Cecily Zamora
Citing law cases in a bibliography can be a complex process, with many rules to follow. The Bluebook is the primary source for guidance on legal citations, and it provides extensive instructions on how to format case citations. This includes rules on citing cases in legal documents, court documents, and academic legal writing, as well as specific rules for federal and state cases, and volume and page numbers. The Bluebook also dictates when to use official and unofficial reporters, and how to cite cases that have not yet been published in an official report.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Case name | Katz v. United States |
| Case name formatting | Italicized or underlined in court documents and legal memoranda; not underlined or italicized in academic legal writing |
| Case name abbreviation | All words appearing in table T6 and geographical terms should be abbreviated |
| Reporter | Publication containing the opinions of a particular court or jurisdiction, organized chronologically by date of decision |
| Preferred reporter | The Bluebook prescribes which reporter is the preferred one to cite (Table 1) |
| Official reporter | Listed first when a jurisdiction's cases are published in more than one reporter |
| Volume numbers | Cited using Arabic numerals (1,2,3) even if they appear as Roman numerals (XXV) in the original source |
| Page numbers | May be cited as either Arabic or Roman numerals, depending on how they appear in the source |
| Specific page within a case | Place a comma and "pincite" after the first-page citation |
| Court and year of decision | Placed in a parenthetical after the reporter citation and pincite |
| State case citations | Do not need to indicate the deciding court if it is the highest court, just the state |
| Parallel citations | Required when a decision has also been published in a public domain format |
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What You'll Learn
Case name and title formatting
The case name is a crucial element in a case citation. The Bluebook, a widely used guide for legal citation, provides rules and guidelines for formatting case names and titles. Here are some detailed instructions and examples for formatting case names and titles in your bibliography:
Full Case Names and Titles:
When citing a case in court documents such as briefs, motions, or legal memoranda, the full case name is usually italicized or underlined. For example, in a brief, the case name "Katz v. United States" would be formatted as *Katz v. United States*. This formatting is also applicable when citing cases in academic legal writing, such as law review articles. However, in academic legal writing, full case names are generally not underlined or italicized. Instead, they are presented in regular typeface.
Abbreviating Case Names:
Rule 10.2 of The Bluebook provides guidelines for creating straightforward case names from the list of parties involved in the case. This rule is divided into two sub-rules:
- Rule 10.2.1 applies to case names in textual sentences and citations.
- Rule 10.2.2 applies specifically to case names contained in citations and provides guidance for abbreviating words in case names, including those listed in Table T6.
Reporter Abbreviations:
When citing a case, it is important to include the reporter abbreviation. Table 1 of The Bluebook provides a list of reporter abbreviations for federal and state reporters. For example, "F. Supp." is used as an abbreviation for the Federal Supplement, a reporter for U.S. District Court decisions. Additionally, Table 6 offers abbreviations for terms commonly used in case names, such as "Am." for "America [n]."
State Case Citations:
When citing state case decisions, there are a few special rules to consider. If the case was decided by the highest court in a state, you do not need to indicate the deciding court, only the state. For example: *Seeco, Inc. v. Hales, 22 S.W.3d 157 (Ark. 2000)*. If the reporter cited clearly indicates the issuing state, you may omit the state information. For instance: *DiLucia v. Madelker, 493 N.Y.S.2d 769 (App. Div. 1985)*.
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Citing a specific page
Understanding the Components of a Case Citation
A case citation typically includes multiple elements that need to be presented in a specific order. The basic structure of a case citation includes the case name, followed by the volume, the reporter abbreviation, the first page of the case, and the court abbreviation and date. For example, a United States Supreme Court citation would look like this: Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137, 138 (1803). Here's a breakdown of the elements:
- Case Name: This refers to the names of the parties involved in the case, such as "Marbury v. Madison."
- Volume: The volume number indicates the volume of the reporter in which the case is published. In the example, "5 U.S." represents the volume number.
- Reporter Abbreviation: This is a shortened form of the name of the reporter or publication where the case is found. "U.S." is the reporter abbreviation in the example.
- First Page of the Case: This is the page number where the case begins in the reporter. In the example, it is "137."
- Specific Page (Pinpoint Citation): When citing a specific page within the case, you would add a comma after the first-page citation and then indicate the exact page you are referencing. For example, "5 U.S. 137, 138" means that the relevant content is on page 138.
- Court Abbreviation and Date: Finally, you provide the abbreviation for the court and the date of the decision in parentheses. In the example, "(1803)" indicates the year of the decision.
Rules for Specific Page Citation (Pinpoint Citation)
When citing a specific page within a case, the following rules and considerations should be kept in mind:
- Pincite or Pinpoint Citation: The Bluebook refers to citing a specific page within a case as a "pincite" or "pinpoint citation." To indicate a pinpoint citation, place a comma after the first-page citation and then provide the specific page number.
- Volume Numbers and Page Numbers: Always use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) for volume numbers, even if they appear as Roman numerals (XXV) in the original source. For page numbers, you may use either Arabic or Roman numerals, depending on how they appear in the original source.
- Court and Jurisdiction: After the reporter citation and pincite, provide information related to the court and jurisdiction. Bluebook Rule 10.4 describes what information must be included, depending on whether the case was decided by a state or federal court and the level of the court within the hierarchy.
- Parallel Citations: In some instances, you may need to include parallel citations, especially when a decision has been published in a public domain format. Consult Bluebook Rule 10.3.1 for guidance on parallel citations.
- State Case Citations: When citing state cases, there are special rules. If the highest court in a state decided the case, you don't need to indicate the deciding court, just the state. Additionally, if the reporter clearly indicates the state, you may not need to include it again.
Examples of Case Citations with Specific Page References
- United States Supreme Court: Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137, 138 (1803).
- United States Circuit Court: Perry v. Schwarzenegger, 591 F.3d 1147, 1152 (9th Cir. 2010).
- Federal Supplement: Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Corley, 273 F.3d 429, 432 (2d Cir. 2001).
In summary, citing a specific page within a law case involves following a structured format and adhering to the guidelines provided by the Bluebook. It is important to pay attention to the specific elements, including volume numbers, page numbers, court information, and date, to ensure accurate and effective legal citations.
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State case citations
Citing state cases in legal memoranda or law review pieces is done differently from citing federal cases. The Bluebook generally directs citations to the unofficial regional reporter rather than the official state reporter. This is outlined in R10.3.1(b), p. 103.
When citing state court cases, there are a few special rules. Firstly, you do not need to indicate the deciding court if it is the highest court, just the state. For example: 'Seeco, Inc. v. Hales, 22 S.W.3d 157 (Ark. 2000)'. Another rule is that you do not need to indicate the state if the reporter cited unambiguously indicates which state issued it: 'DiLucia v. Madelker, 493 N.Y.S.2d 769 (App. Div. 1985)'. Both rules would apply when citing a decision of the highest court appearing in an official state reporter: 'Bates v. Tappan, 99 Mass. 376 (1868)'.
A citation to a case in a regional reporter contains six elements: the name of the case (underlined or italicized and abbreviated according to R10.2), the year of the decision, the state's two-character postal code, the court abbreviation from T7 (unless it's the state's highest court), the sequential number of the decision, and if the decision is unpublished, include a capital "U" after the sequential number. For example: 'Beck v. Beck, 1999 ME 110, ¶ 6'.
When citing specific material within the decision, provide a pinpoint citation to the paragraph number of the material and, if available, a parallel citation to the appropriate regional reporter. See 10.3.3, p. 104. The Bluebook provides the following examples for the recommended public domain citation format. See R10.3.3, p. 105 & T1.3, p. 255: 'Loup v. Dube, 2014 IL 101235, ¶ 5'.
If a case is published in a reporter, The Bluebook prescribes which reporter is the preferred one to cite (Table 1).
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Court documents and filings
When citing court documents and filings, it is essential to adhere to a standardised format. The Bluebook style is the standard legal citation style used across all disciplines. Here is a step-by-step guide to citing court documents and filings:
Case Name:
The full case name is usually italicized or underlined in court documents (briefs, motions) and legal memoranda. However, in academic legal writing, such as a law review article, the full case names are generally not underlined or italicized.
Document Title:
Begin with the full title of the document, abbreviated according to R10.2.1(c). For example, "MOTION TO CONDUCT PROCEEDINGS IN ENGLISH".
Pinpoint Citation:
Provide a specific reference to the location within the document, if applicable. This may include a page number or paragraph number.
Full Case Citation:
Include the full case citation, which typically consists of the case name, volume, reporter, page number, court, and year. For example, "State of Hawai'i v. Samuel Kaeo, No. 2DCW-17-00023038".
Docket Number:
The docket number is a unique identifier assigned to a case by the court clerk. Include this number in your citation, either parenthetically when using a reported citation or as part of the citation when no reported citation is present.
Date:
Include the date of the document or filing. If a decision has not yet been rendered, use the date the filing was made, regardless of subsequent developments such as oral arguments.
It is important to note that the specific format may vary depending on the citation style guide you are using (e.g., APA, Bluebook) and the specific type of court document or filing. Always refer to the latest guidelines and examples provided by the citation style you are using.
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Case name abbreviations
When citing law cases, it is important to use the correct abbreviations for case names. The Bluebook provides a set of rules and guidelines for abbreviating case names in both textual sentences and citations.
Rule 10.2, which is divided into sub-rules 10.2.1 and 10.2.2, offers guidance on creating concise and clear case names. Rule 10.2.1 pertains to case names in textual sentences and citations, while 10.2.2 provides additional instructions specifically for case names within citations, allowing for a more extensive abbreviation of certain words. For example, the word "American" can be abbreviated as "Am." as per Table 6 of the Bluebook.
It is worth noting that the full case names are typically italicized or underlined in court documents like briefs and motions, as well as in legal memoranda. On the other hand, academic legal writing, such as law review articles, generally refrains from using italics or underlines for full case names. When using a short form for a case name, it should be abbreviated according to Rule 10.2, as mentioned earlier, and can be italicized or underlined.
State case citations have a few exceptions. When citing a decision made by the highest court of a state, it is not necessary to indicate the deciding court, only the state, for example, "Ark. 2000" for a decision made in Arkansas in the year 2000. Additionally, if the reporter cited clearly indicates the issuing state, there is no need to specify it again, as in "DiLucia v. Madelker, 493 N.Y.S.2d 769 (App. Div. 1985)", where "N.Y." implies New York.
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Frequently asked questions
The general format for citing a law case is:
- Case name
- Reporter volume
- Reporter abbreviation
- First page of the case
- Specific page for the cited material
- Court abbreviation and date in parentheses (unless the court name is obvious from the reporter abbreviation)
A reporter is a publication containing the opinions of a particular court or jurisdiction, organized chronologically by date of decision.
The Bluebook is a style guide that provides rules for citing legal documents. It includes information on how to cite cases, such as the abbreviations to use for court names and reporters.
To cite a specific page within a case, place a comma after the first-page citation and add the pincite to the specific page.
