Cecily Zamora
Cornell University's Law School Legal Information Institute provides a detailed guide to legal citations, which is a helpful resource for law students. The guide covers the basics of legal citations, including how to cite specific quotations and how to format statutory citations. It also covers the unofficial codes for federal statutes, such as the United States Code Annotated (U.S.C.A.) and the United States Code Service (U.S.C.S.), which are the most commonly cited due to the frequent changes in laws. While the guide is a useful tool, it is important to note that the specific guidelines for legal citations can vary depending on the institution or publication.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute |
| Type | Detailed guide to legal citations |
| Content | Insight into reading and writing legal citations |
| Example | To cite the section of the code that identifies the definitions of horse protection regulations, you would cite the United States Code (U.S.C.), or its unofficial versions: United States Code Annotated (U.S.C.A.) and United States Code Service (U.S.C.S.) |
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What You'll Learn
The Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute's guide to legal citations
The Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute offers a detailed guide to legal citations. This guide is a helpful resource for anyone looking for insight into reading and writing legal citations. It covers the basics of legal citations and provides valuable commentary, models, and tips on The Bluebook, the widely accepted authority on legal citation format.
The guide is particularly useful for law students, offering specific instructions on how to cite different sources and formats, such as statutory codes and federal regulations. For example, when citing a U.S. federal regulation, one must include specific elements such as the abbreviation "C.F.R." for the Code of Federal Regulations.
Additionally, the guide clarifies that the date in a statutory citation refers to the year of the code edition and not the year a statute was enacted or last amended. This distinction is essential for accurate legal citations. The guide also provides insights into reading legal citations, helping users understand the components and structure of citations to navigate legal resources more effectively.
The Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute's guide is a valuable tool for anyone navigating legal research and writing. It ensures consistency and accuracy in legal citations, which are crucial for legal professionals, scholars, and students alike. By following this guide, individuals can confidently cite their sources, adhering to the standardized format outlined in The Bluebook, and contributing to the clarity and precision expected in legal discourse.
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How to cite federal statutes
When citing federal statutes, there are a few key elements that must be included. Firstly, you have the option to cite the statute in its location in the U.S. Code or in its original publication in the Statutes at Large, especially if the statute is an appropriation, has been repealed, or has its contents scattered in different parts of the Code.
The basic structure of a citation in the U.S. Code is as follows:
> Title/Name of Act, Volume U.S.C. § Section Number (Date)
For example:
> Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 555 (2006)
Alternatively, if citing the statute in its original publication in the Statutes at Large, the structure would be:
> Title/Name of Act, Pub. L. No. Number, § Section Number, Volume Stat. Page (Date)
An example of this format is:
> Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, § 2, 104 Stat. 328 (1991)
When citing federal statutes, it is important to use the correct abbreviations for the set, such as "U.S.C." for the United States Code. Additionally, ensure that you include the statute section number and the year of publication. If you are citing multiple sections, use a double section symbol (§§) and separate each section number with commas.
It is also worth noting that federal statutes can be found in unofficial publications such as the United States Code Annotated (published by West) and the United States Code Service (published by Lexis).
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How to cite a specific quotation
When citing a specific quotation from Cornell's Law Directory, the format will depend on the style guide you are using. For example, the MLA (Modern Language Association) style is often used for humanities and literature subjects and is known for its author-page format. In contrast, APA (American Psychological Association) style is commonly used in social sciences and is known for its author-date citation style.
If you are using the MLA style, here are some general guidelines on how to cite a specific quotation:
Citing the entire code and mentioning specific sections: In your Works Cited section, list the entire code as shown below:
United States, Congress, House. United States Code. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, 14 Jan.
Then, in your text, you can refer to specific sections, such as Title 17, Section 304. This approach is more convenient if you plan to mention multiple sections in your text.
Citing specific sections individually: If you are referencing multiple sections within the United States Code, you will need to cite each one separately in your Works Cited section. For example:
United States, Congress, House. United States Code, Title 17, section 304, Office of the Law Revision Counsel, 14 Jan.
Formatting case law citations: When citing case law, such as court opinions and decisions, follow the appropriate style for MLA. For example, in the case of Brown v. Board of Education, the citation would be structured as follows:
United States, Supreme Court. Brown v. Board of Education. 17 May 1954. Legal Information Institute, Cornell U Law School, www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/347/483/USSC_PRO_347_483_1.
Note that the title of the case is italicized, and there are no quotation marks around it.
Remember to consult the latest version of your chosen style guide for detailed instructions and examples specific to your citation needs.
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The Bluebook basics for law students
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, has been the go-to guide for legal citation since 1926. Generations of law students, lawyers, and judges have relied on The Bluebook's unique system of citation. The Bluebook can be daunting, and it is normal to struggle with it. The Bluebook is organised into two sections: the Bluepages and the Whitepages. The Bluepages are a mini-guide to court documents and legal memoranda. The Whitepages are for academic citation and are used for law reviews, journals, and other academic legal publications. The Bluepages and Whitepages have different rules, but the Bluepages are always based on the normal non-Bluepages rules.
The Bluebook's style rules and tables dictate typeface and punctuation conventions for different sources, as well as rules for abbreviations. The Bluebook also contains a Quick Reference Guide to Law Review Footnotes, which is the format used for academic legal citation. The Bluebook does not include explanations of how to cite most administrative law materials, legislative history documents, or international and foreign law resources.
If you are unsure about a citation, make sure you have the correct rule for your type of resource. If your type of resource is not specifically included, find the one that is most similar. If you are citing material from a country that is not in the Bluebook, find a country with a similar legal system to base your citation on. You can also search recent articles in law reviews on Hein, Westlaw, and Lexis to see if anyone else has cited the material.
If you are still unsure, talk to a law librarian. You can also use The Bluebook Online, which has been redesigned for quick and easy searches. The Bluebook Online has identical numbering and content to the print version, and you can switch seamlessly between the two.
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How to cite the United States Code
The official federal code of the United States is the United States Code, abbreviated as U.S.C. The purpose of citing a federal statute is to inform the reader of its location. Federal statutes or code sections are organised by titles, chapters, subchapters, and sections. However, when citing a federal statute, you should only refer to the title and section(s).
The Bluebook, a style guide for legal citations, dictates that you should cite to the United States Code when citing a federal statute that is currently in force if it contains the current version of a statute. The Bluebook also states that the date in a citation to the United States Code is the year of the code edition cited, as it appears on the spine of the print volume or the title page. This date is not the year a statute was enacted or last amended.
In most instances, you do not need to include the name of the statute in a citation. However, the Bluebook outlines three instances in which you may need to include the name of the statute:
- You are citing an entire act as codified in the United States Code.
- The statute is commonly cited in a particular way.
- Including the name of the statute aids in the identification of the material cited.
Additionally, if you are citing a specific provision, you may need to include the original section number from the session law. For example, 17 U.S.C. § 107 was originally enacted as part of the Copyright Act of 1976. Thus, the citation would be:
> Copyright Act of 1976 § 101, 17 U.S.C. § 107 (2012)
If a statute has been amended, you will need to indicate this in the citation. For example, if the above statute had been amended since the 2012 edition of the United States Code was published, and the amendment appeared in the first annual supplement, the citation would be:
> Copyright Act of 1976 § 101, 17 U.S.C. § 107 (2012, Supp. I)
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can. Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute hosts a detailed guide to legal citations.
The format of a statutory citation is dependent on certain factors, such as the date in the citation, which is the year of the code edition cited.
You can refer to the Legal Citation Guide by Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute.
