Keith Mack
When citing a law case in Chicago style, it's important to note that court cases are only cited in footnotes or endnotes, and not in the bibliography. A case citation includes the names of the parties involved, the volume number, the abbreviated name of the case reporter, the series number, and the number of the first page of the case. If the case was accessed online, the URL should also be included. The Bluebook serves as a reference for legal citation styles, including Chicago.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Case name | Full case name in the first citation, abbreviated in shortened notes |
| Case number | e.g. 410 U.S. 113, at 114 |
| Volume number | e.g. 422 |
| Name of reporter (publisher) | e.g. U.S. |
| First page of the text | e.g. 853 |
| Court name | Abbreviated court name |
| Year the case was decided | e.g. 2002 |
| URL | If accessed online, include URL |
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What You'll Learn
Court cases are only cited in notes, not in the bibliography
When following the Chicago style guide, court cases are only cited in notes, and not in the bibliography. This is true for most legal publications, which are only cited in the notes. However, if your instructor wants a legal source listed in the bibliography, the "first note" format can be used.
A case citation includes the names of the parties, the volume number of the case reporter, the abbreviated name of the case reporter, the series number, and the number of the first page of the case. For example, in the citation 'Edelstein v. City & County of San Francisco, 56 P.3d 1029 (Cal.2002)', Edelstein is the plaintiff, and City & County of San Francisco is the defendant. 56 is the volume number, P.3d is the "reporter" (publisher), and 1029 is the first page of the text.
If the case was accessed online, the URL should also be included. Most of this information should be at the top of the court decision. Abbreviations for case reporters and courts can be found in The Bluebook, which the Chicago Manual of Style defers to for legal citations.
When citing a court case in the notes, the case name written in full is typeset in roman. In subsequent shortened citations, the short form of the case name is italicized.
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Case name, number, volume number, and reporter
Case names typically follow the format of [Plaintiff's Name] v. [Defendant's Name], with only the first plaintiff and defendant listed when there are multiple parties involved. Older cases may use the "style of cause" for the case name. Case names are always written in italics.
Case numbers are usually written in the format "Civil 00-5 (GEB)" or "3:0-cv-5". The case number is distinct from the case name and volume number.
Case reporters, or simply reporters, are volumes that compile and publish court opinions in chronological order. These can be official or unofficial. Official reporters are government-approved publications that reproduce reported cases within a given jurisdiction, while unofficial reporters are published by commercial entities and may include editorial enhancements such as headnotes. Both official and unofficial reporters are considered primary sources.
When citing a law case in Chicago style, it is important to include the case name, case number, volume number, and reporter. The specific format for the citation may vary depending on the jurisdiction and the specific style guide being used. However, here is a general guide on how to include this information in your citation:
[Case Name], [Case Number] [Volume Number] [Reporter].
For example, a citation for a case with the name "Mustapha v. Culligan" might look like this:
Mustapha v. Culligan, 3:0-cv-5 1 N.E.2d.
In this example, "Mustapha v. Culligan" is the case name, "3:0-cv-5" is the case number, "1" is the volume number, and "N.E.2d" is the reporter, indicating the North Eastern Reporter Second Series.
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Court cases accessed online include the URL
When citing a court case in Chicago style, you must include specific elements to ensure your citation is correct and accurate, especially when accessing the case online. For court cases accessed online, in addition to the standard elements such as the case name, volume number, and page number, it is crucial to provide the URL where the case was retrieved from. This is to ensure that the source can be easily located and verified by your readers.
The URL should be the direct link to the specific court case you are citing and not just the homepage of the database or website from which you accessed it. Permanent or persistent links, also known as stable URLs, are preferred over session or dynamically generated links, which may expire or change over time. If the URL is long and cumbersome, you may use a URL shortener, but only if the shortened URL will remain stable and functional over the long term.
Last name, First name. "Case Name." Volume number, Series/Reporter abbreviation number (Year): page number (if applicable), URL.
For example:
Griswold, Estelle. "Griswold v. Connecticut." 381 US 479 (1965): https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/381/479.
In this example, the case name is "Griswold v. Connecticut," decided in 1965 and found in volume 381 of the US Reports starting on page 479. The URL provided directs the reader to the Cornell University Law School's Legal Information Institute, where the full text of the case can be accessed.
Remember to always check for specific requirements or variations in your specific discipline or publication guidelines, as there may be slight differences in expectations for citing legal sources.
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Case reporters and courts can be abbreviated using the Bluebook
When citing legal cases in Chicago style, the Chicago Manual of Style defers to The Bluebook for legal citations. Case reporters and courts can be abbreviated using the Bluebook, which contains tables of abbreviations for reporters and courts at the federal and state levels.
The Bluebook's Table T.1 includes the official names and legal citation abbreviations for federal and state reporters, as well as federal and state statutory compilations. This table also provides information on citation conventions for federal and state courts. It is important to note that the official Supreme Court reporter is the United States Reports, and this should be cited first if available. If the case is not published in the official reporter, one of the three unofficial reporters can be cited in a specific order of preference.
For example, a citation for a Supreme Court case would include the case name, volume number, abbreviated reporter name, series number, and page number. The case name is italicized or underlined, followed by the volume number, reporter name, series number, and page number in parentheses. The year the case was decided is then included in parentheses.
Additionally, specific abbreviations are provided for institutional names in periodical titles, such as "Univ." for "University". The Bluebook also offers guidance on abbreviating court names, explanatory phrases, legislative documents, geographical terms, and more. It is important to follow the specific rules and conventions outlined in The Bluebook to ensure accurate and consistent abbreviations in legal citations.
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Citing print and online sources —print is preferable
When citing legal materials and government documents using the Chicago Manual of Style, it is recommended to use footnotes, endnotes, and/or citation sentences. These sources are typically not included in a bibliography or on a separate references page.
Print sources are generally preferred over digital sources when citing legal cases. However, if you are using digital sources, ensure that they are verified and official versions of the original. When citing online sources, include the URL and the date accessed. For sources from online databases like Nexis Uni, include the database name and consider adding information about the currency of the database for constitutions and statutes.
Case citations should include the names of the parties involved, the volume number, the abbreviated name of the case reporter, the series number (if applicable), and the page number where the case can be found. The first citation should include the full case name in plain text, while subsequent shortened citations should be italicized.
Roe, 410 U.S. 113, at 114.
Additionally, when citing public documents, include the country, city, state, or other relevant geographical identifiers, as well as the legislative body, court, or government agency associated with the document. For congressional documents, include the Congress number and session information.
Firstname Lastname, "Title of Document" (source type identifier, Place of Publication, year of publication), page number(s).
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Frequently asked questions
The Chicago Manual of Style defers to The Bluebook for legal citations. A case citation includes the names of the parties, the volume number of the case reporter, the abbreviated name of the case reporter, the series number, and the number of the first page of the case. For example:
> Edelstein v. City & County of San Francisco, 56 P.3d 1029 (Cal.2002).
If the case was accessed online, include the URL. Sources cited from Nexis Uni and other online databases should include the database name.
No, court cases are only cited in notes, not in the bibliography.
