Rule 10 of The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) governs the citation of cases.
The citation should include the following:
Elements
- Case Name - first listed parties on each side (use T. 6) (note the case name is not italicized unless short form used)
- Volume
- Reporter (see T. 1)
- Page
- Court and jurisdiction in parenthetical (see T.1, T.7, T.10)
- Year in parenthetical
- Subsequent History after parenthetical (if applicable)
Example 1
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).
Example 2
Arredondo v. Pollard, 498 F. Supp. 2d 1113 (E.D. Wis. 2007), aff’d sub nom. Arredondo v. Huibregtse, 542 F.3d 1155 (7th Cir. 2008).
Explanation
- Case Name
- Reporter: Abbreviate the F. Supp. 2d reporter and the F.3d reporter per R. 6 (single adjacent caps), R. 6.2(b)(ii) (no superscript, use 2d instead of 2nd and 3d instead of 3rd) & T.1.
- Court: Abbreviate Eastern District of Wisconsin and 7th Circuit per R. 6, T.1, T.7, T.10. Note that there is no superscript per R. 6.2(b)(ii).
- Subsequent History, name change on appeal: R. 10.7, 10.7.2, T.8
