Bluebook Citation 101 -- Practitioner Format

Bluebook

Rule 10 of the Bluebook (20th ed.) governs the citation of cases.

The citation should include the following:

Elements

• Case Name - first listed parties on each side (italicized or underlined) (use T. 6)
• 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:

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).

ALWD

Rule 12 of the ALWD Citation Manual (5th ed.) covers the citation of cases.

Elements

• Case Name - first listed parties on each side (italicized or underlined) (see chart 12.1)
• Volume
• Reporter (see chart 12.2, local court rules - Appendix 2, )
• Page
• Court and jurisdiction (see Appendices 1 and 4 for court abbreviations)
• Year
• Subsequent History (if applicable)

Example

United States v. Prince Line, Ltd., 189 F.2d 386, 387 (2d Cir. 1951).