Citing secondary sources sample bluebook citations. Unless your professor tells you otherwise, your assignments for legal research and legal writing will follow the bluepages. First published in 1853 as a manual for legislators, the blue book has evolved into a useful tool for the states residents, as well as a historical record of wisconsin state government. Since 2008, california rules of court have allowed citations in bluebook form as well as the states own style. Cite to the name of the sourcedictionary, page number if pinpoint citing, edition and year. The bluebook also has citation rules for legal memoranda and other practice oriented materials the blue pages, which students in lrwa2. Pointbypoint, it is linked to the free citation guide, the indigo book.
The scope ofthe indigo books coverage is roughly equivalent tothe bluebooks bluepagesthat is,the indigo bookcovers legal citation for u. Consult court rules for required citation format, usually found in the jurisdictions rules of procedure. However, the following are rules and examples for other types of legal documents that many firstyear law students may need to cite in addition to cases and statutes. Bluebook citation for llm students harvard library research guides. A uniform system of citation, a style guide, prescribes the most widely used.
Introduction bluebook guide guides at georgetown law. Bluepages bluebook guide libguides at university of. The guide takes account of the latest editions of the alwd guide to legal citation 2017, the bluebook. Cases bluebook legal citation tarlton law library at tarlton law. The system of citation is code, an algorithm consisting of rules and a set of.
Where the bluepages and local court rules are silent regarding the citation of a particular document, you may use the other rules in the bluebook, referred to as the whitepages, to supplement the bluepages. In academic writing, the author and title are in small caps and the subject e. Common abbreviations legal citation research guides at. Weird bluebook rules bluebook citations libguides at. Note that the use of abbreviations in a case name depends on whether the citation. Generally, citation rules are all a bit weird since the aim is to represent a resource in as small a space as possible. A uniform system of citation 20th edition 0692400192 892559837x 9788925598376 9780692400197 by hlr clr jan 1, 2015. Eventually, the online format will allow the bluebooks citation rules to adjust quickly to citation issues raised by the growing importance of online legal research. Citing cases bluebook guide guides at georgetown law. Bluebook table bt2 jurisdictionspecific citation rules and style guidelines might seem to suggest that minnesota courts do have local rules, addressing the citation of certain court rules, that would require changes to the bluebook form citations. In a diverse and rapidly changing legal profession, the bluebook continues to provide a systematic method by which members of the profession communicate important information to one another about the sources and legal authorities upon. This guide provides answers specifically to questions about the citation rules in the white pages, not the blue pages. The tarlton law librarys physical facility is closed until further notice.
Home legal citation guides and abbreviations research. In thinking of the bluebook, i have been reminded of big blue, the ibm corporation. Bluebook citation for legal materials purdue writing lab. Numbered volumes are cited in arabic numerals 1,2,3, not roman numerals. California style manual for many years, the california style manual has served as the official guide for styling citations to legal materials in documents filed with state courts in california. Generations of law students, lawyers, scholars, judges, and other legal professionals have relied on the bluebooks unique system of citation in their writing. Additionally, the chicago manual of style recommends its use for all citation of legal material. Published biennially, the wisconsin blue book is a valuable source for information about the state of wisconsin. Citation format examples for footnotes general rules times new roman, size 10, 1 line spacing, justified.
The central function of a legal citation is to allow the reader to efficiently locate the cited source. This research guide lists citation manuals and dictionaries of legal abbreviations to help you with these tasks. The bluebook is not comprehensive for citing laws everywhere. A uniform system of citation, a style guide, prescribes the most widely used legal citation system in the united states.
The white pages in the center of the bluebook provide detailed citation formats for academic legal writing. It is now in its 20th edition, more than an inch thick, and consists of over 500 pages of guidance on legal citation. A citation to a judicial opinion is typically referred to as a case or court case citation. Abbreviations and examples this libguide contains useful information for legal citation, some of. Examples of common citations in whitepage format, with references to the relevant rules.
In legal writing, one of the most commonly cited types of sources are judicial opinions. Bluebook case guide bluebook citation generator legalease. The rules in the bluepages are usually abbreviated using the letter b. The first nine rules of the bluebook are general rules covering such topics are introductory signals, quotations, and citations to subparts such as sections, paragraphs, or pages. The table below provides examples of different internet citation forms. For generations, law students, lawyers, scholars, judges, and other legal professionals have relied on the bluebooks unique system of citation. Law school bluebook basics one of the books that all 1l law students are required to purchase is the bluebook. An easytouse guide with clear rules, realworld examples, and reproducible quizzes. Page 1 of the bluebook reminds you that the central function of legal citation is to help your reader find the source.
Citing cases bluebook guide guides at georgetown law library. For example, b1 is the first rule in the bluepages, it starts on page 3 of the bluebook. Hopefully, we are communicating with others who speak our citation language. Bt2 jurisdictionspecific citation rules and style guides. The bluebook contains rules that prescribe how to cite a variety of legal documents. The light blue pages at the beginning of the bluebook provide simplified citation formats for court documents. The bluebook is an example of absolute efficiency in the formulation and expression of the rules of legal citation. The indigo book a free legal citation guide based on the. Regardless of the citation style used, you should ensure that your citations are formatted consistently in accordance with the rules of the citation style selected as well as any local rules in your jurisdiction that may apply. As men of law rely upon a great number of various sources, legal citation also covers the usage of signals that present citations and explain.
A uniform system of citation, 18th edition harvard law on. Blue pages, rule b10 or apply the citation rules of the jurisdiction. School of government legal citation and style guide. The bluebook legal citation guide now available online. In court documents briefs, motions and legal memoranda, a full case name is usually italicized or underlined. Many of the complicated variations on rules are not shown in these samples. Below you will see examples of bluebook citations for various common authority types. For the most part, when one begins to cite uncommon resources or laws that are far. It provides a system of rules for legal citations so that readers can locate the sources cited. A free alternative to the bluebook legal citation guide is now available. Bluebook citation hamline university school of law. Bluebook rule 10 covers how cases should be cited in legal documents.
The indigo book, formerly called baby blue, is available online without charge in pdf or html. Internet citation bluebook citation 101 practitioner. But see is used for authority that, while not directly contradicting the main proposition, nonetheless clearly opposes it. The bluebook style guide is used in the american legal profession for citation of all relevant sources. However, the basic format of a case citation is as follows. Always consult the bluebook for additional information. These rules are general because they can apply in any given citation.
There are too many rules for this introductory guide to cover. A uniform system of citation, is the style manual for citing to legal documents within the united states. The following samples cover basic citation format for secondary sources. The guide takes account of the latest editions of the alwd guide to legal citation 2017, the bluebook, published in 2015, and the supreme courts style guide.
It takes account of the latest edition of the bluebook, published in 2015, and the supreme courts style guide. Tarltons librarians and staff remain actively engaged in providing library services. A reference guide for attorneys, legal secretaries, paralegals, and law students this link opens in a new window citechecker. Pages, paragraphs, and pincites bluebook legal citation tarlton. This book is a reference guide that, believe it or not, will be just about the only book you take from law school into your practice as a lawyer. This manual provides a rule only where the practice. The bluebook is the resource all attorneys and legal scholars use to properly cite and format legal documents. In this bluebook cheat sheet, weve laid out the essential bluebook elements and bluebook examples for a few of the most common types of case citations. The bluebook, is the definitive style guide for legal citation in the united states. The same style must be used consistently throughout the document. Bluepages bluebook guide libguides at university of illinois law.
In this course, students will be expected to follow the rules of legal citation set forth in the bluebook. Rules 1021 are specific rules because they cover citation issues related to specific types of authority, jurisdictions, or formats and will only. Most authors choose to source their legal material using a combination of superscripted foot note indicators in text and belowtherule footnotes containing source information, while a few use an inline citation method see, e. The indigo bookisnt the same asthe bluebook, but it does implement the same uniform system of citation thatthe bluebookdoes. Keep in mind the typeface differences between academic documents and non academic legal documents. Effective january 1, 2008, however, california rule of court, rule 1. Bluebook citation for llm students bluebook citation for. As has been true of all editions released since 2010, it is also indexed to the the bluebook and the alwd guide to legal citation.
Few books cause law students as much dread, pain, anger, and frustration as the bluebook the bluebook, formally titled the bluebook. Official code of inforce california state agency rules and regulations. The precise format of a case citation depends on a number of factors, including the jurisdiction, court, and type of case. History of bluebook the development of the bluebook from its inception in 1926 as a twentysixpage pamphlet. The bluebook also has citation rules for legal memoranda and other practiceoriented materials the blue pages, which students in lrwa2 use for their memo assignments. California specific legal encyclopedia that provides case citations and cross references to other resources. How to cite the amendments in bluebook format legal beagle. 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. The blue books mission is to furnish the legislature and the public with information on.
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