Bluebook Citations

Citing Legal Dictionaries & Legal Encyclopedias

Citing books & treatises, citing articles in legal periodicals, citing alrs & restatements.

• Citing Case Law
• Citing Codes & Statutes
• Citing Session Laws
• Citing Federal Legislative History Sources
• Citing Administrative Law Sources
• Go to Basic Legal Research Guide

Law Library Contact Information

Reference Desk:

• Email: [email protected]

Circulation Desk:

• Phone: 815-753-0507
• Email: [email protected]

The following samples cover basic citation format for secondary sources. Many of the complicated variations on rules are not shown in these samples. Always consult the Bluebook for additional information.

Legal Dictionaries

Cite to the name of the source/dictionary, page number (if pinpoint citing), edition and year. See R. 15.8 (p.155), B15.1 (p. 23).

Black's Law Dictionary 513 (10th ed. 2015).

Ballentine's Law Dictionary 936 (3d ed. 1969).

Legal Encyclopedias

Cite to the volume, name of the source, article title/broad topic (this is NOT the section name -- it is the title of the main topic within which the section you are citing falls), section number, and year. See R. 15.8 (p. 155), B15.1 (p. 23).  Note: Article names are not abbreviated and are always italicized.

67A Am. Jur. 2d Sales § 940 (2003). 29A C.J.S. Eminent Domain § 412 (2007). 18 I.L.P. Evidence § 178 (2003). or 18 Ill. L. & Prac. Evidence § 178 (2003). 5 Ill. Jur. Criminal Law and Procedure § 55:01 (1999).

Supplements to legal encyclopedias: Remember that you only cite to a supplement if new text is there. Do not cite to the supplement if case annotations, footnotes, or references to secondary sources are the only new information in the supplement. See R. 3.1(c) (p. 71).

When the material you are citing is in both the main volume and the supplement: 30 C.J.S. Eminent Domain § 412 (2007 & Supp. 2016).  

When the material you are citing is only in the supplement: 30 C.J.S. Eminent Domain § 412 (Supp. 2016).

There are many permutations of citing to a book or treatise. Be sure to consult the Bluebook for specifics.

In general, cite to the volume number, author(s), title (in italics), section number and/or page number and/or paragraph number (when pinpoint citing), editor(s) and/or translator(s) (if listed), and year. See R. 15 (p. 149) generally, B15.1 (pp. 22-23).

Single author: See R. 15 (pp. 149-150),  B15.1 (pp. 22-23).

John Humbach, Whose Monet?: An Introduction to the American Legal System 21 (2007).

Multiple authors: See R. 15.1(a) & (b) (pp. 149-150), B15.1 (pp. 22-23). For editors see R. 15.2 (p. 151). For an edition see R.15.4 (pp. 152-153).

Reynolds Robertson & Francis R. Kirkham, Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the United States §445 (Richard F. Wolfson & Philip B. Kurland eds., 2d ed. 1951).

Volume within a multi-volume set: See R. 15.1 (p. 149).

4 Charles Alan Wright & Arther R. Miller, Federal Practice & Procedure § 1006, at 35 (3d ed. 2002).

Shorter work within a collection : See R. 15.5.1 (p. 142).

Hon. Kathleen M. Pantle & Crystal H. Marchigiani, Arrest, Search and Seizure, in 1 Defending Illinois Criminal Cases § 1.43, at 1-60 (2010).

Legal periodicals include law reviews, journals, and newspapers. There are many permutations of citing to legal periodicals. Be sure to consult the Bluebook for specifics.

In general, cite to the author(s), title of the article (in italics), volume number of the source, title of the source (i.e., name of the journal/publication), page number on which the article begins (and if pinpoint citing, also give the page or range of pages to which you are citing), and publication year of the issue.

The following Bluebook sources are useful in constructing citations to periodical articles:

• R. 16 (pp. 159-171)
• Table 10, Geographical Terms (pp. 502-509)
• Table 12, Months (p. 510)
• Table 13 helps you construct the appropriate abbreviations for journal/publication titles. Institution names are provided in the first  section (T 13.1, pp. 511-513) and common words in the following section.
• For each word in the journal/publication title, look at both sections of Table 13 to see if there is an abbreviation listed for that word. If there is no abbreviation listed in Table 13, then spell out the word.
• Note the exception to closing up single adjacent capitals in abbreviations at R. 6.1 (p. 87).

Article in a consecutively paginated journal:

• In consecutively paginated journals, each new issue within a given volume starts with the page number which follows the last page number in the prior issue. The volume number (before the journal title abbreviation) and the year in parentheses (at the end of the citation) are used to identify the issue. Seasons, months, etc. are not used.
• Most traditional law reviews and law journals are consecutively paginated.
• See R. 16.4 (p. 162), B16.1.1 (p.23), T. 13 (pp. 510-516).

Stephen Garvey, The Attorney's Affidavit in Litigation Proceedings , 31 Stan. L. Rev. 191 (1979).

Student-written article in a consecutively paginated journal with a pinpoint citation: See R. 16.7.1 (pp. 165-166), B16.1.3 (p. 24), T. 13 (pp. 510-516).

Dawn M. Johnsen, Note, The Creation of Fetal Rights: Conflicts with Women's Constitutional Rights to Liberty, Privacy and Equal Protection , 95 Yale L.J. 599, 601 (1986).

Article in a non-consecutively paginated journal:

• In non-consecutively paginated journals, each issue of the journal starts over at page 1. Months or seasons (depending on the journal) are used to uniquely identify the issue. Volume numbers are not used.
• See R. 16.5 (pp. 162-163), B16.1.2 (p.24), T. 12 (p. 510), T. 13 (pp. 510-516).

Joan B, Kelley, Mediation and Adversarial Divorce: Respondent's Perceptions of Their Processes and Outcomes , Mediation Q., Summer 1989, at 71.

Newspaper article: See R. 16.6 (pp. 163-164), B16.1.4 (p.24), T. 10 (pp. 502-509), T. 12 (p. 510), T. 13 (pp. 510-516).

David B. Caruso, Think Tank: Law Should Encompass Homosexual Unions , Chi. Daily L. Bull., Dec. 5, 2002, at 1.

American Law Reports

Although ALR articles have no real persuasive value, an entire ALR annotation can be cited to show trends in the law.

• Cite to the author(s), insert the word "Annotation" followed by the title of the annotation (in italics), volume number, name of the source/ALR series, page number, and copyright year of the volume. See R. 16.7.7 (p. 168). 
• If no author is given, begin the citation with the word "Annotation" (i.e., just omit the author name from the example below).
• If supplements are applicable, see R. 3.1(c) (pp. 71-72).

John E. Theuman, Annotation, Forfeiture of Money to State or Local Authorities Based on its Association with or Proximity to Other Contraband , 38 A.L.R.4th 496 (1985 & Supp. 2016).

Restatements

Cite to the title of the source, section number, abbreviated institutional author's name and copyright year of the volume. See R. 12.9.4 (pp. 131-132), R. 15.1(c).

Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 245 (Am. Law Inst. 1979).

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• Last Updated: May 5, 2023 10:19 AM
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© 2024 Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois University. All rights reserved.

Bluebook Citation Style (20th ed.)

The Bluebook style is generally used for legal documents in the United States and is rare even for us, who work on many papers. It features detailed descriptions of how various documents such as judicial opinions, arbitrations, and other materials should be cited. It also features forms for most other resources, which makes it a fully functional citation style. This guide will help you understand the unique nature of Bluebook and apply it in your legal writing to impress educators.

This guide is developed in line with The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (the Columbia Law Review Association, the Harvard Law Review Association, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and the Yale Law Journal ed., 20th ed. 2015).

• What is Bluebook Citation Style?

Why You Need to Cite Your Sources

• Notes on Citations
• Legal Citation
• Citation for Books, Reports, and Other Non-periodical Materials
• Article Citation
• Citation Websites and Electronic Media
• Citation for Other Sources

Tables and Figures in Bluebook Style

 what is bluebook citation style.

The Bluebook style is exclusively used for legal papers, and so it can be somewhat complicated due to its focus on easy citations of various court documents. The form is a blend between in-text and footnote-based formats, as its citations are located in the text but appear more similar to footnote-based ones. You have to provide the author’s full name, the name of the book, the year of publication, and the page number for the relevant quotation or citation. As such, Bluebook shares some similarities with most other citation styles while closely emulating few to none.

You may be familiar with the need to cite information, but many places also require you to follow a strict guide and a specific style while doing so. Here are some reasons why both of these aspects are critical for your writing and overall career:

• The point of a paper is to show your understanding of the topic and then reach additional conclusions from there. You show this awareness by citing works in the field that support or oppose your findings.
• The sources you use have to warrant the trust of a reader, meaning scholars should generally acknowledge them. Peer review is an essential practice that differentiates high-quality sources from inferior ones.
• When you reference a source, you have to identify what it is and where it may be found in a form that is easy for the reader to understand. Hence, you should adhere to the template lest you commit some mistake that makes the citation unusable.
• Ultimately, if you are caught plagiarizing, whether intentionally or not, you will be severely punished. You may even be expelled or fired from your organization, receiving a bad mark on your record that will severely tarnish it.

General Principles of Bluebook Formatting

• Use any acceptable professional font, such as Times New Roman, Courier New, etc.
• Italics are used in the body of the text for source names and stylistic purposes
•  Citations are designed to help the reader locate a source
• Bluebook citation style is designed for both students and researchers to be used in academic writing (The Whitepages) and practitioners (clerks, lawyers, and other legal professionals) to be used in non-academic legal documents (The Bluepages)
• Citation format of the Whitepages and the Bluepages differs in typeface and elements of citation
• Authors and titles of books, including institutional authors, titles of periodicals are written in Large and Small Caps
• Case names in text are written in Italics while in citations, they are written in normal font
• Case names in text and in citations also differ by the extent to which the case name is abbreviated
• If Whitepages guidelines fail to cover how to format the source, refer to Bluepages rules.
• If no information on citing a particular type of document is available, cite it in accordance with the format of the closest alternative

Notes on Bluebook Citations

•  In law reviews, all citations must be included as footnotes
• The footnote number should appear after the final punctuation of the quotation
• In some procedural documents, citations can be made in a citation sentence or a citation clause
•  Introductory signals, such as e.g., accord, see, see also, Cf., and others are used to indicate the relationship between the citation and the text or other citations.
• If no signal word is used, this means that the information was directly stated or cited by the chosen authority
• Id. and short names are used to refer to sources that were mentioned recently:
•  Same source and page in two or more footnotes: Id.
• Same source in two or more footnotes, different page numbers: Id., page number.
• Same source used within the past 5 citations: Short citation (different for each document type).

Bluebook Footnote Citation

Bluebook legal citation.

S. Pac. Co. v. Jensen, 244 U.S. 205, 225-26 (1917)

When citing legal cases, you need to include the following information (in order):

• First party vs. Second party
• Reporter volume number
• Reporter abbreviation
• First page of the case
• Specific page referred to
• Deciding court
• Date of decision

If a decision has not been reached yet, include as much information as you can in place of the date of decision. For example, if a case was filed but not decided, include the filing date. If the case involves an interim order, whether published or unpublished, include an appropriate mark (order granting preliminary injunction) at the end of the citation in parentheses.

Constitutions

U.S. Const. amend. §1. U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2.

When citing constitutions, include the following information (in order):

• Abbreviation of the constitution cited
• Abbreviation for “amendment” (amend.), “article” (art.) or “clause” (cl.)
• Number of the amendment cited
• Section symbol and number
• If the cited provision has been repealed or amended, add amendment date in parentheses or in text

Note: a short form other than id. is not allowed when citing constitutions

National Emergency Management Act, 6 §§ 701-811 (2006)

Short form:

6 U.S.C. § 701

If you need to cite a statute, such as an act, use the following data (in order):

• Official name of the act
• Code title number
• Abbreviation of the code
• Section containing the statute (with section symbols)
• Date of code edition used

Bills and Resolutions

H.R. Res. 3452, 104th Cong. (1996) S. Res. 95, 115th Cong. (2017)

Short forms:

H.R. 3452 S.R. 95

For bills and resolutions, use the following:

• The name of the bill (if applicable)
• The abbreviation of the house
• Bill number
• Congress number
• Section number
• Year of publication

Challenges and Opportunities Facing America’s Schools and Workplaces: Hearing before the H. Comm. on Education and the Workforce, 113th Cong. (2013)

When citing committee hearings, you must include the following information:

• Full subject matter title
• Bill number (if applicable)
• Subcommittee name (if applicable)
• Committee name
• Session number (for State committee hearings)
• Page number (if citing a specific page)

Bluebook Citation for Books, Reports, and Other Non-periodical Materials

As a rule, when citing books, reports, and similar sources, you will need to provide:

• Author’s full name
• Editor(s) and translator(s) names (if applicable)
• Edition number

The following page contains some examples of different sources cited in the Bluebook format.

Note: author name(s) and source titles are given in small and large caps.

Book with one or two authors

Rɪᴄʜᴀʀᴅ J. Lᴀᴢᴀʀᴜs, Tʜᴇ Mᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴏғ Eɴᴠɪʀᴏɴᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ Lᴀᴡ 57 (2004).

Charles Alan Wright & Arthur R. Miller, Federal Practice And Procedure § 1006 (2d ed. 1987).

Book with more than two authors

Kᴀʀᴇɴ Wʜɪᴛᴇ ᴇᴛ ᴀʟ., Tʜᴇ Fᴏʀɢᴏᴛᴛᴇɴ Rᴏᴏᴍ 100 (2016).

Or you may list all authors:

Kᴀʀᴇɴ Wʜɪᴛᴇ, Bᴇᴀᴛʀɪᴢ Wɪʟʟɪᴀᴍs & Lᴀᴜʀᴇɴ Wɪʟʟɪɢ, Tʜᴇ Fᴏʀɢᴏᴛᴛᴇɴ Rᴏᴏᴍ 100 (2016).

Book with editor or translator

Cᴀsᴇs ɪɴ Oɴʟɪɴᴇ Iɴᴛᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡ Rᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜ 30 (Janet Salmons ed., 2011).

Note: do not write editor or translator names in small caps, use a regular font

Book with no author

Lᴀᴡᴍᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ Oᴜᴛʟᴀᴡs 49-50 (Great Mountain West Supply 1997).

Note: include a publisher in parentheses

Multiple editions of the book

Sᴛᴜᴀʀᴛ Bᴇʟʟ ᴇᴛ ᴀʟ., Eɴᴠɪʀᴏɴᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ Lᴀᴡ 187 (8th ed. 2013).

Chapter in an edited book

Sᴛᴜᴀʀᴛ Bᴇʟʟ ᴇᴛ ᴀʟ., International Law and Environmental Protection, in Eɴᴠɪʀᴏɴᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ Lᴀᴡ 136 (8th ed. 2013).30.

Bluebook Article Citation

Scholarly journal article

Bernard M. Bass & Paul Steidlmeier, Ethics, Character, and Authentic Transformational Leadership Behavior , 10Lᴇᴀᴅ. Qᴜᴀʀ. 181, 210-212 (1999). Short form: Bass & Steidlmeier, supra note 1 (first note cited), at page number.

For articles published in scholarly journals, include the following:

•  Author’s name
• Article title
• Journal volume number
• Abbreviated journal title
• First page of the article
• Specific page(s) cited

Magazine Articles and Newspapers

Declan Walsh & Eric Schmitt, Arms Sales to Saudis Leave American Fingerprints on Yemen’s Carnage, N.Y. Tɪᴍᴇs, Dec. 25, 2016, at 2. Short form: Walsh & Schmitt , supra note 1 (first note cited), at page number.

For magazine and newspaper articles, provide the information as listed below:

• Author’s name
• Magazine or newspaper title (shortened)
• Date of publication

Bluebook Citation Websites and Electronic Media

The Bluebook citation handbook strongly advises against including electronic sources in the bibliography if they can be cited as a printed source. The following examples are for reference only, and you should still check if a printed version of a source is available before citing it as an electronic source.

Aᴄᴄᴏʀ Hᴏᴛᴇʟs, Cᴏᴍᴍɪᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ, https://www.accorhotels.group/en/commitment (last visited Dec. 26, 2018).

PDF documents (corporate author)

Tʜᴇ Cᴏᴄᴀ-Cᴏʟᴀ Cᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ, 2017 Sᴜsᴛᴀɪɴᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ Rᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ (2018), https://www.coca-colacompany.com/content/dam/journey/us/en/private/fileassets/pdf/2018/2017-Sustainability-Report-The-Coca-Cola-Company.pdf

PDF document (individual author)

Xiao-Ping Chen, et al., Affective Trust in Chinese Leaders: Linking Paternalistic Leadership to Employee Performance , 40 J. Mᴀɴ. 796, 797 (2014), http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.908.4532&rep=rep1&type=pdf.

Dave Owen, The New WOTUS Proposed Rule and the Myths of Clean Water Act Federalism , Eɴᴠɪʀᴏɴᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ Lᴀᴡ Pʀᴏғ. Bʟᴏɢ (Dec. 13, 2018, 1:21 PM), https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/environmental_law/2018/12/the-new-wotus-proposed-rule-and-the-myths-of-clean-water-act-federalism.html.

Bluebook Citation for Other Sources

There are many other types of sources that you might be required to cite in the Bluebook format. Some examples will be included below. Sources that do not match any of the categories in the guide should be cited like the next best alternative included in the guide.

Note: Short forms for these sources should be created using the abbreviations “supra” or “id.”

Student-written law review materials

Abraham Bell & Gideon Parchomovsky, Article, The Case for Imperfect Enforcement of Property Rights , 160 U. Pᴀ. L. Rᴇᴠ. 1927, 1929-1930 (2012).

Proceedings, regular publications by institutes, and ABA section reports

Sarah Zappe et al., Flipping the Classroom to Explore Active Learning in a Large Undergraduate Course , 116 ASEE Aɴɴ. Cᴏɴғ. Exᴘ. Pʀᴏᴄ.284 (2009).

Unpublished and forthcoming sources

Stephen B. Burbank & Tobias Barrington Wolf, Class Actions, Statutes of Limitations and Repose, and Federal Common Law , 167 U. Pᴀ. L. Rᴇᴠ. (forthcoming Dec. 2018)

E-mail correspondence

E-mail from Anna Smith, Dir. of Operations, Organization, to Jayden Smith, Assoc. Prof., Organization (Dec. 25, 2018, 09:55 EST) (on file with author).

Telephone interview with Margaret Wilson, Editor, Organization (Nov. 19, 2016). Interview with Margaret Wilson, Editor, Organization, in City, State (Mar. 24, 1998).

Working papers

Jay P. Greene & Greg Forster, Public High School Graduation and College Readiness Rates in the United States 1 (Ctr. for Civic Innovation, Working Paper No. 3, 2003).

Note: “Ctr. for Civic Innovation” is the name of the sponsoring organization.

Intergovernmental Organizations

Ahmad Reza Hosseinpoor et al., Sᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴏғ Iɴᴇǫᴜᴀʟɪᴛʏ: Rᴇᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ, Mᴀᴛᴇʀɴᴀʟ, Nᴇᴡʙᴏʀɴ ᴀɴᴅ Cʜɪʟᴅ Hᴇᴀʟᴛʜ, Wᴏʀʟᴅ Hᴇᴀʟᴛʜ Oɢᴀɴɪᴢᴀɪᴛɪᴏɴ [WHO] (2015), http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/164590/9789241564908_eng.pdf.

lnt’l Civil Aviation Org. [ICAO], 2012 Annual Report of the Council , ICAO Doc. 10001 (2012), https://www.icao.int/publications/Documents/10001_en.pdf.

The Bluebook citation style is somewhat unique in its laissez-faire approach to the formatting of your paper. It exists to ensure that your citations are accurate and precise and limits itself to that task. As such, you are free to format tables and figures however you see fit. Nevertheless, it is probably best to follow some other styling format, so this guide will provide an example using the Chicago style of formatting (see figure 1).

Figure 1: Glass World.

Source: Environmental Science, Careers in Environmental Science, Nepa Ceqa Manager, https://www.environmentalscience.org/careers (last visited Jul. 19, 2019).

Notably, Bluebook does not require the use of a bibliography, so a single mention of the reference in the text is sufficient. However, it has remarkably strict rules about referencing that you can find in the book that gives its name to the style. As many images and figures will be taken from online sources, you should remember a few basic guidelines. First, the format discourages the use of any strictly online resources. Second, if you are citing an electronic version of a print document, you can mention it as though you were using that print document. However, if that document would be challenging to obtain, you should make it clear that you are using an electronic version in the reference. Lastly, you should think carefully before inserting tables or figures into a legal document, as they usually only contain formatted text.

Reference List

1.    Glass world [image on the Internet] 2018. [cited August 18, 2019]. Available from: https://www.environmentalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/NEPA-CEQA-640×425.jpeg

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Bluebook Citation: Prior & Subsequent Case History

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Bluebook Quick Reference

B10.1.6  (p. 15):  Bluepages reference for prior and subsequent history.

Rule 10.7 (p. 109):  Rules for prior and subsequent history.

Rule 10.7.1 (p. 109):  Explanatory phrases and weight of authority rules.

T8 (p. 500):  Table of explanatory phrases.

Prior & Subsequent History Checklist

Handy reference for determining when and how to include prior and subsequent history to your citation:

Subsequent History

Do NOT include subsequent history if:

• Denial of certiorari on a case more than two years old
• The case history is on remand or denial of rehearing
• The case was withdrawn by the deciding court.

Otherwise, ALWAYS include subsequent history in your full case citation.

Place the subsequent history after the primary citation, with a comma separating them.

Make sure to include an explanatory phrase, found in T8 .  Verify if a comma is needed after the appropriate explanatory phrase.

If the case has a prior history, place the prior history before the subsequent history in the case citation.

End the full citation with a period.

Prior History

DO NOT include prior history unless:

• the earlier case is significant to the point of the case you are citing
• the earlier case better describes the issues of the case you are citing.

If you do need to include prior history, place it after the primary citation with a comma separating the two.

If the citation also includes a subsequent history, place the prior history before the subsequent history in the citation.

It is important that what you are citing is considered "good law", as many cases will go through multiple appeals over it's lifetime.  Prior and subsequent history citations allow you to cite a particular opinion while giving reference to all opinions for the case.

Subsequent history refers to opinions issued by the court that review the case after the opinion you are citing.  The Bluebook  requires subsequent history be included in the citation if the case was addressed by a higher court or if the case is cited in full.  To cite the subsequent history of a case:

• Subsequent history citations will follow the full citation of a case, separated by a comma.
• Subsequent history will by introduced by an explanatory phrase, which can be found in T8 of your bluebook.   Cornell Law  also provides a table of abbreviations for words used in providing case histories.   NOTE :  some explanatory phrases require commas and some do not, so be sure to verify !

However, there are some occasions when you do not cite subsequent history.  These exceptions are:

• The history is a denial of certiorari of a case that is more than two years old.
• The case was remanded by a lower court.
• The disposition was withdrawn by the original deciding authority.

In these cases, you do not need to include the subsequent history in your citation.  

Prior history includes opinions issued by the court before the opinion in which you wish to cite.  The general rule for prior history is that you do not include it in your citations.  However, there are some exceptions :

• The history is "significant to the point for which the case is cited."
• The opinion you are citing does not adequately describe the issue(s) in the case.

These exceptions say you do include the prior history in the case citation.  To cite the prior history of a case:

• Place the prior history after the full citation, with a comma separating the two.
• If you have both a prior and subsequent history to inlcude, list the prior history first after the full citation.

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Bluebook Legal Citation

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Bluebook Rule (21st): 11

Law Review Typeface: SmallCaps

Rule 11 lays out the citation method for constitutional sections. You should cite to the United State federal constitution by "U.S. Const." and cite to state constitutions by "[abbreviated state name] Const."

U.S. Const. art. 1, § 9, cl. 9.

Tex. Const. art. 1, § 3.

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Chemical Society Reviews

Advanced cathodes for aqueous zn batteries beyond zn 2+ intercalation.

* Corresponding authors

a School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia E-mail: [email protected]

b Institute for Superconducting & Electronic Materials, Australian Institute of Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia

Aqueous zinc (Zn) batteries have attracted global attention for energy storage. Despite significant progress in advancing Zn anode materials, there has been little progress in cathodes. The predominant cathodes working with Zn 2+ /H + intercalation, however, exhibit drawbacks, including a high Zn 2+ diffusion energy barrier, pH fluctuation(s) and limited reproducibility. Beyond Zn 2+ intercalation, alternative working principles have been reported that broaden cathode options, including conversion, hybrid, anion insertion and deposition/dissolution. In this review, we report a critical assessment of non-intercalation-type cathode materials in aqueous Zn batteries, and identify strengths and weaknesses of these cathodes in small-scale batteries, together with current strategies to boost material performance. We assess the technical gap(s) in transitioning these cathodes from laboratory-scale research to industrial-scale battery applications. We conclude that S, I 2 and Br 2 electrodes exhibit practically promising commercial prospects, and future research is directed to optimizing cathodes. Findings will be useful for researchers and manufacturers in advancing cathodes for aqueous Zn batteries beyond Zn 2+ intercalation.

Article information

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J. Hao, S. Zhang, H. Wu, L. Yuan, K. Davey and S. Qiao, Chem. Soc. Rev. , 2024, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D3CS00771E

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