For example, these are the issues i ran into when i tried to code my own. 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. Additionally, because the laws vary between jurisdictions, the laws referred to herein may or may not be applicable to the law within the readers jurisdiction. The proper bluebook citation for articles appearing in consecutively paginated journals is volume number, abbreviation of the periodical name, first page of the article, and specific pages cited, if any volume. Common legal abbreviations are listed on this page. This is usually incorrect, but the citations these services produce look pretty good.
This guide was originally written by valparaiso university law library. Feb 05, 2020 please note that case law, statutory law, and administrative law may be modified andor overturned. This page provides bluebook a uniform system of citation, 19th ed. Start your citation search within this section for practitioner legal writing. Use these tools described below to help you decipher unfamiliar uk legal abbreviations and acronyms. The 20th edition of the bluebook was published in 2015. This guide is not a substitute for the bluebook, but rather a source to be used to locate rules in the bluebook bluepages p. Resources for additional help with bluebook and alwd. The current edition is available for download in pdf format. As the oldest child of two professors, he realized from an early age that he wanted to strike out on his own. Essential bluebook rules law school writing center law school. In addition, abbreviate any state or smaller geographic unit included in a. Tarltons librarians and staff remain actively engaged in providing library services.
Most of the bluebook, however, is irrelevant for many people who create legal documents. At its worst, legal citation can feel confusing, pedantic, and pointless. However, it is an essential book that every lawyer should know how to use. Jan 07, 2016 ben nelson was a law school and california bar exam tutor for law school toolbox and bar exam toolbox. Fwiw this rule is a rule of grammar, and not necessarily a bluebook rule. Major changes in the 20th edition bluebook 101 library. Apr 04, 2018 common legal abbreviations are listed on this page. Introduction bluebooking tips and resources libguides. Case name abbreviations table 6 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.
Law library law databases contact us search catalog how do i law library guides bluebook quick reference. I have a short manual for my law clerks written mainly by scott hemphill, a former law clerk who is now a professor at columbia law school, but amended from time to time by subsequent law clerks and by me, dealing with. Home legal citation guides and abbreviations research guides. For a citation directly to a footnote, give the page number on which the note begins, the abbreviation n. Federal court abbreviations university of akron school. Abbreviations bluebooking tips and resources libguides at. Oct 24, 2018 the bluebook is divided into four basic parts. Introduction there is no one prevailing source for citation of legal authorities in documents filed in new york courts. The bluepages section of the bluebook addresses nonacademic citation. Introduction bluebooking tips and resources libguides at. Electronic bluebook ebb is certified for pc computers running microsoft windows 7, windows 8 and windows 10 as their operating system, or apple macbooks running os x from version 10. At its best, however, legal citation allows writers to clearly and concisely direct their readers to laws and secondary sources that support their argument. Bluebook citation school of justice studies rasguides. However, this guide also provides an overview of other citation styles that are important for california law students and lawyers to know, such as the california style manual.
Related guides princes dictionary of legal abbreviations. State court abbreviations university of akron school of law. Legal citation guides and abbreviations home search this group search. The indigo book isnt the same as the bluebook, but it does implement the same uniform system of citation that the bluebook does. Set out below is a table of words and their abbreviations with links to examples.
Bt2 jurisdictionspecific citation rules and style guides. Generations of law students, lawyers, scholars, judges, and other legal professionals have relied on the bluebooks unique system of citation in their writing. Administrative law journal of american university, admin. You can ignore more than twothirds of the book if all you need to do is to cite cases and statutes which covers most of the first year of law school, and a lot of litigation. The bluebook requires the use and citation of traditional printed sources when available, unless there is a digital copy of the source available that is authenticated, official, or an exact copy of the printed source, as described in rule 18. Sometimes the easiest way to fake bluebook, rock star status is to be a groupie.
How to get answers from the bluebook law school toolbox. Bluebook abbreviations arent determinative, so computer logic is only good for the most common cases, which should be memorized anyway. Index to legal citations and abbreviations, 4th ed. Tables of federal supreme court, united states court of appeals and united states district court abbreviations. It is a composite of those contained in the bluebook and the alwd guide to. Our staff brings you news and tidbits related to legal research, legal education, and observations on the law and the legal community at least once a week. The white pages in the bluebook address academic citation. A reference guide for attorneys, legal secretaries, paralegals, and law. Common abbreviations legal abbreviations library guides. The bluebook is a style guide for legal citation in the united states that is used by lawyers, scholars, judges, law students, paralegals, and others involved in the legal profession. A citation copied directly from westlaw, in particular, is easy to identify, because the source name will be an abbreviation, but not one approved by the bluebook. Oscola is the most widely used system of legal citation in the uk it has been adopted by most uk law schools and by journals and book publishers in the uk and beyond. University of florida journal of law and public policy u.
This guide is not a substitute for the bluebook, but rather a source to be used to locate rules in the bluebook. Bluebook resources penn state law university park, pa. In addition to those listed here, harvard law school library has many other jurisdictionspecific legal abbreviation lists. A uniform system of citation, a style guide, prescribes the most widely used legal citation system in the united states. We also post timely notices like changes to our library hours, additions to our collections and events in the library and at the law school. Unlike the remainder of the bluebook, which is designed in a style and at a level of complexity commensurate with the needs of the law journal publication process, the bluepages provide easytocomprehend guidance for the everyday citation needs of firstyear law. Editors of the yale law journal have announced that the bluebook. Be sure to verify the components of a proper citation, especially the abbreviation. The tarlton law librarys physical facility is closed until further notice. University of illinois journal of law, technology, and policy u. When i was in law school 20 years ago there was a piece of software that checked bluebook citations, i think it was called citerite.
Within the bluebook, and also in supporting materials, help can be found for deciphering the rules of citation. Basic layout bluebook 101 library guides at university of. It is a composite of those contained in the bluebook and the alwd guide to legal citation. If a journal does not otherwise indicate the volume number but does continuous pagination across issues, use the year as the volume number. This picture helps describe the process of the amendment. Law school bluebook basics one of the books that all 1l law students are required to purchase is the bluebook. Do not underline party names, but italicize procedural phrases. Georgia state university college of law and the authors of the works contained on this website do not assume or accept any legal liability or. If you prefer to search by state supreme court or court of appeals exclusively, click on the links in the left hand navigation bar for. Below is a list of state supreme court and court of appeals abbreviations. Jul 19, 2019 however, it is an essential book that every lawyer should know how to use. R3 20 this index enables users to decode the initialletteronly system of most british legal citation. A uniform system of citation is now available online. Rules white pages in middle tables and abbreviations blue pages in back index white pages in back you must cite to supporting authority when.
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. The bluebook is a style guide for legal citation in the united states that is used by lawyers, scholars, judges, law students, paralegals, and others involved in the legal. This guide is designed to give a brief overview to some oftenoverlooked bluebook rules and some general tips on using the bluebook. Contains legal abbreviations for english language publications. The bluebook legal citation guide now available online. How to get answers from the bluebook january 7, 2016 by ben nelson leave a comment in august before my 1l year, i went to the campus bookstore to pick up a huge stack of law books for my courses in the fall. Other operating system versions may be able to run the.
Feb 05, 2020 this guide is designed to give a brief overview to some oftenoverlooked bluebook rules and some general tips on using the bluebook. Introduction bluebook guide guides at georgetown law library. The abbreviations following the states and district of columbia have been revised to follow the abbreviation convention for jurisdiction names in the date parenthetical of cases. The bluebook is overwhelmingly the most popular legal citation style and is the main focus of this guide.
Generally, the given differences may be described as the white pages vs. Sep 06, 2019 no system of citation can be complete. Words in case names basic legal citation cornell university. The authors point out that some of the material in the 1926 first edition of the bluebook as well as that in a 1922 harvard precursor to it published as instructions for editorial work duplicate material in the 1920 llewellen booklet and its 1921 successor, a blue pamphlet that the yale law journal published as abbreviations and form of citation. Home legal citation guides and abbreviations research. For proper citation in scholarly works please consult alwd or the bluebook uniform system of citation. The bluebook is taught and used at a majority of u. Apr 12, 2019 the bluebook is the main citation manual for law in the u. In the general principles section, the style sheet adopts the nineteenth edition of the bluebook as the basic citation resource.
The bluebook legal citation guide now available online editors of the yale law journal have announced that the bluebook. Legal citation aims to create uniform, understandable references to laws that make them easy for readers to look up. An open and compatible implementation of a uniform system of citation. Any information about state and court that is clear from the reporter name should be deleted from the parenthetica l. This is a proposed citation style to adapt the bluebook to the unique needs of wikipedia. Legal abbreviations are used within the legal and law fields, and can save you time and money. Electronic bluebook instructions duke university school of law. Mar 27, 2020 west publishes seven 7 regional reporters as part of the national reporter system. The bluebook is the most commonly used system for legal citations in the united states, especially for legal scholarship, but also with modifications by local rules in judicial opinions and party briefs this proposal covers citations to united states legal materialsu. West also publishes the california reporter and the new york supplement, which contain appellate case law from california and new york. The bluebook is the main citation manual for law in the u. The following abbreviation lists are usage oriented and include variants of citations as well as standard forms.
When you have an abbreviation that ends with a period and has no internal periods, you can make it plural by adding an s before the final period. For new law students and even experienced attorneys, legal citation is frequently overwhelming and frustrating. Abbreviate the listed words wherever they appear in a partys name that is part of a citation. Legal abbreviations gonzaga university school of law. The indigo book is a free implementation of the bluebook method, and is the preferred source for paralegal students at rasmussen college. Save time, and increase efficiency with legal abbreviations. For practitioners and law clerks a guide to the bluebook, 20th edition. Use legal abbreviations in notes, outlines, or personal documents. A professional system of citation provide that case citations in documents submitted to state courts must conform with the local rules of that. Essential bluebook rules law school writing center law. Introduction bluebook guide guides at georgetown law. Legal abbreviations are to be used as a shorthand technique to replace legal terms and law terms. The indigo book was compiled by a team of students at the new york university school of law, working under the direction of professor christopher jon sprigman. University of missouri law school library legal abbreviations common abbreviations search this guide search.
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