THE INDIGO BOOK

SECOND EDITION

An Open and Compatible Implementation of

A Uniform System of Citation
NOT AFFILIATED WITH OR AUTHORIZED BY
THE BLUEBOOK® A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF CITATION®
Manifest

Status
This document, published on August 31, 2022, is the final release of Indigo Book 2.0, which
was first released in beta form on September 9, 2021. Errors and omissions may be sent to
[email protected].

Publisher and License

This file was published by Public.Resource.Org, Inc., (“Public Resource”) a California nonprofit
corporation registered under I.R.C. § 501(c)(3). Contact information for Public Resource is at
https://public.resource.org/about/.

Public Resource does not charge for or restrict access to any materials we post. This document
is published under a CC-0 public domain dedication—“No Rights Reserved” and we waive all
copyright and related rights in this work.

Cover Art
The cover art is courtesy of the Library of Congress Digital File LC-DIG-ppmsca-38347. The
item is a WPA poster design on blue background created as part of the Federal Art Project
between 1936 and 1941. There are no known restrictions on publication of this item.

Statement of Nonaffiliation
NOT AUTHORIZED BY NOR IN ANY WAY AFFILIATED WITH: The Columbia Law
Review Association, Inc., The Harvard Law Review Association, the University of Pennsylvania
Law Review, The Yale Law Journal Company, Inc., or The Bluebook® A Uniform System of
Citation®.

Attribution
Cite as: The Indigo Book: A Manual of Legal Citation (Christopher Sprigman & Jennifer
Romig et al. eds., Public.Resource.Org 2d ed. 2021).

Formats
This document is available in HTML AND PDF formats.

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Table of Contents

A. BACKGROUND RULES ................................................................................................. 1

R1 Scope and Format of Standard Legal Documents ................................................1
R1.1 Standard Legal Documents ........................................................................ 1
R1.2 Academic Legal Documents ......................................................................1
R2. Typeface Standards ............................................................................................... 1
R2.1 Italicized Components of Legal Citations ...................................................1
R2.2 Additional Italicized Words in Textual Sentences .................................... 2
R3 In-Text Citations ................................................................................................. 3
R3.1 Three Options for In-Text Citations .......................................................... 3
R3.2 Citation Sentences .................................................................................... 3
R3.3 Citation Clauses ......................................................................................... 4
R3.4 Citations Embedded in Sentences ............................................................ 4
R4 Signals .................................................................................................................. 6
R4.1 Function of Signals.................................................................................... 6
R4.2 Categories of Signals................................................................................. 6
R4.3 Combinations of Signals ........................................................................... 6
R4.4 Authorities Cited Within Each Signal ...................................................... 7
R4.5 Capitalization of Signals ............................................................................ 8
R4.5.1 Signals that start citation sentences ............................................... 8
R4.5.2 Signals in citation clauses within textual sentences ..................... 8
R4.6 Signals for Supporting Authority ............................................................. 9
R4.6.1 No signal ........................................................................................ 9
R4.6.2 E.g., ................................................................................................. 9
R4.6.3 Accord............................................................................................ 10
R4.6.4 See.................................................................................................. 10
R4.6.5 See also .......................................................................................... 11
R4.6.6 Cf. ................................................................................................... 11
R4.6.7 See generally .................................................................................. 11
R4.7 Signal for Comparison: Compare … with … .........................................12
R4.8 Signals for Contradictory Authority.........................................................12
R4.8.1 Contra............................................................................................12
R4.8.2 But see ...........................................................................................13
R4.8.3 But cf.............................................................................................13
R5 Pages, Sections, Paragraphs, and Related Subdivisions ....................................14
R5.1 Pages .........................................................................................................14
R5.1.1 Single pages ..................................................................................14

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 R5.1.2 Spans of pages................................................................................ 15
R5.1.3 Footnotes, figures, historical notes, and tables ............................16
R5.2 Sections, Subsections, and Related Subdivisions ....................................16
R5.2.1 Sections ..........................................................................................16
R5.2.2 Subsections .................................................................................... 17
R5.2.3 Spans of sections, subsections, and scattered subsections.......... 17
R5.3 Paragraphs ................................................................................................18
R6 Full and Short Citations ......................................................................................18
R6.1 Full Citations ...........................................................................................18
R6.2 Short Citations .........................................................................................18
R6.2.1 Short citations derived from the full citation ................................18
R6.2.2 Use of Id.........................................................................................19
R6.2.3 Use of supra ..................................................................................19
R7 Abbreviations ...................................................................................................... 20
R7.1 Abbreviations Generally .......................................................................... 20
R7.2 Ordinal Abbreviations in Citations...........................................................21
R7.3 Textual References .................................................................................. 22
R8 Quotations........................................................................................................... 23
R8.1 General Principles for Quotations ........................................................... 23
R8.1.1 Quotation marks........................................................................... 23
R8.1.2 Punctuation with quotations ....................................................... 23
R8.1.3 Citation placement ........................................................................ 23
R8.2 Alterations of Quotations ......................................................................... 24
R8.2.1 Omission of letters ....................................................................... 24
R8.2.2 Mistakes in the original quotation............................................... 24
R8.2.3 Substitution of letters or words .................................................. 24
R8.2.4 Use of parenthetical clauses to indicate changes to quotation .. 24
R8.2.5 Parentheticals to indicate quotations within quotations............ 25
R8.2.6 Unnecessary parentheticals ......................................................... 25
R8.3 Omissions in Quotations ......................................................................... 26
R8.3.1 Ellipses generally ......................................................................... 26
R8.3.2 Omission from the beginning of a quoted sentence..................... 26
R8.3.3 Omission in the middle of a sentence........................................... 27
R8.3.4 Omission Within a quotation as a phrase or clause ..................... 27
R8.3.5 Omission at the end of a sentence ................................................ 27
R8.3.6 Omission of a footnote or citation ................................................ 28
R8.3.7 Omission of full sentences following the quoted material .......... 28
R9 Block Quotations ............................................................................................... 29

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 R9.1 Basic Form of a Block Quotation ............................................................. 29
R9.2 Formatting of Block Quotations .............................................................. 29
R10 Explanatory Parentheticals ............................................................................. 30
R10.1 Capitalization in Parentheticals ............................................................. 30
R10.1.1 Paraphrases and other original parentheticals............................ 30
R10.1.2 Quotations in parentheticals ....................................................... 30
R10.2 Format and Order of Parentheticals Showing the Weight of Authority
........................................................................................................................................... 31
B. CASES .......................................................................................................................... 32
R11 Full citation ....................................................................................................... 32
R11.1 Elements of a Full Citation ..................................................................... 32
R11.1.1 Parallel citation ............................................................................ 33
R11.1.2 Parentheticals .............................................................................. 33
R11.1.3 Prior or subsequent history of the case........................................ 34
R11.2 Case Names Italicized ........................................................................... 34
R11.3 Comprehensive Case-Name Abbreviations in Citation Sentences and
Clauses.............................................................................................................................. 34
R11.3.1 Common word abbreviations ...................................................... 34
R11.3.2 Geographical abbreviations (citation sentences and clauses)..... 35
R11.3.3 Discretionary abbreviations ........................................................ 35
R11.4 Limited Case-Name Abbreviations in Textual Sentences...................... 35
R11.5 General Case Name Truncation for All Contexts ................................... 36
R11.5.1 Surname ........................................................................................ 36
R11.5.2 First-named party on each side of the “v.” .................................. 37
R11.5.3 Commonly recognized abbreviations .......................................... 37
R11.5.4 Nicknames ................................................................................. 38
R11.5.5 Et al............................................................................................... 38
R11.5.6 Multiple business designations.................................................... 38
R11.5.8 United States as a party ............................................................... 39
R11.5.9 State or commonwealth as a party............................................... 39
R11.5.10 Municipalities ............................................................................. 40
R11.5.11 Prepositional phrases with locations .......................................... 40
R11.5.12 “The” ............................................................................................41
R11.5.13 Commissioner of Internal Revenue ............................................41
R11.5.14 Unions......................................................................................... 42
R11.5.15 Multiple dispositions .................................................................. 42
R11.5.16 Mandamus .................................................................................. 42
R11.5.17 Cases known by a distinct name ................................................ 42

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 R11.6 Volume Number, Reporter, First Page................................................... 43
R11.6.1 Overview of volumes, reporters, and pages ................................. 43
R11.6.2 Reporter and series ...................................................................... 44
R11.6.3 Parallel citation in state court documents ................................... 45
R11.7 Pincites .................................................................................................... 45
R11.7.1 Multiple pages............................................................................... 46
R11.7.2 Span of pages................................................................................ 46
R11.7.3 Paragraph numbers in medium-neutral cases ............................ 46
R11.7.4 Citing a footnote ........................................................................... 47
R12 Court and Year .................................................................................................. 47
R12.1 Overview of Court and Year.................................................................... 47
R12.2 Court Abbreviations .............................................................................. 47
R12.3 Intermediate appellate departments or divisions.......................... 49
R12.3.1 General rule of omission .............................................................. 49
R12.3.2 Exceptions for including intermediate appellate department or
division .......................................................................................................................... 49
R12.3 Duplicative Court and Year Information ............................................. 49
R12.3.1 Court indicated by reporter ......................................................... 49
R12.3.2 Year indicated in medium-neutral citation................................. 49
R12.4 Special Note on Pending and Unreported or Unpublished Cases ....... 50
R12.4.1 Pending cases inLEXIS and Westlaw or other commercial
database ............................................................................................................................ 51
R12.4.2 Opinions only available online, but not in a commercial
database............................................................................................................................. 51
R13 Weight of Authority and Explanatory Parenthetical ....................................... 52
R13.1 Parenthetical for Weight of Authority................................................... 52
R13.2 Optional Explanatory Parenthetical ...................................................... 53
R14 History of the Case............................................................................................ 55
R14.1 Subsequent History ................................................................................ 55
R14.2 Required Explanatory Phrases .............................................................. 55
R14.2.1 Direct subsequent history of the litigation .................................. 55
R14.2.2 Indirect subsequent history and legislative or constitutional
subsequent history ............................................................................................................57
R14.3 Renamed Cases .......................................................................................57
R14.4 Enslaved Persons ................................................................................... 58
R15 Short Form Citation for Cases .......................................................................... 58
R15.1 Short Citations in Text............................................................................ 58
R15.2 Short Citations in Citation Sentences and Clauses ............................. 59

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 R15.2.1 When a short form may be used .................................................. 59
R15.2.2 Form of short citations ................................................................ 59
R15.2.3 Exceptions to using the first party of the case name .................. 60
R15.2.4 Shortening party names .............................................................. 60
R15.3 Id............................................................................................................ 60
R15.3.1 Id. with immediately preceding citation (same page of case) ..... 60
R15.3.2 Id. with immediately preceding citation (different page)............61
R15.3.3 Id. forbidden with string citations and ambiguous references....61
C. STATUTES, RULES, REGULATIONS, AND OTHER LEGISLATIVE &
ADMINISTRATIVE MATERIALS ................................................................................... 63
R16 Federal Statutes ................................................................................................ 63
R16.1 Basic Citation Forms for Federal Statutes ............................................. 63
R16.1.1 United States Code ...................................................................... 63
R16.1.2 Year optional for current sections of the United States Code .......1
R16.1.3 Historical citations to the United States Code ............................ 64
R16.1.4 Unofficial annotated U.S. codes................................................... 64
R16.1.5 Year in unofficial U.S. code citations ........................................... 65
R16.1.6 Parallel citations to original section numbers............................. 65
R16.2 Short Citations ....................................................................................... 66
R17 State Statutes................................................................................................... 66
R17.1 Official State Codes ................................................................................. 66
R17.2 Forms of Citation to State Codes ........................................................... 67
R17.2.1 Basic citations to state codes........................................................ 67
R17.2.2 State codes by subject matter ...................................................... 67
R17.3 Year of State Code .................................................................................. 67
R17.4 Statutes Not in Force.............................................................................. 68
R17.5 Short Citations ....................................................................................... 68
R18 Rules of Procedure and Evidence, Restatements, and Uniform Acts ............. 68
R18.1 Rules of Evidence and Procedure........................................................... 68
R18.1.1 Federal and state rules ................................................................. 68
R18.1.2 Uniform rules ............................................................................... 69
R18.1.3 Abbreviations ............................................................................... 69
R18.2 Restatements, Model Rules, and Uniform Acts .................................... 69
R18.3 Uniform Commercial Code .................................................................... 71
R18.4 Other Uniform Laws and Similar Sources ............................................. 71
R19 Administrative Rules and Regulations............................................................. 71
R19.1 Federal Rules ........................................................................................... 71
R19.1.1 General format for administrative rules ....................................... 71

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 R19.1.2 C.F.R. parts.................................................................................... 71
R19.1.3 Optional name.............................................................................. 72
R19.2 State Regulations ................................................................................... 72
R19.3 Agency Adjudications, Arbitrations, Orders, and Other Actions.......... 72
R19.3.1 Adjudications .............................................................................. 72
R19.3.2 Arbitrations.................................................................................. 73
R19.3.3 Parallel citations .......................................................................... 73
R19.3.4 Pincites......................................................................................... 73
R19.4 Proposed Rules....................................................................................... 73
R19.5 Comments Filed with Agencies.............................................................. 74
R19.5.1 Comments generally..................................................................... 74
R19.5.2 Comments with subsequent agency response............................. 74
R20 Federal Taxation Materials ..............................................................................75
R20.1 Internal Revenue Code ...........................................................................75
R20.1.1 I.R.C.............................................................................................. 76
R20.1.2 Title 26 of the United States Code .............................................. 76
R20.1.3 Unofficial codes ........................................................................... 76
R20.2 Treasury Regulations............................................................................. 76
R20.3 Treasury Determinations ...................................................................... 76
R20.4 Private Letter Rulings.............................................................................77
R21 Legislative Materials.........................................................................................77
R21.1 Federal Bills and Resolutions..................................................................77
R21.2 Enacted Federal Bills and Resolutions .................................................. 78
R21.3 State Bills and Resolutions .................................................................... 78
R21.4 Committee Hearings .............................................................................. 79
R21.4.1 Congressional committee hearings.............................................. 79
R21.4.2 State committee hearings ............................................................ 79
R21.5 Federal Congressional Reports .............................................................. 80
R21.5.1 Report citations .......................................................................... 80
R21.5.2 Other legislative materials........................................................... 80
R22 Short Form Citation of Legislative and Administrative Materials.................. 80
R22.1 General short-citation forms................................................................ 80
R22.2 Id. ...........................................................................................................81
R23 Sources and Authorities: Constitutions............................................................81
R23.1 United States Constitution .....................................................................81
R23.3 State Constitutions .................................................................................81
R23.4 Short Forms ........................................................................................... 82
D. COURT & LITIGATION DOCUMENTS...................................................................... 83

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 R24 Documents Filed in the Same Case................................................................. 83
R24.1 Document Title....................................................................................... 84
R24.2 Pincites to Page, Page and Line, or Paragraph .................................... 84
R24.2.1 Pincites to the appellate record ................................................. 84
R24.2.2 Page and line pincites ................................................................. 85
R24.2.3 Commas....................................................................................... 85
R24.3 Date of Document.................................................................................. 85
R24.4 Electronic Case Filing Number ............................................................. 85
R24.5 Parentheses or Brackets ........................................................................ 86
R25 Court or Litigation Documents from Other Cases........................................... 86
R25.1 General Format in Published Cases....................................................... 86
R25.2 Pending or Undecided Cases ................................................................. 87
R25.3 Oral Argument Audio and Transcripts.................................................. 87
R26 Short Form Citation for Court and Litigation Documents............................. 87
R27 Capitalization in Court Documents and Legal Memoranda............................ 88
R27.1 Capitalizing Court.................................................................................. 88
R27.2 Party Designations in a Litigation ......................................................... 88
R27.3 Titles of Court Documents ..................................................................... 89
R27.4 Types of Documents Not Capitalized .................................................... 89
E. BOOKS & NON-PERIODICALS .................................................................................. 90
R28 Full Citation for Books & Non-Periodicals ...................................................... 90
R28.1 General ................................................................................................... 90
R28.2 Author Name or Names......................................................................... 90
R28.2.1 Exact names................................................................................. 90
R28.2.2 Multiple authors.......................................................................... 90
R28.2.3 Title of the publication.................................................................91
R28.2.4 Pincite...........................................................................................91
R28.2.5 Edition, editor or translator, and year of publication .................91
R29 Short Form Citation for Books & Non-Periodicals.......................................... 92
R29.1 Id. ........................................................................................................... 92
R29.2 Supra ...................................................................................................... 92
F. JOURNALS, MAGAZINES, & NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ........................................... 94
R30 Full Citation for Journals, Magazines & Newspaper Articles ........................ 94
R30.1 Journal Citations................................................................................... 94
R30.1.1 Consecutively paginated journals (such as law reviews) ............ 94
R30.1.2 Journals and magazines with standard pagination .................... 94
R30.1.3 Pincites with standard pagination .............................................. 94
R30.1.3 Student-written material in law journals.................................... 94

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 R30.2 Authors .................................................................................................. 95
R30.2.1 Name as listed ............................................................................. 95
R30.2.2 Two authors................................................................................. 95
R30.2.3 Multiple authors.......................................................................... 95
R30.2.4 No listed author .......................................................................... 96
R30.3 Journal Titles......................................................................................... 96
R30.3.1 Abbreviated titles......................................................................... 96
R30.2.2 Prepositions, articles, commas, and colons................................ 95
R30.2.3 Online supplements .................................................................... 95
R30.2.4 Evolving journal titles and series designation ........................... 96
R30.4 Newspaper Articles................................................................................ 97
R30.4.1 Print-based citation to newspaper article ................................... 97
R30.4.2 Citation to newspaper article online........................................... 97
R31 Short Form Citation for Journals, Magazines & Newspaper Articles ............. 97
R31.1 Id. .......................................................................................................... 97
R31.2 Supra..................................................................................................... 98
G. INTERNET SOURCES ................................................................................................ 99
R32 General Principles for Internet Sources ......................................................... 99
R32.1 Authenticated, Official, and Exact Copies ............................................. 99
R32.2 Print Sources Also Available on the Internet ........................................ 99
R32.3 Print Sources Reproduced on the Internet ........................................... 99
R32.4 Webpages and Internet Sources............................................................ 99
R33 Basic Formula for Internet Sources............................................................... 100
R33.1 Author Name(s).................................................................................... 100
R33.1.1 Personal author .......................................................................... 100
R33.1.2 Institutional authors .......................................................................... 101
R33.1.3 Forum authors ............................................................................ 101
R33.1.4 Unavailable author name ........................................................... 101
R33.2 Content Title ......................................................................................... 101
R33.2.1 Specific webpage title ................................................................. 101
R33.2.2 Shortened content title.............................................................. 102
R33.2.3 Comments and other related pages .......................................... 102
R33.3 Main Website Title............................................................................... 102
R33.3.1 Overall title ........................................................................................ 102
R33.3.2 Abbreviation .............................................................................. 102
R33.4 Pincite .................................................................................................. 103
R33.4.1 Paginated electronic publication, or publication of print
version ............................................................................................................................ 103

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 R33.5 Date & Time ......................................................................................... 103
R33.5.1 Time not needed ........................................................................ 103
R33.5.2 Last visited................................................................................. 103
R33.6 URL ...................................................................................................... 104
R33.6.1 Entire URL preferred................................................................. 104
R33.6.2 ..................................................................................................... 104
R33.6.3 Archived URL ............................................................................ 104
R33.6.4 Multiple URLs ........................................................................... 104
R33.7 Social media ......................................................................................... 104
R34 Short Form Citations for Internet Sources ................................................... 105
H. TABLES ..................................................................................................................... 106
T1 Federal Materials ............................................................................................... 106
T1.1 Federal Judicial Materials..................................................................... 106
T1.2 Federal Statutory Materials..................................................................... 110
T2 Federal Administrative and Executive Materials............................................. 110
T3 U.S. States and Other Jurisdictions ..................................................................124
T4 Required Abbreviations for Services.................................................................216
T4.1 Service Publisher Names .........................................................................216
T4.2 Service Abbreviations .............................................................................216
T5 Required Abbreviations for Legislative Documents ........................................ 224
T6. Required Abbreviations for Treaty Sources..................................................... 225
T7. Required Abbreviations for Arbitral Reporters ............................................... 225
T8. Required Abbreviations for Intergovernmental Organizations ...................... 226
T9. Required Abbreviations for Court Names ....................................................... 226
T10. Required Abbreviations for Titles of Judges and Officials ............................ 230
T11. Required Abbreviations for Case Names in Citations, Periodical Titles, and
Institutional Authors (Common Words) ........................................................................231
T12. Required Abbreviations for Geographical Terms .......................................... 244
T12.1. U.S. States, Cities and Territories......................................................... 244
T12.2 Australian States and Canadian Provinces and Territories.................. 247
T12.3 Countries and Regions .......................................................................... 248
T13. Required Abbreviations for Document Subdivisions .................................... 257
T14. Required Abbreviations for Explanatory Phrases.......................................... 259
T15. Required Abbreviations for Institutional Names in Periodical Titles ............261
T16. Required Abbreviations for Publishing Terms .............................................. 264
T17. Required Abbreviations for Month Names .................................................... 265
T18. Abbreviations for Litigation Documents....................................................... 266
T19 Cross-References for Academic Legal Documents......................................... 269

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 T20 Table of Citation Guides................................................................................ 272
T20.1 General Legal Citation Guides (Online).............................................. 272
T20.2 Country-Specific Citation Guides ........................................................ 273
I. CODICIL ..................................................................................................................... 274
J. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................ 275

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Introduction
Welcome to The Indigo Book 2.0—a free, Creative Commons-dedicated implementation of the
uniform system of citation commonly used in United States legal documents.

The Indigo Book (2d ed. 2021) isn’t the same as The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation
(21st ed. 2020), but it does implement the same system of citation that The Bluebook does. The
scope of The Indigo Book’s coverage is roughly equivalent to The Bluebook’s “Bluepages”—that
is, The Indigo Book covers legal citation for U.S. legal materials, as well as books, periodicals,
and Internet and other electronic resources. For the materials that it covers, anyone using The
Indigo Book will produce briefs, memoranda, law review articles, and other legal documents
with citations that are compatible with the Uniform System of Citation. Although law students,
scholars, and legal professionals sometimes talk about legal citation as if it is truly uniform, the
fact is that legal citation has never actually been a uniform national system. Accordingly, The
Indigo Book also provides insight into some of the discretionary preferences and jurisdiction-
specific variations found in legal citation throughout the United States.

Unlike The Bluebook and competitor citation manual The ALWD Guide to Legal Citation, The
Indigo Book is free, in two senses. The Indigo Book is given to you free of charge. The Indigo
Book is also free of the restrictions of copyright. You are free to copy and distribute this work,
and to improve on it. As with the 2016 version, we are releasing this version of The Indigo
Book under a Creative Commons “CC0” public domain dedication that allows you to use it,
copy it, distribute it, and modify it. The Indigo Book welcomes the Juris-M project for
automating legal citations, built in connection with the citation formats provided in the First
Edition of The Indigo Book and in progress with updates reflecting this Second Edition.

The first edition of 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
and published in 2016. The second edition of The Indigo Book was compiled by Professor
Jennifer Murphy Romig with assistance from students at the Emory University School of Law,
and published in beta form in 2021, with a final edition released in 2022. In the five years since
the first edition of The Indigo Book, U.S. citation practices have continued to expand and
fragment. The proliferation of citation formats has taken place via both official channels, such
as the North Carolina Supreme Court’s adoption of medium-neutral citation format; and
unofficial practices, such as the growing use of (cleaned up) as a parenthetical to replace
(internal citations and quotation marks omitted), as promoted by Washington, D.C. lawyer
Jack Metzler.

This Second Edition of The Indigo Book, like the first one, continues to take its inspiration
from the 10th edition of The Bluebook, published in 1959:

xi
 The primary purpose of a citation is to facilitate finding and identifying the authority
cited. The rules set forth in this booklet should not be considered invariable. Whenever
clarity will be served, the citation form should be altered without hesitation; whenever
a citation would not amplify the identification of the authority referred to, no citation
should be given.

In that spirit, we hope you will take The Indigo Book, use it, enjoy it, and continue to improve
it.

Professor Jennifer Murphy Romig

Emory University School of Law

xii
 A. BACKGROUND RULES

A. BACKGROUND RULES

R1 Scope and Format of Standard Legal Documents

The Uniform System of Citation has split into two main branches, with somewhat different
citation rules for each. The Indigo Book is a resource for legal citations in standard legal
documents.

R1.1 Standard Legal Documents

The Indigo Book states the rules and provides examples for standard legal documents.
We define standard legal documents as documents created for practical law-related
purposes such as court filings, legal memoranda, legal analysis, and other forms of
legal information that require or benefit from a technically precise and commonly
understood citation format. The legal citations for standard legal documents using The
Indigo Book adhere to a generally consistent national standard.

Many state courts and local legal communities use citation formats that vary from this
common standard, more so for state and local citations than for federal citations.
Table T3 provides selective information on state variations. In customizing legal
citations for a local audience, consult Table T3 as well as local court rules, customs,
and expertise.

R1.2 Academic Legal Documents

Academic legal documents include articles for publication in law reviews, generally authored
by law professors and law students enrolled in J.D. programs. The Uniform System of Citation
treats law review articles and standard legal documents differently, requiring different fonts
and imposing additional footnote rules. Citations in standard legal documents and law review
articles provide the same information about legal sources, and a short cross-reference
highlighting key font differences is provided in Table T19. A full treatment of formal citation
formats for law review articles is outside the scope of The Indigo Book.

R2. Typeface Standards

R2.1 Italicized Components of Legal Citations

In legal citations, italicize the following components, whether placed in footnotes or textual

1
The Indigo Book

sentences:

• Case names—in both full and short citations—and procedural phrases (such as In re
and Ex parte) embedded in the case names
• Book titles
• Article titles
• Certain titles in legislative materials such as committee hearings
• Introductory signals (examples: e.g., see, cf.,and accord)
• Explanatory phrases that introduce subsequent case history (examples: aff’d or cert.
denied)
• Cross references, (examples: infra, supra and id.)
• Words and phrases that introduce related authority (e.g., reprinted in and available in)

Example:

The Supreme Court’s practice of allowing modifications after opinions’ initial release
has at times extended beyond typographical corrections to substantive changes.
Richard Lazarus, The (Non)Finality of Supreme Court Opinions, 128 Harv. L. Rev.
540, 544 (2014).

R2.2 Additional Italicized Words in Textual Sentences

In the textual sentences of standard legal documents, also italicize the following components
and words:

• Publication titles (e.g., The Onion)

• Words that are italicized in the original quotation, with no need to add the
parenthetical (emphasis in original); and
• All words that would be italicized in the text (e.g., foreign words that are not commonly
used in English language documents).

Example:

As Adam Liptak reported in The New York Times, the Supreme Court sometimes
corrects and modifies its opinions after their initial release. Adam Liptak, Final Word
on U.S. Law Isn’t: Supreme Court Keeps Editing, N.Y. Times, May 25, 2014, at A1,
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/25/us/final-word-on-us-law-isnt-supreme-court
-keeps-editing.html.

2
 A. BACKGROUND RULES

INDIGO INKLING

The typewriter was invented around the 1860s. The first edition of The Bluebook is from
1926. Typewriters of that era did not support italics or boldface. If you wanted to emphasize
text, your sole option was to underline. Throughout The Indigo Book, you'll see us
italicizing text rather than underlining, because that’s how we do it in the 21st Century. For
an archaic look or where local court rules require, underlining is a good option. If you have
a choice, we believe italics are easier to read and should be the preferred method.

While we’re on the subject of formatting text, we also urge writers to format their
quotations using all the benefits of modern word processing. Specifically, use well-
formatted “smart quotes” (shown here) that curl around the quoted material, rather than
"dumb quotes" (shown here) that are the same whether opening or closing a quote.

R3 In-Text Citations

R3.1 Three Options for In-Text Citations

For standard legal documents, in-text citations can be rendered in three ways:

• a complete sentence that supports a claim in the immediately preceding sentence of

text;

• a clause within the sentence when the citation relates to a particular part of a sentence,
immediately following the claim it supports; or

• embedded within the sentence’s own grammatical flow.

R3.2 Citation Sentences

Citations in standard legal documents often follow complete text sentences.

Examples:

Under the due process requirement, there must be “some definite link, some
minimum connection, between a state and the person, property or transaction it seeks
to tax.” Miller Bros. Co. v. Maryland, 347 U.S. 340, 344-345 (1954).

Electronic signatures have the same legal effect as signatures signed with pen and ink.

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The Indigo Book

The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. §§

7001-7006.

Citations following sentences can be single citations or, when appropriate, several sequential
citations separated by a semicolon (known as a “string citation”). These string citations can
utilize citation signals consistent with Rule R4 to show the relationship of the citation to the
textual sentence.

Example:

Prior to 2018, Supreme Court precedent had required a seller to have a physical
presence within a state as a requirement of state taxation. See Quill Corp. v. North
Dakota, 504 U.S. 298 (1992); Nat’l Bellas Hess, Inc. v. Dep’t of Rev. of Ill., 386 U.S.
753 (1967).

R3.3 Citation Clauses

Some citations in standard legal documents are placed as citation clauses within sentences. Use
citation clauses to cite sources and authorities that relate to only a section of the sentence. A
citation clause directly follows the claim it relates to. It may include a signal to indicate the
relationship of the cited source to the claim.

Separate citation clauses from the text with commas. Do not add additional capital letters
beyond the required capitalization of the sources being cited.

Examples:

Federal law attempts to address online privacy generally, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2523, and
children’s privacy specifically, 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501-6505.

Although detailed regulations apply to children’s privacy online, 16 C.F.R. pt. 312, significant
gaps remain in both federal and state law.

R3.4 Citations Embedded in Sentences

Citations can be embedded into the grammatical structure of a textual sentence in a variety of
ways. Because citations embedded in sentences are read as part of the sentence’s grammatical
flow, the rules for abbreviating case names are different and more restrictive than for citation
sentences and clauses.

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

Examples:

Since Nelson v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 312 U.S. 359, 366 (1941), the Court has eschewed the
idea that a constitutional right could be grounded in “the practical opportunities for tax
avoidance.

In Nelson v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., the Court first eschewed the idea that a constitutional right
could be grounded in “the practical opportunities for tax avoidance.” 312 U.S. 359, 366 (1941),

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501-6505 (“COPPA”), was
the first federal law specifically protecting children under the age of 13.

INDIGO INKLING

Traditionally, the citations within standard legal documents have been integrated into the
main body text. These citations may be placed directly after textual sentences, in citation
sentences; as citation clauses within sentences; or textually embedded within sentences.
Traditionally, law review articles present their citation support via extensive footnotes in a
distinctive format with three different font styles (roman, italics, and Small Caps).

Some courts and lawyers are now producing standard legal documents using footnotes
rather than in-text citations. Legal scholar, speaker, and advocate Bryan A. Garner is the
best-known proponent of footnotes in standard legal documents, arguing that in-text
citations interfere with textual flow and disguise bad writing. Others such as Professor
Alexa Chew argue that in-text citations are superior because they integrate source
information into the text, a process that can be accomplished with style and grace. The
Indigo Book provides citation rules that can be used for either in-text or footnoted citations
in standard legal documents.

The original edition of The Indigo Book advised writers to use footnotes only when allowed
by a court’s local rules. This remains good advice, although we note that some writers use
footnotes when not expressly prohibited by a court’s local rules. Rule R3 has been modified
to more fully accommodate the writer’s discretion. As with many discretionary choices,
writers should select an approach based on the document’s purpose, audience, and overall
context.

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The Indigo Book

R4 Signals

R4.1 Function of Signals

A signal represents the relationship between the author’s assertion and the source or sources
cited following that assertion, a relationship that can run the gamut from supporting it directly
to supporting the exact opposite of that assertion. To show this relationship, the signal begins
the citation sentence or clause.

R4.2 Categories of Signals

There are four basic categories of signals:

Category Signals

Signals for [No signal]

Supporting
E.g.,
Authority
Accord

See

See also

Cf.

Signal for Compare <citation to source(s), separated with “and” if multiple> with
Comparison <citation to source(s), separated with “and” if multiple>

Signals for Contra

Contradictory
But see
Authority
But cf.

Signals for See generally

Background
Material

R4.3 Combinations of Signals

When more than one category of authority is used in the same citation, they should be ordered
according to categories of signals. As shown in the table above, the categories follow a logical
order: supporting authority is provided before comparative and contradictory authority, and

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

general background.

In citation sentences, signals in the same category are listed within a single sentence, and each
one is marked off by semicolons. Signals in separate categories, however, are listed in separate
citation sentences.

Example:

Justice Scalia once noted that “the Constitution sometimes insulates the criminality of
a few in order to protect the privacy of us all.” Arizona v. Hicks, 480 U.S. 321, 329
(1987). But see Maryland v. King, 569 U.S. 435, 462-463 (2013) (acknowledging the
existence of “programmatic searches of either the public at large or a particular class of
regulated but otherwise law-abiding citizens” such as motorist checkpoints).

In citation clauses, all signals (regardless of category) are listed within a single citation
clause and separated by semicolons.

Example:

Justice Scalia once noted that “the Constitution sometimes insulates the criminality of
a few in order to protect the privacy of us all,” Arizona v. Hicks, 480 U.S. 321, 329
(1987); see also Maryland v. King, 569 U.S. 435, 481 (2013) (Scalia, J., dissenting)
(“Solving unsolved crimes is a noble objective, but it occupies a lower place in the
American pantheon of noble objectives than the protection of our people from
suspicionless law-enforcement searches.”); and later applied that principle to limit
police use of thermal imaging technology, see Kyllo v. United States, 389 U.S. 27
(2001); cf. United States v. Jones, 565 U.S. 400 (2012) (invalidating use of a GPS
tracking device for long-term surveillance).

R4.4 Authorities Cited Within Each Signal

For the order of authorities cited after (and thus within each signal), order them in a helpful
and logical manner, and use a semicolon in between each one.

INDIGO INKLING

String citations are not always desirable or appropriate, especially in standard legal
documents. Judge Ruggero J. Aldisert of the Third Circuit describes string citations as
“generally irritating and useless.” Alexa Chew, Stylish Legal Citation, 71 Ark. L. Rev. 823,

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The Indigo Book

858 n. 214 (2019) (quoting Judge Aldisert in Winning on Appeal: Better Briefs and Oral
Arguments 57 (2d ed. 2003). On the other hand, after a carefully crafted proposition drawn
from several authorities, a string cite may be “the right tool for the job.” Id. at 859.

When a string citation is appropriate, the writer must decide how to order the authorities in
the string. In relatively recent years, academic legal documents have followed an elaborate
hierarchy, which essentially consists of the following: constitutions before statutes, state
statutes in alphabetical order by state, federal cases before state cases, legislative materials
before regulatory materials, and all other primary materials, then followed by secondary
materials. See The Indigo Book: A Manual of Legal Citation Rule R10 (1st ed. 2016); The
Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation Rule 1.4 (20th ed. 2015). This hierarchy often
does, in fact, provide the most logical order; it seems unwise to cite Wikipedia before the
United States Constitution, for example. But this hierarchy may not always fit the situation.
The Uniform System of Citation is evolving to encompass more flexibility and discretion in
a few pockets here and there, such as the basic principle that authorities cited in a string
within a single signal should be placed in a helpful and logical order.

R4.5 Capitalization of Signals

R4.5.1 Signals that start citation sentences

The signal is capitalized at the beginning of a citation sentence.

Example:

Unbelievable as it may be, the Supreme Court has weighed in on the issue of whether a
tomato is a fruit or vegetable. See Nix v. Heden, 149 U.S. 304 (1893).

R4.5.2 Signals in citation clauses within textual sentences

The signal is left in lowercase at the beginning of a citation clause.

Example:

Even seemingly trivial issues, see, e.g., Nix v. Heden, 149 U.S. 304 (1893) (addressing
the question of whether tomatoes are fruits or vegetables), can sometimes merit input
from the Supreme Court.

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

R4.6 Signals for Supporting Authority

R4.6.1 No signal

A citation does not need an added signal if—

• The source makes the same assertion as the sentence it is supporting.

Example:

To impose the death penalty on an individual who is criminally insane is

unconstitutional. Ford v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 399, 410 (1986).

• The assertion is a direct quotation from the source.

Example:

States are prohibited from “inflicting the penalty of death upon a prisoner who
is insane.” Ford v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 399, 410 (1986).

• The source is referred to in the assertion.

Example:

In cases like Roper, Atkins, and Ford, the Supreme Court has established
certain classes of individuals upon which the death penalty may not be
imposed. Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551, 575 (2005); Atkins v. Virginia, 536
U.S. 304, 321 (2002); Ford v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 399, 410 (1986).

R4.6.2 E.g.,

Use e.g., if the cited source is one of multiple sources to make the same assertion. The citation
may include however many sources the author finds to be helpful. Note that the comma in the
signal e.g., should not be italicized.

Examples:

In a criminal case, the state bears the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a
reasonable doubt. E.g., State v. Purrier, 336 P.3d 574, 576 (Or. Ct. App. 2014).

Prior to the Supreme Court’s decision in Riley v. California, 573 U.S. 373 (2014),
several circuits had generally allowed the police to conduct warrantless searches of cell

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phones of individuals under arrest. E.g., U.S. v. Murphy, 552 F.3d 405, 411 (4th Cir.
2009); U.S. v. Finley, 477 F.3d 250, 260 (5th Cir. 2007).

E.g., may also be used following any other signal, such as See or Contra in which case an
italicized comma should separate the two signals.

R4.6.3 Accord

Accord is used when more than one source substantiates a proposition, but the text quotes just
one of them. Use accord as the introductory signal for the non-quoted sources. Also, accord
may be used as the introductory signal for indicating that the law of one jurisdiction is
consistent with the law of another.

Examples:

Colorado law makes it the “duty of every corporation or person who has reasonable
grounds to believe that a crime has been committed to report promptly the suspected
crime to law enforcement authorities.” Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-8-115 (2020); accord
Lunsford v. W. States Life Ins., 919 P.2d 899, 901 (Colo. App. 1996) (interpreting the
reasonable-grounds standard as lower than the probable-cause standard enabling
police to make a warrantless arrest).

Under Colorado law, witnesses have a limited duty to report crimes. Colo. Rev. Stat. §
18-8-115 (2020); accord Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 268, § 40 (2020).

R4.6.4 See

See is used when an authority does not directly state but clearly supports the proposition. See is
used instead of no signal when an inferential step is required to connect the proposition to the
authority cited.

Example:

Citizens have less training than police on detecting crime and no authority to detain
other individuals; thus, citizens’ duty to report crime is based on reasonable grounds
to believe a crime has been committed, rather than the more exacting probable cause
standard. See Lunsford v. W. States Life Ins., 919 P.2d 899, 901 (Colo. App. 1996)
(interpreting the reasonable-grounds standard to be less than the probable-cause
standard enabling police to make a warrantless arrest).

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

R4.6.5 See also

See also is used for additional sources that support an assertion. Use see also when authority
that states or clearly supports the assertion has already been cited or discussed. The use of a
parenthetical is recommended with see also.

Example:

Slayer statutes prevent killers from reaping rewards from committing homicide.
Lunsford v. W. States Life Ins., 908 P.2d 79, 83 (Colo. 1995) (en banc); see also
Bennett v. Allstate Ins. Co., 722 A.2d 115, 117 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 1998)
(interpreting New Jersey’s slayer statute to mandate that “an intentional killer will not
be permitted to benefit, directly or indirectly, from his wrongful act”).

R4.6.6 Cf.

Cf. indicates support by analogy to the assertion. It may also be used where the source is
related but requires some interpretive work to connect to the assertion. Cf. may also be used
within a string citation to provide another source that is analogous to the previously cited
source in that string. Always use a parenthetical with cf. to explain the logical connection
required for the argument.

Examples:

Attorneys have an ethical duty of competence, but under Model Rule of Professional
Conduct 1.1 comment 3, that duty may be relaxed in emergency situations. Cf. Carter
v. Reese, 2016-Ohio-4559, 70 N.E.3d 478 (holding that Good Samaritan law protects
from liability anyone giving medical or nonmedical emergency aid, not only healthcare
workers providing medical aid).

Slayer statutes seek to eliminate any financial incentive to commit murder by

prohibiting insurance proceeds to the killer. E.g., Unif. Prob. Code § 2-803; cf. N.Y.
Exec. Law § 632-a (2020) (seizing profits from publications by certain incarcerated
felons).

R4.6.7 See generally

See generally is used for useful background material. It is recommended that you use
a parenthetical with see generally in order to explain the authority’s relevance to the
proposition.

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Example:

The slayer rule is a product of common law principles prohibiting killers from
profiting their crimes. See generally Restatement (Third) of Restitution and Unjust
Enrichment § 45(2) (Am. L. Inst. 2011) (“A slayer's acquisition, enlargement, or
accelerated possession of an interest in property as a result of the victim's death
constitutes unjust enrichment that the slayer will not be allowed to retain.”).

R4.7 Signal for Comparison: Compare … with …

Compare … with … is used when the relationship of multiple authorities will demonstrate or
offer support for the proposition. It is highly recommended that each authority in the
comparison be explained with a parenthetical in order to make the relationship and argument
clear to the reader.

Each portion of the compare … with … signal may contain multiple sources. Separate these
sources using commas and italicized and between the penultimate and ultimate citation in the
list.

Example:

The 20th Century saw sweeping changes in the definition and scope of the Due Process
Clause. Compare Lochner v. New York, 198 U.S. 45 (1905) (showing the Supreme
Court’s historical interpretation of the Due Process Clause as solely protecting an
individual’s right to contract), with McDonald v. Chicago, 561 U.S. 742 (2010)
(incorporating the Second Amendment using the Due Process Clause), BMW of North
America, Inc. v. Gore, 517 U.S. 559 (1996) (utilizing the Due Process Clause to reduce
punitive damages), and Dolan v. City of Tigard, 512 U.S. 374 (1994) (limiting the
zoning and ordinance powers of local governments under the Due Process Clause).

Insert a comma before with. As with all citation sentences, insert a period to conclude the
citation sentence. It is theoretically possible to conclude with a semicolon and continue with
more signals and citations in the order listed within this rule, but probably not advisable. See
our Indigo Inkling on string citations.

R4.8 Signals for Contradictory Authority

R4.8.1 Contra

Contra is used when a cited authority directly conflicts with the proposition it follows.

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

Contra is the opposite signal to no signal.

Examples:

The Bluebook efficiently formulates and expresses the rules of legal citation for a
variety of audiences. David Ziff, The Worst System of Citation Except for All the
Others, 66 J. Legal Educ. 668, 669 (2017) (reviewing The Bluebook: A Uniform
System of Citation (Columbia L. Rev. Ass’n et al. eds., 20th ed. 2015) (“Perhaps The
Bluebook survives because it’s not so terrible after all. Perhaps The Bluebook works
quite well for the task it was designed to perform.”). Contra Richard A. Posner, The
Bluebook Blues, 120 Yale L.J. 950, 951 (2011) (“It is a monstrous growth, remote from
the functional need for legal citation forms, that serves obscure needs of the legal
culture and its student subculture.”).

The Bluebook is a “monstrous growth, remote from the functional need for legal
citation forms.” Richard A. Posner, The Bluebook Blues, 120 Yale L.J. 950, 951 (2011).
Contra David Ziff, The Worst System of Citation Except for All the Others, 66 J. Legal
Educ. 668, 226 (2017) (reviewing The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation
(Columbia L. Rev. Ass’n et al. eds., 20th ed. 2015)) (“Perhaps The Bluebook survives
because it’s not so terrible after all. Perhaps The Bluebook works quite well for the task
it was designed to perform.”).

R4.8.2 But see

But see is used for authority that, while not directly contradicting the main proposition,
nonetheless clearly opposes it. But see is the opposite signal to see.

Example: The Supreme Court noted in Packingham v. North Carolina, 137 S. Ct.
1730 (2017), that the internet functions as a public square. But see Manhattan Cmty.
Access Corp. v. Halleck, 13o S. Ct. 1921 (2019) (holding that New York’s public access
television channel is not a state actor bound by the First Amendment).

R4.8.3 But cf.

Prepare yourself, and use this one sparingly: But cf. indicates that the cited source supports an
assertion that is similar to the opposite of the main assertion. It follows that But cf. is the
opposite signal to cf. indicating support by analogy. Always use a parenthetical with but cf. to
explain the logical connection required for the argument. This is the weakest signal for
contrary authority.

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The Indigo Book

Example: The bar exam is the only professional-licensure exam that bears so little
relationship to the education that precedes it or the professional work that follows it.
But cf. Michael Riscica, Why (Smart & Talented) People Fail the Architect Exam,
Architizer, https://architizer.com/blog/practice/details/5-reasons-why-smart-and-
talented-people-fail-the-architect-exam/ (last visited June 1, 2021) (“There is no
correlation between success in architecture school and success with completing the
exam. In fact, I truly believe that the creativity that brought you success in architecture
school will be your biggest handicap with studying for the [architecture registration
exam].”)

R5 Pages, Sections, Paragraphs, and Related Subdivisions

R5.1 Pages
A legal citation usually refers not only to a source in general, but to specific points within that
source—whether a page, a footnote on a page, a section or sub-section, or a numbered
paragraph. Citations must include specific reference to the point within the source being
referred to. For cases, these specific references are known as pincites.

R5.1.1 Single pages

Refer to the source’s page by its number or numbers. Do not use p. or pp. to indicate a page
reference. Use “at” if needed for clarity.”

Examples:

The Supreme Court held that a state cannot copyright its official annotated code
because “whatever work that judge or legislator produces in the course of his judicial
or legislative duties is not copyrightable” Georgia v. Public.Resource.org, Inc., 140 S.
Ct. 1498, 1513 (2020).

Elizabeth Porter & Kathryn Watts, Visual Rulemaking, 91 N.Y.U. L. Rev. 1183, 1240
(2016).

Anjali Vats, The Color of Creatorship: Intellectual Property, Race, and the Making of
Americans 35 (2020).

George Orwell, 1984, at 12 (1961).

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

R5.1.2 Spans of pages

Refer to a span of pages with a hyphen (-), an en dash (–), or the word “to” if needed for clarity.
Note that an en dash is the proper standard for providing a span of pages in a formal legal
publication, but hyphens are commonly used in practice. Drop all digits except the last two,
unless needed for clarity.

Examples:

Elizabeth Porter & Kathryn Watts, Visual Rulemaking, 91 N.Y.U. L. Rev. 1183, 1240-41
(2016).

Porter & Watts, supra, at 1240-41.

Selmon v. Hasbro Bradley, Inc., 669 F. Supp. 1267, 1272-73 (S.D.N.Y. 1987).

McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 799-801 (1973).

INDIGO INKLING

Hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes are three separate marks with mostly separate
functions in citations and sentences. These marks all comprise short, horizontal lines
that—with the help of glasses and/or a magnifying glass—you will see have microscopically
varying lengths.

Hyphens (shortest in length) are used for phrasal adjectives (e.g., “laser-sharp focus,”
“larger-than-life character,” and compound words (e.g., “daughter-in-law,” “over-the-
counter”). Hyphens are also a feature of many statutory citation formats, such as Ala. Code
§ 27-14-24 and O.C.G.A. § 33-24-41. Meticulously preserve hyphens when they are
intrinsically part of a citation, such as 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1). Hyphens are commonly
used for page ranges in standard legal documents.

En dashes (longer than hyphens, shorter than em dashes) can be used for ranges of values
(e.g., page ranges) and contrasting or connected pairs of words (e.g., Sarbanes–Oxley Act),
especially in academic legal documents.

Em dashes (longest in length) are used for inserting a break in a thought; isolating a
concluding phrase; setting on a parenthetical explanation or amplification; and signaling a
collection of ideas. Here’s one example: “When her new Volkswagen was finally
delivered—nearly three months after it was ordered and following the revelation of VW's

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The Indigo Book

massive scheme of emissions control fraud—Alice decided she didn't want it.”

R5.1.3 Footnotes, figures, historical notes, and tables

Cite a footnote on a page by providing the page, one space, the abbreviation “n.”, and the
footnote number. Follow the same format for figures, historical notes, tables, and similar
features. Refer to Table T13 for abbreviations such as “fig.” for “figure.” Do not add a space
between the abbreviation and the number or letter designating the figure, footnote, historical
note, or table.

Examples:

Elizabeth Porter & Kathryn Watts, Visual Rulemaking, 91 N.Y.U. L. Rev. 1183, 1239
n.270 (2016).

Cunningham v. State, 822 S.E.2d 281, 285 n.4 (Ga. 2018) (Hunstein, J.) (“And that’s
all she wrote.”).

U.S. v. Rentz, 777 F.3d 1105, 1110 fig. (10th Cir. 2015) (Gorsuch, J.) (diagramming 18
U.S.C. § 924(c)).

R5.2 Sections, Subsections, and Related Subdivisions

R5.2.1 Sections

Cite a section with the section symbol (§) followed by a space and the section number.

Examples:

21 U.S.C. § 343.

21 C.F.R. § 164.150 (2020).

Restatement (Third) of Agency § 2.01 (Am. L. Inst. 2006).

INDIGO INKLING

The symbol “§” means “section,” and “§§” is the plural form. The section symbol can be
inserted as a special character. Computer-keyboard shortcuts create the § symbol with just
a few key strokes: [Option-6] on an Apple keyboard or [Alt-0167] on a Windows keyboard
using the numeric keypad. Setting up a customized keyboard shortcut may be a good option

16
 A. BACKGROUND RULES

for Windows users who generate legal citations on a regular basis. If using a mobile device,
you may be able to insert a section into text such as by tapping and holding the “&” key.

R5.2.2 Subsections

Specifically cite a subsection using the punctuation in the original source, and using the
original capitalization style. Do not remove or alter parentheses or hyphens or dashes in the
original source’s citation.

Examples:

42 U.S.C. § 2000ff–5(a).

42 U.S.C. § 2000ff–1(b)(2)(A).

42 U.S.C. § 2000ff(2).

Col. Rev. Stat. § 7-74-102(2)(b)(I) (2021).

21 C.F.R. § 133.3 (2021).

R5.2.3 Spans of sections, subsections, and scattered subsections

Use a hyphen, en dash (–), or the word “to” to indicate a span of sections or subsections. In a
span or collection of scattered sections, include the last portion of a citation and omit the
identical first part, unless repetition of all portions is needed for clarity. Do not use “et seq.” for
a span of sources.

Examples:

18 U.S.C. §§ 3681-82.

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000ff to

2000ff-11.

O.C.G.A. §§ 51-30-20 to -26 (2021).

Use the source’s formal title for a collected span of sections, such as parts in the Code of
Federal Regulations. Table T13 provides the abbreviation for the subdivision “Part.”

Example:

21 C.F.R. pt. 133 (2020).

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The Indigo Book

Use a comma to indicate scattered sections within a source.

Example:

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 16, §§ 895.1(f), 897.1(b) (2021).

R5.3 Paragraphs
Sources organized into formal paragraphs should be cited with specific reference to the
paragraph referred to in the cited proposition. Do not use “at” with ¶ citations.

Examples:

Miller Aff. ¶ 8, Jan. 12, 2015.

In re N.A., 2021-NCCOA-2, ¶ 11.

R6 Full and Short Citations

R6.1 Full Citations

Provide a full citation to a source the first time it is cited. Refer to the rules in The Indigo Book
for examples of each source in full-citation form.

R6.2 Short Citations

Legal citation provides frequent specific citations not just to sources as a whole, but to specific
pages within sources. In some standard legal documents, every textual sentence is followed by
a citation to a supporting legal source. Short-citation forms allow frequent citation in a less
intrusive and repetitive way, since many full citation forms are quite long.

R6.2.1 Short citations derived from the full citation

Short-form citations enable various sources to be used throughout a passage without repeating
the entire full citation every time. Short-form citations generally identify the source and
pincite, using a form that follows from the full citation form, while not repeating every detail
from the full citation.

Every full citation has at least one short form that can be used later in a document after the
initial full citation. Refer to the source-specific rules in the Indigo Book for short-citation form
examples of each source.

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

R6.2.2 Use of Id.

Use the short form Id. (capitalized in a citation sentence after a text sentence) or id.
(uncapitalized within a sentence as citation clause) to support a statement where it refers to the
same exact source cited in the immediately preceding citation. Id. can be used for statutes,
regulations, cases, and most other sources.

Id. can be used alone, to indicate the same page of the same source. It can be used with a new
pincite to a page, section, or other subdivision, to indicate a different portion of the
immediately preceding source. Id. can also refer to a preceding citation that is itself Id. or
another short form of a citation. Use “at” to indicate a pincite to a page. Do not use “at” with Id.
followed by a section or paragraph pincite.

Id. at 1512.

Id. § 9.

Id. ¶ 12.

In general, do not use id. if it causes confusion or does not save space. For example, id. cannot
be used after a string citation, even to refer to the final source listed in that string. Do not use
id. to refer to appellate-record citations such as R. at 2. It may be used for sources with longer
names in litigation documents, so long as the reference remains clear.

Id. can be used in either in-text citations or footnotes. Id. is typically not used more than four
times sequentially in footnotes.

R6.2.3 Use of supra

Supra may be used as part of a short-form citation with secondary sources such as books,
periodicals, internet sources. Legislative hearings may be referred to with supra. Do not use
supra with primary sources such as cases, statutes, constitutions, and most legislative
materials (hearings excepted). Also do not use supra with Restatements, model codes, or
regulations.

Apart from its use in selected legal citations, supra may also be used as an internal cross
reference.

Examples:

Full citation:

Anjali Vats, The Color of Creatorship: Intellectual Property, Race, and the Making of
Americans (2020).

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The Indigo Book

Short citation in a standard legal document using in-text citations:

Vats, supra, at 100.

Short citation in an academic legal document with footnotes:

Vats, supra note 5, at 100.

INDIGO INKLING

In academic legal documents using footnotes, a “preceding five” norm has developed
wherein one may continue to use a short form citation as long as the full citation appears in
one of the previous five footnotes.

There has been some variation in the application of this rule; for example, some
practitioners will continue to use the short form throughout an entire article or brief unless
they need to use “id.” repeatedly, in which event they follow the “preceding five” rule to
avoid potential ambiguity. However, none of these conventions are absolute. Short-citation
forms should be used in a clear, consistent, and helpful manner.

R7 Abbreviations

R7.1 Abbreviations Generally

Legal sources are often long and unwieldy. The tables at the back of The Indigo Book provide
various resources for finding appropriate and required abbreviations.

• Table T1, Table T2, and Table T3 provide information and abbreviations relevant to
federal and state primary-source citations.
• Table T4 provides abbreviation for looseleaf services compiling cases and other legal
sources in frequently updated topical collections.
• Table T5 provides legislative abbreviations.
• Tables T6, T7, and T8 provide abbreviations for international, treaty, and arbitration
sources.
• Table T9 and Table T10 provide abbreviations for specific types of U.S. courts and the
titles of judges and officials.
• Table T11 is of particular interest to many law students and others grappling with cases
and periodical citations. It provides common-word abbreviations used in case names
and for institutional authors and periodical titles. Table T12 provides geographical

20
 A. BACKGROUND RULES

abbreviations.
• Table T13 provides abbreviations for document subdivisions, and Table T14 provides
abbreviations for explanatory phrases.
• Table T15 provides abbreviations for specific institutional names in periodical titles,
and thus these abbreviations take precedence over any conflicting common-word
abbreviations for institutional names from Table T12. For example, the American Bar
Association is ABA, not Amer. Bar. Ass’n, when used as an institutional author.
• Table T16 provides abbreviations for publishing terms such as editor and translator.
Table T17 provides abbreviations for the months of the year, needed in some periodical
citations and in slip-opinion citations and other cases found online rather than in
reporters (thus requiring exact dates).
• Table T18 is new to the Second Edition of The Indigo Book and provides abbreviations
for litigation documents such as citing an affidavit or petition for certiorari.
• Table T19 is also new and shows selective examples of how the Uniform System of
Citation produces citations in standard and academic formats—in other words, a guide
to converting the practical citations in The Indigo Book into a citation for an academic
legal document (a law review). This Table is certainly not comprehensive but provides a
quick view into the font differences within the two branches of the Uniform System of
Citation.
• Finally, Table T20 provides selective citations to additional online citation guides.

R7.2 Ordinal Abbreviations in Citations

Ordinal abbreviations are used for the court/year parenthetical in a case citation, the
numerical designation of a Congress, a publication’s addition number, and other contexts. See
Rule R11 generally and Table T1 for the United States Courts of Appeals (i.e. the various federal
circuit courts). In citations and in textual references, ordinal abbreviations do not use
superscripts. In citations, abbreviations for “second” and “third” use ordinal style references 2d
and 3d, respectively. Extrapolate to larger ordinal numbers ending in second or third, such as
“twenty third” becoming “23d” in a citation.

Examples:

1st Dist.

2d Cir.

2d ed.

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The Indigo Book

3d Dist.

4th Cir.

Incorrect:

2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd

4th Cir.

5th Dist.

Ordinals are also used in federal case citations:

F. Supp. 2d

F.3d

F.4th

Do not abbreviate the ordinal in a citation to the Restatement either in textual sentences or
citations:

Restatement (Second) of Torts (Am. L. Inst. 1977)

R7.3 Textual References

Citations incorporated into textual sentences—as opposed to citation sentences, clauses, and
footnotes—use different abbreviation rules to preserve readability. See Rule R3 (general
guidance on citation sentences and textual sentences incorporating citations) and Rule R11.4
(abbreviation rules for case names in textual sentences).

When not providing a precise citation at all, but referring to a court in a textual sentence, spell
out the court’s name consistent with common practice. See Rule R27 on capitalizing “Court” in
court documents and legal memoranda.)

Example:

The Second Circuit has decided many fair-use cases.

The Florida Supreme Court overruled the Fourth District Court of Appeal’s previous
holding on judges’ use of Facebook.

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

R8 Quotations

R8.1 General Principles for Quotations

R8.1.1 Quotation marks

Quotations of 49 words or less should be designated with double quotation marks that open
and close the quotation. Do not use quotation marks around block quotations (see Rule R9 for
block quotations.)

Examples:

The Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of a consumer-deception claim against a legal
publisher: “Under the circumstances, plaintiffs, or any reasonable consumer, could not have
been materially misled to believe that defendant guaranteed Part III of the Tanbook was
complete and accurate at any given time.”

The court ruled that “a consumer acting reasonably under the circumstances here would not
have believed that defendant represented that the section at issue, containing rent control
statutes and regulations, was current and accurate for its one-year shelf life.”

R8.1.2 Punctuation with quotations

Punctuation that is part of the quoted text should appear inside the quotation marks. When the
quotation is embedded into the sentence using a comma or a period added by the writer at the
end of the quotation, that comma or period also appears inside the quotation marks (even
though it is not part of the actual quoted text from the source). Punctuation added to a
quotation anywhere other than at the end of the quoted material is an alteration that should be
indicated with brackets.

Examples:

Legal professionals are “merely a subclass of consumers.”

Given that legal professionals are “merely a subclass of consumers,” New York’s
consumer deception law does apply to them.

R8.1.3 Citation placement

Insert a citation sentence for the quoted material after the end of the sentence. Insert the
citation as a clause if needed for clarity about which portion of the sentence is attributable to
the source. Citations can be full citations or short citations, as appropriate to the surrounding
context.

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Examples:

“[A]nnotations published by legislators alongside the statutory text fall within the
work legislators perform in their capacity as legislators.” Georgia v.
Public.Resource.org, 140 S. Ct. 1498, 1509 (2020).

The Supreme Court overruled prior precedent about online retailing in light of “the
day-to-day functions of marketing and distribution in the modern economy,” Wayfair
v. South Dakota, 138 S. Ct. 2080, 2094 (2018), but has not applied similar reasoning
to jettison other precedent.

R8.2 Alterations of Quotations

R8.2.1 Omission of letters

Place an empty bracket at the end of a common root word to indicate the change.

Example:

“The court dismissed the claim[].”

R8.2.2 Mistakes in the original quotation

To acknowledge a significant mistake in the original quotation, keep the problematic word or
phrase and follow it with [sic] to indicate this to the reader.

Example:

“The Copyright Office are [sic] a department of the Library of Congress.”

R8.2.3 Substitution of letters or words

Any substitutions into quoted material should be bracketed. This includes words which might
add clarity and context, and changes to the capitalization of letters

Example:

“[T]he [Copyright] Office is a department of the Library of Congress.”

R8.2.4 Use of parenthetical clauses to indicate changes to quotation

Use the following phrases attached to a legal citation following a quotation, to indicate changes

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

made to that quotation:

• (emphasis added)
• (alteration in original)
• (citation omitted)
• (emphasis omitted)
• (internal quotation marks omitted)
• (footnote omitted)

R8.2.5 Parentheticals to indicate quotations within quotations

When using a quotation within a quotation, you can either (1) attribute it to the original source
with a parenthetical, or (2) acknowledge it by signaling that its citation has been omitted.

Examples:

Just as the Supreme Court has held that an official statement of the case, syllabus, or
headnote prepared by judges “fall within the ‘work they perform in their capacity as
judges,’ so too annotations published by legislators alongside the statutory text fall
within the work legislators perform in their capacity as legislators.” Georgia v.
Public.Resource.org, 140 S. Ct. 1498, 1509 (2020) (quoting Banks v. Manchester, 128
U.S. 244, 253 (1888)).

“Although the annotations are not enacted into law through bicameralism and
presentment, the Commission's preparation of the annotations is under Georgia law
an act of ‘legislative authority,’ and the annotations provide commentary and
resources that the legislature has deemed relevant to understanding its laws.” Id.
(citation omitted).

R8.2.6 Unnecessary parentheticals

The following should not be indicated in a parenthetical:

• (emphasis in original)

• (citation omitted) or (footnote omitted)

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The Indigo Book

INDIGO INKLING

Dealing with quoted material can be minutely technical, as with parentheticals such as
(citation omitted, internal quotation marks removed, and second emphasis omitted). To
simplify and streamline citations and replace the granular detail of such parentheticals,
attorney Jack Metzler has proposed and promoted a shorter parenthetical to handle such
situations: (cleaned up). The parenthetical (cleaned up) after a quotation and citation
indicates essentially that the writer has adjusted the citation’s mechanics to the situation
and will not list and elaborate on each mechanical modification, but is indicating to the
reader that small tweaks have been made for clarity and convenience.

The (cleaned up) parenthetical has not become part of the Uniform System of Citation—yet.
It has, however, actually been used in thousands of federal and state judicial opinions. See
Jack Metzler, Cleaning Up Citations, 18 J. App. Prac. & Process 142 (2017). The (cleaned
up) approach is not without its critics, though, who argue that transparently meticulous
care with quotations enhances the writer’s credibility and does not unduly distract readers.
Writers will need to make individual decisions whether to consider (cleaned up), depending
on their role and their audience. Apart from these individual decisions, the (cleaned up)
parenthetical provides yet more evidence that legal citation can and does evolve not just
through the periodic publication of citation rules but through practice and dialogue within
the legal community.

R8.3 Omissions in Quotations

R8.3.1 Ellipses generally

An omission is indicated by an ellipsis where the words are omitted: . . .

The ellipsis in legal writing is represented by three periods and four spaces.

Insert a space after the last letter of the preceding phrase, a space between each period, and a
space before the first letter of the following phrase. Rules R8.3.2-R8.3.7 contain rules and
examples for incorporating ellipses in various situations.

R8.3.2 Omission from the beginning of a quoted sentence

When omitting the beginning of a quoted sentence, do not use an ellipsis. Instead, capitalize
the first letter and place it in brackets. If the first letter of the quoted material is already
capitalized, no change is needed, but—as with all quotes—ensure that the quotation is accurate
in context.

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

Example:

“[T]he actual knowledge provision turns on whether the provider actually or

subjectively knew of specific infringement, while the red flag provision turns on
whether the provider was subjectively aware of facts that would have made the specific
infringement objectively obvious to a reasonable person.”

R8.3.3 Omission in the middle of a sentence

When omitting the middle of a quoted sentence, insert an ellipsis to indicate the omission.

Example:

“The difference between actual and red flag knowledge is . . . between a subjective and
an objective standard.”

R8.3.4 Omission Within a quotation as a phrase or clause

If there is an omission within the quotation, mark the omission with an ellipsis.

Example:

Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Allapattah Servs., Inc., 545 U.S. 546, 571 (2005) (noting that
“[t]he distinguished jurists who drafted the Subcommittee Working Paper . . . agree
that this provision, on its face, overrules Zahn.”).

R8.3.5 Omission at the end of a sentence

When omitting the end of a quoted sentence, insert an ellipsis between the last letter quoted
and the punctuation mark of the original quote.

Example:

“The difference between actual and red flag knowledge is thus not between specific
and generalized knowledge . . . .”

When omitting material at the end of one sentence and the beginning of the next sentence, use
one ellipsis to mark the omission but include the final punctuation mark of the first sentence as
well as bracket and capitalize the first letter of the following sentence.

Example:

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The Indigo Book

“The difference between actual and red flag knowledge is thus not between specific
and generalized knowledge . . . . [T]he red flag provision turns on whether the provider
was subjectively aware of facts that would have made the specific infringement
objectively obvious to a reasonable person.”

R8.3.6 Omission of a footnote or citation

When omitting a footnote or citation from quoted material, do not insert an ellipsis. Do insert a
parenthetical indicating the omission immediately after the citation to the quoted source. See
Rule R8.2.6.

R8.3.7 Omission of full sentences following the quoted material

When omitting material following a final punctuation mark, do not use an ellipsis.

Example:

“The difference between actual and red flag knowledge is thus not between specific
and generalized knowledge, but instead between a subjective and an objective
standard.”

INDIGO INKLING

The ellipsis is traditionally made with four spaces and three periods . . . but computers have
keyboard shortcuts to produce an ellipsis that constitutes one single character. For
example, option-semicolon on an Apple keyboard produces … as its ellipsis shortcut. While
the ellipsis shortcut character is not officially sanctioned in any citation manual, some
practitioners use it freely in court filings.

Non-substantive tweaks to citations to meet a word count appear to be a modest but

burgeoning trend. The 21st edition of The Bluebook breaks with tradition in allowing
writers to omit previously required spaces in a citation such as 123 F. Supp. 2d 456, turning
it into 123 F.Supp.2d 456. This unspaced citation may look incorrect to many legal readers.
But if a legal writer is making choices to meet a difficult word count, we submit that the
ellipsis shortcut key may be a worthwhile tradeoff as well.

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

R9 Block Quotations

R9.1 Basic Form of a Block Quotation

Set off quotations consisting of 50+ words into a block quotation, followed by the
citation if not apparent from the introduction to the block quotation:

Example:

Georgia minimizes the OCGA annotations as non-binding and non-authoritative, but

that description undersells their practical significance. Imagine a Georgia citizen
interested in learning his legal rights and duties. If he reads the economy-class version
of the Georgia Code available online, he will see laws requiring political candidates to
pay hefty qualification fees (with no indigency exception), criminalizing broad
categories of consensual sexual conduct, and exempting certain key evidence in
criminal trials from standard evidentiary limitations—with no hint that important
aspects of those laws have been held unconstitutional by the Georgia Supreme Court.
See OCGA §§ 21-2-131, 16-6-2, 16-6-18, 16-15-9 (available at www.legis.ga.gov).
Meanwhile, first-class readers with access to the annotations will be assured that these
laws are, in crucial respects, unenforceable relics that the legislature has not bothered
to narrow or repeal. See §§ 21-2-131, 16-6-2, 16-6-18, 16-15-9 (available at
https://store.lexisnexis.com/products/official-code-of-georgia-annotated-
skuSKU6647 for $412.00).

Georgia v. Public.Resource.org, 140 S. Ct. 1498, 1512 (2020).

R9.2 Formatting of Block Quotations

• Block quotations are single spaced.

• Include a single line space after the block quotation, and resume the spacing
convention in the surrounding document text.
• Indent both left and right.
• Block quotations should be formatted with “full justification.” The right and left
margins of the block quotation are fully justified, meaning aligned on the left margin
and on the right margin. The aligned left and right margins give the block quotation its
appearance as a rectangular “block” of text on the page.
• Do not use quotation marks surrounding the block quotation. The block format itself
indicates that the material is a quotation, and quotation marks around a block would be

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redundant. (Exception: Use quotation marks if the entire block quotation is itself a
quotation within the source being quoted, and indicate the internal quotation and
source parenthetically after the block.)
• In general, internal quotation marks should appear as in the original.
• The citation following a block quotation should start at the line’s left margin, without
any indentation. This citation can be a full citation or a short citation, as the
circumstances dictate. It should include a pincite to the page or pages where the quoted
material is found.

R10 Explanatory Parentheticals

Sometimes, it is helpful to include extra information to explain the relevance of certain
citations. Explanatory parentheticals may consist of phrases typically started with a present
participle such as (holding . . . ), direct quotations from the source, or short statements.
Parentheticals also provide information about the weight of the authority cited, particularly
with cases.

R10.1 Capitalization in Parentheticals

R10.1.1 Paraphrases and other original parentheticals

If not quoting the authority, do not begin an explanatory parenthetical with capital letter.

Example:

Dr. Seuss Enters., L.P. v. Penguin Books USA, Inc., 109 F.3d 1394 (9th Cir. 1997)
(holding that publisher’s asserted parody of O.J. Simpson murder trial was
substantially similar to copyrighted work).

R10.1.2 Quotations in parentheticals

If quoting the authority, only begin parenthetical with capital letter and end with a period
when the parenthetical quoted is or reads as a complete sentence.

Example:

See Ty, Inc. v. Publ’ns Int’l Ltd., 292 F.3d 512, 520 (7th Cir. 2002) (“[T]he shortage
that creates the secondary market stampedes children into nagging their parents to
buy them the latest Beanie Babies, lest they be humiliated by not possessing the
Beanie Babies that their peers possess.”).

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 A. BACKGROUND RULES

R10.2 Format and Order of Parentheticals Showing the Weight of

Authority
Some citations need to provide other types of parentheticals about the source itself, and these
source-related parentheticals are given before explanatory parentheticals.

Examples of source-related parentheticals include information about a judicial opinion’s

weight of authority as (per curiam) or (en banc), information about the source as a quote such
as information being omitted or emphasis added, information about a source being quoted
within the source, and bracketed definitions of the source as a short-form citation, such as
[hereinafter “Color of Creatorship”].

The source-related parentheticals are followed by the explanatory parenthetical, if any; and
last, the prior or subsequent history (see Rule R14) as shown in this order of parenthetical
types:

(date) [hereinafter <short name>] (en banc) (<Lastname, J.>, concurring) (plurality
opinion) (per curiam) (alteration in original) (emphasis added) (footnote omitted)
(citations omitted) (quoting <another source>) (internal quotation marks omitted)
(citing <another source>), http://www.domainname.com (explanatory parenthetical),
prior or subsequent history.

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B. CASES

INDIGO INKLING

The format of traditional case citations derives from the historical print publication of
bound reporters, such as West’s National Reporter System. The citation elements are based
on the reporter’s volume number, title of the reporter including series number, and first
page of the cited case. In June 2021, the famous reporter of federal appellate cases, the
Federal Reporter, 3d published its last volume, turning over to the first volume of a new
series, the Federal Reporter, 4th. Citations for federal appellate cases decided in the latter
half of 2021 and beyond will be assigned citations along the lines of 123 F.4th 456. The
Federal Reporter, 3d is a set of books for sale by West Publishing, and Federal Reporter, 4th
no doubt will be as well. Most researchers do not lay their hands on these books, much less
purchase them; still, the elements of traditional case citation derive directly from the West
publication system.

Starting in the early 1990s, some states began adopting public-domain citations, also
known as neutral citations, vendor-neutral citations, medium-neutral citations, and
universal citations, because they do not rely on specific proprietary bound publications. A
medium-neutral citation looks something like this: These states are shown in Table T3. The
Indigo Book encourages the use of public domain citations. When giving a public domain
citation, also include a parallel citation to the appropriate print reporter if possible. For
example: Curlee by and through Becerra v. Johnson, 2021-NCSC-32, 856 S.E.2d 478.

R11 Full citation

R11.1 Elements of a Full Citation

When providing a full citation to a case, you should generally include the following, with the
court and year enclosed within a single set of parentheses:

• Italicized case name followed by an unitalicized comma

• volume number, reporter, first page of the case in the reporter
• comma, space, and pincite to an exact page
• abbreviated court name (if not precisely apparent from the name of the reporter)
• year

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 B. CASES

Case citations may also include the additional components such as a signal, subsequent history,
parallel citations, and explanatory parentheticals. These additional components are sometimes
required and sometimes discretionary, as determined by the case’s characteristics, the way the
citation supports the text, applicable court rules, or other audience expectations.

Examples (federal):

Manhattan Cmty. Access Corp. v. Halleck, 139 S. Ct. 1921 (2019).

Seltzer v. Green Day, 725 F.3d 1170 (9th Cir. 2013).

Leonard v. Pepsico, Inc., 88 F. Supp. 2d 116, 127 (S.D.N.Y. 1999).

Examples (state):

SciGrip, Inc. v. Osae, 838 S.E.2d 334 (N.C. 2020).

People v. Lucero, 747 P.2d 660 (Colo. 1987).

Mercer Univ. v. Stofer, 841 S.E.2d 224 (Ga. Ct. App. 2020).

R11.1.1 Parallel citation

A case citation may also include parallel citation to another print reporter or online location for
the case, such as a medium-neutral citation. When the print reporter unambiguously indicates
the identity of the court, omit the court from duplication at the end of the citation. When the
medium-neutral citation unambiguously indicates the court and year, either or both elements
may be omitted from further duplication at the end of the citation.

Examples:

Mercer Univ. v. Stofer, 306 Ga. 191, 830 S.E.2d 169 (2019).

State ex rel. Pilarczyk v. Geauga Cty., 2019-Ohio-2880, 157 Ohio St. 3d 191, 134 N.E.3d 142.

USA Power LLC v. PacifiCorp, 2016 UT 20, 372 P.3d 629.

R11.1.2 Parentheticals

A case citation may also include one or more parentheticals after the main citation elements.
Parentheticals, if any, ordered according to the following functions: (indicating the weight of
authority such as en banc) (indicating the source of a quotation or cited assertion in the main

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assertion being supported) (indicating explanatory information), if required or permitted as

shown in Rule R10.

Examples:

Barking Hound Village, LLC v. Monyak, 787 S.E.2d 191, 198 (Ga. 2016) (“the unique human-
animal bond, while cherished, is beyond legal measure”).

Toolson v. N.Y. Yankees, Inc., 346 U.S. 356 (1953) (per curiam) (affirming baseball’s
exemption from the scope of federal antitrust laws).

R11.1.3 Prior or subsequent history of the case

A case citation may also include prior or subsequent history, if required by Rule R14.

Example:

Leonard v. Pepsico, Inc., 88 F. Supp. 2d 116, 127 (S.D.N.Y. 1999), aff’d, 210 F.3d 88 (2d Cir.
2000) (per curiam).

R11.2 Case Names Italicized

In formatting a case citation, italicize everything in the case name, but don’t italicize the
comma at the end of the case name.

R11.3 Comprehensive Case-Name Abbreviations in Citation

Sentences and Clauses
Citation sentences and clauses stand apart from the traditional prose text, as shown in Rule R3.
In citation sentences and clauses, use extensive word and geographical abbreviations as
indicated in Table T11 and Table T12. These abbreviations must be followed in addition to the
general rules for truncating case names in all contexts in Rule R11.5.

R11.3.1 Common word abbreviations

Abbreviate common words in case names according to Table T11.

Correct (in a citation sentence):

Cont’l Paper Bag Co. v. E. Paper Bag Co.

Incorrect (in a citation sentence):

Continental Paper Bag Company v. Eastern Paper Bag Company

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 B. CASES

R11.3.2 Geographical abbreviations (citation sentences and clauses)

Abbreviate geographical locations according to Table T12. Do not abbreviate a geographical

place if it is one of the parties in the case.

Correct (in a citation sentence):

Church of Scientology of Cal. v. Blackman

Incorrect (in a citation sentence):

Church of Scientology of California v. Blackman

Correct (in a citation sentence):

South Dakota v. Fifteen Impounded Cats

Incorrect (in a citation sentence):

S.D. v. Fifteen Impounded Cats

R11.3.3 Discretionary abbreviations

If the resulting abbreviation is not ambiguous, words of eight or more letters may be
abbreviated to save substantial space in citation sentences and clauses. As a guide, remember
that citation sentences and clauses stand apart from the prose text they support, and thus can
prioritize efficiency over readability; but clarity and preciseness are still important factors.

R11.4 Limited Case-Name Abbreviations in Textual Sentences

Textual sentences—i.e. grammatical prose for the reader, as opposed to citation “sentences”
and clauses interspersed between textual sentences—may include case names and full or short
case citations. When including a case name within a textual sentence, case-name abbreviations
are sharply limited. The purpose is to prioritize sentence readability over citation efficiency.
Case names within textual sentences should abbreviate well-known acronyms and the eight
words listed in the table below. While abbreviations are limited, note that the general rules for
truncating case names in R11.5 still apply. Thus, many words are omitted following R11.5, but
the words that are included are not abbreviated unless allowed by this rule. The guiding
principles are shortening long case names while preserving readability in textual sentences.

Abbreviations of Case Names Within Textual Sentences

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The Indigo Book

Abbreviation Word

& and

Ass’n Association

Bros. Brothers

Co. Company

Corp. Corporation

Inc. Incorporated

Ltd. Limited

No. Number

Example:

In McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, the Supreme Court held that in a disparate
treatment case, the plaintiff bears the initial burden of establishing a prima facie case
of employment discrimination. 411 U.S. 792 (1973).

Example:

According to Texas Department of Community Affairs v. Burdine, once the plaintiff

has established a prima facie case, there is a rebuttable presumption of unlawful
discrimination. 450 U.S. 248, 254 (1981).

R11.5 General Case Name Truncation for All Contexts

Many case-name truncations are used in all contexts, including citation sentences and clauses
as well as in textual sentences incorporating case names. In citation sentences and clauses, the
examples below would incorporate extensive word and geographical abbreviations following
Rule R11.3 and Tables T11 and T12.

R11.5.1 Surname

When referring to a case with an individual’s name in the case name, use the person’s full
family name (i.e., their surname). Delete first name and initials, except when the full name of
the person is in a language that lists the surname first, or when referring to the name of a
business or where the court has abbreviated the party’s surname (as is common in cases
involving minor children as parties).

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 B. CASES

Examples:

Van Leeuwen v. Souto de Moura

James T. Kirk & Assocs. v. Luke S.

Smith v. Jones

Xu Lanting v. Wong

James T. Kirk & Assocs. v. Klingon Corp.

Luke S. v. Leia S.

R11.5.2 First-named party on each side of the “v.”

Only include the surname of the first-listed party of the plaintiffs and the surname of the first-
listed party of the defendants. Do not use “et al.” to indicate omitted additional parties.

R11.5.3 Commonly recognized abbreviations

Abbreviate commonly recognized agencies and organizations by their initials, such as the SEC
and the ACLU.

Examples:

Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC, 395 U.S. 367 (1969).

FBI v. Abramson, 456 U.S. 615 (1982).

INDIGO INKLING

Legal citation allows—and indeed requires—abbreviation of commonly recognized

organizations, such as NASA for the National Aeronautical and Space Administration and
FBI for Federal Bureau of Investigation. (Obscure factoid: NASA is an abbreviation because
it is drawn from the first letter of each word but pronounced as a word, whereas FBI is a
sub-type of abbreviation called an initialism because it is drawn from the first letter of each
word with each letter articulated separately in the spoken abbreviation.) But what, exactly,
meets the standard for being commonly recognized? One useful test is to look at recent,

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The Indigo Book

credible journalism as a gauge of what is commonly known. For example, the New York
Times abbreviates Environmental Protection Agency as EPA but does not abbreviate Fish
and Wildlife Services as FWS. Another test is to informally survey at a handful of recent
cases. For example, PETA and the USDA are used in case names, suggesting that they are
commonly recognized, at least for legal-citation purposes.

But don’t overdo it with the acronyms; keep in mind the scolding Judge Silberman issued in
a case before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit: “The
use of obscure acronyms, sometimes those made up for a particular case, is an aggravating
development of the last twenty years.” Delaware Riverkeeper Network v. FERC, 753 F.3d
1304, 1321 (D.C. Cir. 2014) (Silberman, J., concurring). With this judge’s aggravation in
mind, use only those abbreviations and acronyms that are easy to understand and make the
reader’s work easier.

R11.5.4 Nicknames

Delete nicknames and aliases listed after a party name.

Correct: Jackson v. Leviston

Incorrect: Curtis James Jackson III, p/k/a 50 Cent v. Lastonia Leviston

R11.5.5 Et al.

Do not add “et al.” to indicate the omission of other parties not listed. Delete “et al.” even if
used in a case caption indicating multiple parties.

Correct: Zurich American Insurance Co. v. Nokia, Inc.

Incorrect: Zurich American Insurance Co. et al. v. Nokia, Inc.

R11.5.6 Multiple business designations

Omit terms such as “L.L.C.” and “Inc.” that indicate the party is a business when that fact is
made clear because the party name includes a word such as “Co.” or “Inc.”

Correct: A.H. Robins Co. v. Piccinin

Incorrect: A.H. Robins Co., Inc. v. Piccinin

When you see “on the relation of,” “on behalf of,” and similar expressions, replace with “ex rel.”

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 B. CASES

Correct: State ex rel. Plain Dealer v. Ohio Department of Insurance

Incorrect: State on behalf of Plain Dealer v. Ohio Department of Insurance

When you see “in the matter of,” “petition of,” and similar expressions, replace with “In re.”

Correct: In re National Football League Players’ Concussion Injury Litigation

Incorrect: In the Matter of National Football League Players’ Concussion Injury
Litigation.

Bankruptcy cases sometimes contain multiple case names including both a procedurally based
name with “In re” and an adversary case name. In such cases, use the adversary case name
followed parenthetically in the case name with the procedurally based name:

Example: Farmers Cooperative Co. v. Ernst & Young, Inc. (In re Big Sky Farms Inc.)

In non-bankruptcy cases, do not use “In re” when the case name also contains the name of an
adversary; use the adversary name.

R11.5.8 United States as a party

Spell out “United States” when it is a named party. Omit “of America.”

Correct: United States v. Ninety Five Barrels, More or Less

Incorrect: U.S. v. Ninety Five Barrels, More or Less

Note that “United States” may be abbreviated as “U.S.” when used as an adjective for an
agency, in citation sentences and clauses.

R11.5.9 State or commonwealth as a party

Omit “People of,” “State of,” and “Commonwealth of,” unless citing a court located in that state,
in which case retain only “People,” “State,” or “Commonwealth.”

Correct: International Shoe v. Washington, 326 U.S. 310 (1945).

Incorrect: International Shoe v. State, 326 U.S. 310 (1945).

Incorrect: International Shoe v. State of Washington 326 U.S. 310 (1945).

Correct: Commonwealth v. Miller, 987 A.2d 638 (Pa. 2009).

Incorrect: Commonwealth of Pa. v. Miller, 987 A.2d 638 (Pa. 2009).

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The Indigo Book

R11.5.10 Municipalities

Include phrases such as “Town of” and “City of” when such phrases are the first part of the
name of a party. Omit phrases such as “Town of” and “City of” if the phrase appears in the
middle or end of the name of a party.

Correct: C & A Carbone v. Town of Clarkston

Incorrect: C & A Carbone v. Clarkston

Correct: Matter of Chestnut Ridge v. Town of Ramapo

Incorrect: Matter of Village of Chestnut Ridge v. Town of Ramapo

R11.5.11 Prepositional phrases with locations

Include prepositional phrases designating national or larger geographical areas.

Correct: Republic of Korea v. Ahn

Incorrect: Republic v. Anh

Incorrect: Korea v. Ahn

Include prepositional phrases indicating location after a municipal category such as “City of” or
“Town of.”

Correct: Florida Beach Advertising, LLC v. City of Treasure Island

Incorrect: Florida Beach Advertising, LLC v. City

Include prepositional phrases indicating location when the phrase is part of a business or
organizational name.

Correct: Chattanooga Restaurant Partnership, Inc. v. City of Chattanooga Beer Bd.

Incorrect: Chattanooga Restaurant Partnership Inc. v. City

Correct: Kolibash v. Committee on Legal Ethics of the W.Va. Bar

Incorrect: Kolibash v. Committee on Legal Ethics

Correct: Dam Things from Denmark v. Russ Berrie & Co.

Incorrect: Dam Things v. Russ Berrie & Co.

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 B. CASES

Include prepositional phrases indicating location to avoid a party name with only one word.

Correct: ACLU of N.D. v. Jones

Incorrect: ACLU v. Jones

Omit other prepositional phrases indicating location. Omit geographical information after a
comma in a case name.

Correct: Stevenson v. Board of Trade

Incorrect: Stevenson v. Board of Trade of Colorado

Correct: California Board of Commerce v. City of Sacramento

Incorrect: California Board of Commerce v. City of Sacramento, California

R11.5.12 “The”

Delete “the” as the first word of a party’s name. Make an exception if the party is “The Queen”
or the “The King,” or when referring to the established popular name in a citation or citation
clause. Also retain “the” if it is part of the name of the object of an in rem action.

Correct: International Society for Krishna Consciousness of California, Inc. v. City

of Los Angeles
Incorrect: International Society for Krishna Consciousness of California, Inc. v.
The City of Los Angeles

Correct: In re the Snug Harbor

Incorrect: In re Snug Harbor

Correct: The Railroad Commission Cases

Incorrect: Railroad Commission Cases

R11.5.13 Commissioner of Internal Revenue

The Commissioner of Internal Revenue should be cited as “Commissioner” (abbreviated as

“Comm’r” in citation sentences and clauses).

Correct: Plainfield-Union Water Co. v. Commissioner

Incorrect: Plainfield-Union Water Co. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue

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The Indigo Book

Incorrect: Plainfield-Union Water Co. v. CIR

Incorrect: Plainfield-Union Water Co. v. IRS

R11.5.14 Unions

Generally, follow the case name as reported. Widely known acronyms are allowed. But
generally, omit additional information after the first full union designation.

Correct: Union Pacific Railroad Co. v. Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers

Incorrect: Union Pacific Railroad Co. v. Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and

Trainmen, General Committee of Adjustment, Central Region

R11.5.15 Multiple dispositions

For cases with multiple dispositions, include an italicized identifier if useful. In subsequent
references to or citations of that case, the identifier can replace the full case name.

Examples:

Liriano v. Hobart Corp. (Liriano II), 92 N.Y.2d 232 (1998).

Liriano v. Hobart Corp. (Liriano III), 170 F.3d 264, 266 (2d Cir. 1999) (citing Liriano
II, 92 N.Y.2d at 236–37).

R11.5.16 Mandamus

If a mandamus action is known by the name of the judge against whom the writ is sought, that
name can be indicated in an italicized parenthetical.

Example:

Jones v. U.S. District Court (Smith), 89 U.S. 233 (2011).

R11.5.17 Cases known by a distinct name

If a case is known both by the reported name and a distinct short form name, always include
the reported name in a full citation. The short name may be included in italics in a
parenthetical.

Example:

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 B. CASES

Industrial Union Department, AFL-CIO v. American Petroleum Institute (The

Benzene Case)

INDIGO INKLING

There are multiple ways to incorporate a case citation in the text of an article, brief, or other
written work. In the example below, the case name is stated in the text and the rest of the
citation is included as a separate sentence.

In McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, the Supreme Court held that in a disparate
treatment case, the plaintiff bears the initial burden of establishing a prima facie case of
employment discrimination. 411 U.S. 792 (1973).

Alternatively, one can include the entire citation in-text as follows:

In McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973), the Supreme Court held that in
a disparate treatment case, the plaintiff bears the initial burden of establishing a prima facie
case of employment discrimination.

There is no strict rule here, so choose whichever method will be clearer to the reader.

R11.6 Volume Number, Reporter, First Page

The citation should include the volume number of the reporter, the abbreviated name of the
reporter, and the first page of the case in that reporter.

Example:

Terrible v. Terrible, 534 P.2d 919 (Nev. 1975).

R11.6.1 Overview of volumes, reporters, and pages

This table provides an overview of federal and state citations, with the citation given at left and
the full corresponding volume, reporter, and page number at right. Imagine books on the shelf
with the name of the reporter and volume number shown on the book’s spine. Open that
volume to the page given, to find the beginning of the case.

Citation Reporter

Demosthenes v. Baal, 495 U.S. 731 (1990). Vol. 495, p. 731 of United States Reports

United States v. $124,570 U.S. Currency, 873 F.2d Vol. 873, p. 1240 of Federal Reporter,

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The Indigo Book

Citation Reporter

1240 (9th Cir. 1989). Second Series

Gucci America, Inc. v. Guess?, Inc., 831 F. Supp. 2d Vol. 831, p. 723 of Federal Supplement,
723 (S.D.N.Y. 2011). Second Series

Hamburger v. Fry, 338 P.2d 1088 (Okla. 1958). Vol. 338, p. 1088 of Pacific Reporter,
Second Series

Camp v. Superman, 119 Vt. 62 (1955). Vol. 119, p. 62 of Vermont Reports

R11.6.2 Reporter and series

Federal and state jurisdictions are listed in Table T1 (federal cases) and Table T3 (state cases),
including the reporters where their cases are published. Here is a key overview of the reporters
containing federal and state cases.

United States Supreme Court cases are printed in the official United States Reports, cited as
<vol.> U.S. <page>. The publication of the United States Reports is significantly delayed from
opinions’ decision date. When there is no U.S. citation available, use the Supreme Court
Reports (abbreviated S. Ct.).

Cases decided by the United States Circuit Courts are printed in the Federal Reporter, Fourth
Series (F.4th) starting with cases in July 2021, then F.3d, F.2d, and F. for older cases.

Federal district court cases are printed in the Federal Supplement, Second Series (F. Supp. 2d),
and F. Supp. for older cases.

Federal cases not selected for publication may be available in the Federal Appendix or other
unofficial reporters.

For state cases, choose the reporter listed in Table T3 for state cases whenever available. The
standard national citation practice is to cite to the West National Reporter System although
many states have a state-specific official reporter or official public-domain citation system (not
reliant on a private publisher’s system). Local customs and court rules vary from the standard
national citation practice, as represented in Table T3.

INDIGO INKLING

For citations to state cases, the case reporter prioritized by Rule R11.3 and Table T3 may not
always be available to researchers using open-access legal information. For example, an
internet site providing free access to cases may provide citation information for the official

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 B. CASES

state reporter in that state, rather than the West National Reporter prioritized in the table.

If you are attempting to conduct case research using free open-access sources, do your best
to adhere to utilize the preferred reporter in Table T3. It may be necessary to use a reliable
second choice, such as the official state reporter or the state’s official medium-neutral
citation format. Try to find cases as published in a reporter with a stable citation, rather
than the original slip copy published by the court the day it decided the case.

R11.6.3 Parallel citation in state court documents

When submitting documents to state courts, follow the local rules for citations, selectively
indicated in Table T3. State courts’ local rules often require a parallel citation: i.e., a citation to
both the official state reporter, followed by the unofficial regional and/or state-specific
reporter. Each reporter will have different page numbers, so provide a pincite for each. Also,
when the official reporter title makes the state or court name apparent, don’t include it again in
parentheses.

Example (without pincites):

Harden v. Playboy Enterprises, Inc., 261 Ill. App. 3d 443, 633 N.E.2d 764 (1993).

Example (with pincites):

Harden v. Playboy Enterprises, Inc., 261 Ill. App. 3d 443, 444, 633 N.E.2d 764, 765 (1993).

R11.7 Pincites
Each case citation, whether full or short, should include a pincite to direct the reader to the
specific page being cited.

In a full citation to a case, include a pincite after the first page where the case is found in the
reporter. If the pincite is the first page of the opinion, be sure to still include it by just repeating
the number. Pincites are required in both full and short citations when those citations support
a reference to a specific page of the case. See Rule R15 on short citations for cases and Rule R6
on full and short citations generally.

Pincites can be used to identify the page source for content of an explanatory parenthetical.
Pincites can also be used to identify the page source for content in the textual sentence
supported by the citations sentence or clause that follows.

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The Indigo Book

Examples:

Mattel, Inc. v. MCA Records, Inc., 296 F.3d 894, 908 (9th Cir. 2002) (“The parties are
advised to chill.”).

Judicial attempts at humor are not new. As the Georgia Court of Appeals quipped in
the mid-1970s, “The D.A. was ready. His case was red-hot. Defendant was present, His
witness was not.” Brown v. State, 216 S.E.2d 356, 356 (Ga. Ct. App. 1975) (reversing
conviction).

Judicial humor is not new, e.g., Brown v. State, 216 S.E.2d 356, 356 (Ga. Ct. App.
1975); and neither is academic critique of it as generally “a dreadful thing,” William
Prosser, The Judicial Humorist vii (1952).

R11.7.1 Multiple pages

Use a comma or commas to indicate a pincite to multiple non-sequential pages.

Example:

Gordon v. Secretary of State of New Jersey, 460 F. Supp. 1026, 1026, 1028 (D.N.J.
1978) (dismissing a complaint charging that plaintiff, by reason of his illegal
incarceration in jail, had been deprived of the office of the President of the United
States).

R11.7.2 Span of pages

Use a hyphen or en dash to indicate a pincite to a span of pages.

Example:

Helton v. State, 311 So. 2d 381, 382-84 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1975) (reciting the
prosecutor’s closing arguments in a parody of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”).

R11.7.3 Paragraph numbers in medium-neutral cases

Use a paragraph symbol and the paragraph number to pincite to a case published in medium-
neutral format. To refer to a span of paragraphs in the case, use two paragraphs symbols and
numbers indicating the cited span, separated by a hyphen or en dash.

Examples:

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 B. CASES

Couch v. Durrani, 2021-Ohio-726, ¶ 9 (Ct. App. 2021).

Couch v. Durrani, 2021-Ohio-726, ¶ ¶ 9-15 (Ct. App. 2021).

Couch, 2021-Ohio-726, ¶ 15.

Id. ¶ 18.

R11.7.4 Citing a footnote

To cite a footnote, provide a page number followed immediately with a footnote number, using
“n.” to show footnote number. There is no space between “n.” and the footnote number.

Example:

Cunningham v. State, 822 S.E.2d 281, 285 n.4 (Ga. 2018) (Hunstein, J.) (“And that’s
all she wrote.”)

R12 Court and Year

R12.1 Overview of Court and Year

Citations should include both the deciding court and the year of decision in parentheses. Use
Table T1 for federal cases and Table T3 for state cases. If these tables do not provide the needed
abbreviation information, construct an abbreviation using Table T9 and Table T12 for court
and geographical abbreviations.

Examples:

Learning Curve Toys, Inc. v. PlayWood Toys, Inc., 342 F.3d 714 (7th Cir. 2003).

Mattel, Inc. v. MGA Ent. Inc., 782 F. Supp. 2d 911 (C.D. Cal. 2011).

Barking Hound Village, LLC v. Monyak, 787 S.E.2d 191 (Ga. 2016).

Alexander v. Gen. Acc. Fire & Life Assurance Corp., 98 So. 2d 730 (La. Ct. App. 1957).

R12.2 Court Abbreviations

See Table T1 for how to abbreviate the names of all U.S. federal courts. See Table T3 for how to
abbreviate the names of U.S. state courts. The chart here shows common examples.

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Court Guidance on Reporter Selection and Court Example

Abbreviation

United Use U.S. if the opinion is published in the United States Two Pesos, Inc. v. Taco
States Reports. Cabana, Inc., 505 U.S.
Supreme 763 (1992).
If not, use S. Ct.
Court
Google LLC v. Oracle
Refer to Table T1 for additional options if U.S. and S. Ct. do
Am., Inc., 141 S. Ct. 1183
not apply.
(2021).

United Either F., F.2d, F.3d, or F.4th depending on the decision. Batman v.
States Commissioner, 189 F.2d
Courts 107 (5th Cir. 1951).
of
Nance v. United States,
Appeals
299 F.2d 122, 124 (D.C.
Cir. 1962) (“How do you
know it was me, when I
had a handkerchief over
my face?”).

United Either F. Supp. or F. Supp. 2d depending on the decision. Frigaliment Importing

States Co. v. B.N.S. Int’l Sales
District Corp., 190 F. Supp. 116,
Courts 117 (S.D.N.Y. 1960).

Cartier v. Aaron Faber

Inc., 512 F. Supp. 2d 165
(S.D.N.Y. 2007).

State Cite to the regional reporter for the region in which the court Terrible v. Terrible, 534
High sits, if the opinion appears there. If not, cite to the state’s P.2d 919 (Nev. 1975).
Courts official reporter, as listed in Table T3. The state’s preferred
State v. One 1970
official reporter may be a public domain (i.e., medium
2-Door Sedan Rambler,
neutral) citation.
136 N.W. 59 (Neb.
See Table T3. 1974).

Other Cite to the regional reporter for the region in which the court Brown v. Swindell, 198
State sits, if the opinion appears there. If not, cite to the state’s So. 2d 432, 434 (La. Ct.
Courts official reporter in Table T3. The state’s preferred official App. 1967).

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 B. CASES

Court Guidance on Reporter Selection and Court Example

Abbreviation

reporter may be a medium-neutral citation. See Table T3. State v. Stroud, 30

Use Tables T9 and T12 to construct an abbreviation if not Wash. App. 392 (1981).
contained in Tables T1 and T3.
State v. Russell,
2020-Ohio-5108 (Ohio
Ct. App. 2020).

R12.3 Intermediate appellate departments or divisions

R12.3.1 General rule of omission

In general, do not indicate the departments or divisions of intermediate appellate courts.

Correct Example:

Hamel v. Emp. Sec. Dep't, 966 P.2d 1282 (Wash. Ct. App. 1998).

Incorrect Example:

Hamel v. Emp. Sec. Dep't, 966 P.2d 1282 (Wash. Ct. App., Div. 2 1998).

R12.3.2 Exceptions for including intermediate appellate department or division

Where intermediate appellate departments or divisions are relevant to the point being made in
the text, or where local the court rules require citations to include this information. See Table
T3 for more information on state jurisdictions such as Florida and Texas where this
information is required and where the format for such citations varies in local practice. For
standard legal documents seeking a uniform national approach, add the department or division
information to be clear and, if possible, consistent with the general uniform standard for
citations to intermediate appellate courts.

Correct Example:

Before the Florida Supreme Court addressed the question in 2018, Florida District Courts of
Appeals were split on whether judges must disqualify themselves from deciding a case when
they are social-media connections with one or more attorneys in that case. Compare L. Offs. of
Herssein & Herssein, P.A. v. USAA, 229 So. 3d 408 (Fla. 3d Dist. Ct. App. 2017), approved by
271 So. 3d 889 (Fla. 2018), with Domville v. State, 103 So. 3d 184 (Fla. 4th Dist. Ct. App.
2012), disapproved by L. Offs. of Herssein & Herssein, P.A. v. USAA, 271 So. 3d 889 (Fla.
2018).

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The Indigo Book

INDIGO INKLING

Court abbreviations in case citations convey crucial information. For example, a case citing
“N.Y.” refers to the highest court in the state of New York—the New York Court of Appeals.
But “N.Y. Sup. Ct.” is the proper abbreviation for the New York Supreme Court—which
some will be surprised to know is the name of the trial-level court in the state of New York,
not the state high court. Generally see Table T12 for the correct abbreviation for each state;
and specifically see Table T3 and official state-court websites to confirm the name and level
of each court. Finally, refer to Table T9 for general court abbreviations.

R12.3 Duplicative Court and Year Information

R12.3.1 Court indicated by reporter

If the identity of the court is clearly and unambiguously indicated by the reporter’s name, do
not include the court in the parenthetical information with the year. When writing to a court
and governed by local rules requiring parallel citations, the court’s identity may be indicated by
required parallel citation information.

Examples:

Kewanee Oil Corp. v. Bicron Co., 416 U.S. 470 (1974).

Wexler v. Greenberg, 399 Pa. 569, 160 A.2d 430 (1960).

R12.3.2 Year indicated in medium-neutral citation

When using a medium-neutral citation format (alone or in a parallel citation), if the year of the
decision is clearly and unambiguously indicated by the citation format, do not duplicate the
year in the parenthetical information.

Examples:

Water & Energy Sys. Tech., Inc. v. Keil,1999 UT 16, 979 P.2d 829.

Failor v. Megadyne Med. Prods., Inc., 2009 UT App. 179, 213 P.3d 899.

R12.4 Special Note on Pending and Unreported or Unpublished

Cases
Some opinions are so new and pending that they have not yet been assigned to reporters. These
early opinions are referred to as “slip opinions,” presumably because they are (or historically,
were) rendered on slips of paper rather than in printed bound volumes.

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 B. CASES

Some opinions are designated “not for publication” by the issuing court, and will never be
assigned an official reporter citation. Pending and unreported cases generally can be found in
one of the following three source below.

R12.4.1 Pending cases inLEXIS and Westlaw or other commercial database

Citations to these electronic databases are similar to regular citations, using the database code
from LEXIS or Westlaw as a substitute for the (non-existent) reporter citation. Pending-case
citations have two additional components: (a) add the docket number before the database
code, and (b) include the full calendar date of the decision in the following parenthetical, not
just the year. Pincites are indicated with “at” and a * attached to the page number.

Citations to these electronic databases should be formatted as follows: <Case Name>, <case
docket number>, <database identifier and electronic report number>, at *<star page number>
<(court, full date)>.

Example:

Yates v. United States, No. 13–7451, 2015 U.S. LEXIS 1503, at *40 (Feb. 25, 2015).

Example:

State v. Green, No. 2012AP1475–CR, 2013 WL 5811261, at *7 (Wis. Ct. App. Oct. 30, 2013).

R12.4.2 Opinions only available online, but not in a commercial database

Some cases, particularly ones that are immediately pending, may initially be accessed only
through a court’s website. If so, include the exact docket number or numbers, as well as the
URL.

Example:

Macy’s Inc. v. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc., No. 1728, slip op. at 1 (N.Y. App. Div.
Feb. 26, 2015), http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2015/2015_01728.htm.

INDIGO INKLING

The Law Librarians for Indigenous Inclusive Citation Practices advocates for The
Bluebook—and uniform citation practices generally—to include information on citing
Indigenous sources of law. As they note on their website at
www.lawlibrariansforindigenousinclusivecitationpractices.org, “[t]he 574 tribal
governments in this country produce thousands of statutes, regulations, and case law each
year that collectively bind millions of Americans.”

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The Indigo Book

For standard legal documents, we would advise generally following the rules shown in The
Indigo Book, in concert with applicable tribal court rules. Tribal code citations may follow
the same basic format shown in Rules R16-R17, for example:

15. N.N.C. § 614(A) (as amended by Navajo Nation Council Resolution No. CO-48-14, Nov.
7, 2014).

A case decided by a tribal judicial authority may be able to be cited consistently with Rule
R11 by name, reporter, and volume—if it is printed in one of the tribal law reporters. Or it
may be cited using the format for slip opinions and cases found exclusively online (R12.4.2).

Navajo Nation v. Hunter, 7 Nav. R. 194, 195 (Nav. Sup. Ct. 1996).

Corp. of the Pres. of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Window Rock Dist.
Ct., No. SC-CV-42-18, 2018 WL 7149968 (Nav. Sup. Ct. Dec. 28, 2018).

In re Lotus Justice, No. SC-2022-01, slip op. (Cherokee Sup. Ct. Feb. 14, 2022),
https://www.cherokeecourts.org/Portals/cherokeecourts/Documents/Supreme%20Court
/Order%20and%20Opinions/SC-22-01%202-Notice%202-14-22.pdf?ver=2022-02-14
-142814-147

Abbreviations for tribal sources can be found at reference sites for Indigenous and Tribal
Law such as the National Indian Law Library including its Tribal Law Gateway and
Research Guides, http://www.narf.org/nill/triballaw/index.html. A table of tribal nations is
available at the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Tribal Leaders Directory for federally recognized
tribes, https://www.bia.gov/service/tribal-leaders-directory. Many U.S. and Canadian law
schools also have helpful research guides posted on their law library websites. For academic
legal documents, follow the citation conventions set forth at the relevant publication.

R13 Weight of Authority and Explanatory Parenthetical

R13.1 Parenthetical for Weight of Authority

To highlight information regarding the weight of the cited authority (such as for concurring
and dissenting opinions), insert an additional parenthetical after the date parenthetical.
Remember to separate the parentheticals with a space.

Examples:

United States v. Leggett, 23 F.3d 409 (6th Cir. 1994) (unpublished table decision).

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 B. CASES

Ward v. Rock Against Racism, 491 U.S. 781 (1989) (Marshall, J., dissenting).

Harris v. State, 887 S.W.2d 514 (Ark. 1994) (per curiam).

Dep’t of Revenue v. James B. Beam Distilling Co., 377 U.S. 341, 349 (1964) (7–2 decision)
(Black, J., dissenting).

R13.2 Optional Explanatory Parenthetical

To provide a supporting partial quotation or to explain the proposition for which the case
stands, insert an explanatory parenthetical. See Rule R10 on the order of explanatory
parentheticals with other parenthetical material and subsequent history.

Examples:

Stambovsky v. Ackley, 572 N.Y.S.2d 672, 674 (App. Div. 1991) (“[A]s a matter of law, the house
is haunted.”).

People v. Foranyic, 74 Cal. Rptr. 2d 804, 807 (Ct. App. 1998) (holding that police have
probable cause to detain someone they see riding a bike at 3 a.m., carrying an axe).

Dep’t of Revenue v. James B. Beam Distilling Co., 377 U.S. 341, 349 (1964) (7–2 decision)
(Black, J., dissenting) (disagreeing with Justice Goldberg as to the relative merits of bourbon
and scotch).

INDIGO INKLING

The United States Supreme Court is famous for hearing oral arguments and issuing judicial
opinions, but it has recently increased the practice of making decisions through the so-
called “shadow docket.” E.g., Stephen I. Vladeck, The Solicitor General and the Shadow
Docket, 133 Harv. L. Rev. 123 (2019); William Baude, Foreword: The Supreme Court’s
Shadow Docket, 9 N.Y.U. J.L. & Liberty 1 (2015). These rulings are issued without full
briefing and argument and, in many cases, without identifying a particular justice as the
author.

To cite Supreme Court dispositions on its shadow docket, follow Indigo Book Rules R11-R12
on cases citations to the extent possible. For example, provide a citation to Supreme Court
Reports until the official United States Reports citation with pagination becomes available.

A parenthetical may be used to indicate the type of ruling, following the title or other
information provided with the ruling:

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The Indigo Book

Tandon v. Newsom, 141 S. Ct. 1294 (2021) (per curiam).

Maryland v. King, 133 S. Ct. 1 (2012) (Roberts, C.J., in chambers).

Use the above parentheticals only if the disposition explictly indicates it is per curiam or
issued by a particular justice in chambers. Other rulings are not labeled as per curiam or
signed in chambers. The traditional rule for citing such decisions was to add the
parenthetical “(mem.)” after the citation:

United States v. Higgs, 141 S. Ct. 645 (2021) (mem.).

The decisions falling into this category are not typically labeled “memorandum” by the
Court itself; rather, this label comes from traditional citation practice to indicate what
would otherwise look the same as a full opinion. Thus, we submit that other more
descriptive parentheticals may be used in addition to or instead of (mem.) to indicate the
posture of the decision:

United States v. Higgs, 141 S. Ct. 645 (2021) (emergency vacatur of stay and reversal,
designating Indiana as state for inmate’s execution under 18 U.S.C. § 3596).

Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson, 141 S. Ct. 2494 (2021) (mem.) (unsigned, on
application for injunctive relief).

Shadow-docket decisions by the majority of the Court can be, and recently often are,
accompanied by signed concurring or dissenting opinions. Dissents and other statements
attached to the decision may be indicated in a similar fashion to concurrences and dissents
from fully argued opinions on the merits. When one justice concurs or dissents in an
opinion attached to a shadow docket decision and one or more justices join that opinion,
indicate only the authoring justice. Indicate a pincite to concurring or dissenting opinions.
The parenthetical (mem.) or other appropriate notation may optionally be included as well,
to indicate that the concurrence or dissent is referring to an action that does not itself
constitute a full formal opinion.

Ala. Ass’n of Realtors v. Dep’t of Health & Hum. Servs., 141 S. Ct. 2485, 2485 (2021)
(mem.) (Roberts, C.J., concurring).

United States v. Higgs, 141 S. Ct. 645, 647 (2021) (Sotomayor, J., dissenting from vote).

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 B. CASES

R14 History of the Case

R14.1 Subsequent History

When citing a case, include the subsequent history of the case, subject to several exceptions.
Refer to Table T14 for how to abbreviate explanatory phrases when introducing case history.
Italicize the explanatory phrase.

INDIGO INKLING

The United States is a common law system, where court decisions play an important role in
defining what the law is. To figure out the difference between good law and bad law, we
have to look at the case’s subsequent history to make sure it was not vacated or reversed on
the point being relied upon in a cited assertion. These types of important subsequent
history are required by the Uniform System of Citation. On the other hand, some
subsequent history is generally unimportant and should be omitted from the citation.
Examples include the denial of a motion for reconsideration, or the denial of a petition for
certiorari in a case decided more than two years ago. See Table T3 for some state-specific
variations, and of course follow local practice and local court rules on subsequent history.

Note that subsequent history is the history of that particular case in litigation. If a different
case (unrelated parties but a similar legal issue) later overrules an older case’s holding, that
case is no longer good law for that point—but subsequent history is not involved in the
citation. This is but one example of how legal citation overlaps with legal analysis itself. If a
writer is citing a case that was later overruled, the writer should not simply polish the
citation’s mandatory subsequent history, but rather re-consider why to cite that “bad law”
in the first place.

R14.2 Required Explanatory Phrases

Include subsequent history when necessary to protect credibility or clarify the weight of
authority for the statement the citation supports. This includes most subsequent history except
denials of rehearings or discretionary appeals. This also includes history on remand (which, by
its nature, advances the litigation but does not change the law issued from a higher court on
appeal), unless relevant to the point being made.

R14.2.1 Direct subsequent history of the litigation

Always incorporate the following explanatory phrases when applicable, italicized, and followed

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by a comma and the citation information for the subsequent history. Include other subsequent
history commensurate with this list, to indicate the weight of authority and whether the
primary case being cited is good law for all or any points.

Required Subsequent History

aff’d Case was affirmed by a higher court in the same

litigation.

cert. granted Case is subject to a pending petition for certiorari

that the higher court has granted.

rev’d Case has been reversed. Note this subsequent history

can be combined with rev’d en banc where
applicable.

rev’d on other grounds Case has been reversed on a different ground other
than the one for which it is being cited.

cert. denied Case was potentially subject to a petition for

certiorari, which was in fact filed but denied (thus
(only when citing a case decided less
showing this case’s finality).
than two years ago, to show finality or
for a specific point)

vacated Case was vacated and is no longer good law. Use

vacated as moot where the court so indicates.
vacated as moot

Examples:

In re Verizon Internet Servs., Inc., 257 F. Supp. 2d 244 (D.D.C. 2003), rev’d on other grounds,
Recording Indus. Ass’n of Am., Inc. v. Verizon Internet Servs., Inc., 351 F.3d 1229 (D.C. Cir.
2003).

—Note: This subsequent history is always required because the primary case being cited has
been reversed on at least one basis.

B.L. v. Mahanoy Area Sch. Dist., 964 F.3d 170 (3d Cir. 2020), cert. granted, No. 20-255 (Jan.
8, 2021).

—Note: This would be an appropriate citation while the Supreme Court’s decision and opinion
remained pending. After the opinion, it is unlikely that this citation would be needed since the
Supreme Court opinion itself is the final authority.

The district court’s decision withstood all layers of federal-appellate review. Energy & Env't

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 B. CASES

Legal Inst. v. Epel, 43 F. Supp. 3d 1171 (D. Colo. 2014), aff’d, 793 F.3d 1169 (10th Cir. 2015),
cert. denied, 577 U.S. 1043 (2015).

—Note: This denial of certiorari is included because it is integral to the sentence’s claim. This
denial of certiorari would be appropriate even after the two-year period for including denial of
petitions for certiorari had expired.

R14.2.2 Indirect subsequent history and legislative or constitutional subsequent

history

Include indirect history from other subsequent litigations or collateral litigation, when the
indirect history is directly negative or necessary for the point being made. The clearest example
is overruled by <x>.

Include subsequent history when a case is superseded by statute or by a constitutional

amendment. The subsequent legislative or constitutional history may be noted through a
further (discretionary) subsequent history notation of a case recognizing it as such.

Examples:

Hemerley v. Am. Fam. Mut. Ins. Co., 379 N.W.2d 860 (Wis. Ct. App. 1985), overruled by Hull
v. St. Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 586 N.W.2d 863 (Wis. 1998).

Schuster v. Derocili, 775 A.2d 1029 (Del. 2001), superseded by statute, 19 Del. Code Ann. §
712(b) (2005), as recognized in Yatzus v. Appoquinimink Sch. Dist., 458 F. Supp. 2d 235 (D.
Del. 2006).

R14.3 Renamed Cases

When the case has a different name in the subsequent history, provide the new case name after
the italicized phrase “sub nom.” (“under the name of”). There is no comma after sub nom.

Example:

Lerman v. Comm’r, 939 F.2d 44 (3d Cir. 1991), rev’d sub nom. Horn v. Comm’r, 968
F.2d 1229 (D.C. Cir. 1992).

Do not provide the new case name if either the parties’ names are merely reversed or if the
subsequent history is simply a denial of certiorari or rehearing:

Correct:

United States v. Schmuck, 840 F.2d 384 (7th Cir. 1988), aff’d, 489 U.S. 705 (1989).

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Incorrect:

United States v. Schmuck, 840 F.2d 384 (7th Cir. 1988), aff’d, Schmuck v. United
States, 489 U.S. 705 (1989).

R14.4 Enslaved Persons

When the case involved an enslaved person or people as parties or at issue in the case, add a
parenthetical so indicating.

Example:

Rives v. Wilborne, 6 Ala. 45, 47 (1844) (enslaved people at issue).

INDIGO INKLING

Legal citation is not just a set of formatting rules, but an expression of ethics, an expression
extending far beyond the dictate to literally cite one’s sources. The ethical dimensions of
legal citation encompass its broader impacts such as how these rules socialize new lawyers-
in-training, how they function within the legal world, what they represent about law and its
practitioners, what they omit, and what effects they cast over the law’s sphere of influence.
See, e.g., Susie Salmon, Shedding the Uniform: Beyond a “Uniform System of Citation” to
a More Efficient Fit, 99 Marq. L. Rev. 763 (2016); Jennifer Elisa Chapman, Citation Ethics:
Toward an Ethical Framework of Legal Citation (May 29, 2021), Yale Law Library Citation
and the Law Symposium (forthcoming 2021), available at https://ssrn.com/
abstract=3856202. Citation of cases involving enslaved persons are one example.
Historically, these cases were cited no differently than any other case. As of January 2021,
the latest printing of The Bluebook (21st ed.) added a rule to expand the citation for such
cases, which must now include a parenthetical indicating that an enslaved person or people
were parties or at issue in the case. This Second Edition of The Indigo Book expresses this
rule and welcomes the continued examination of legal citation rules and practices.

R15 Short Form Citation for Cases

R15.1 Short Citations in Text

Once a case has been cited in full, you may refer to the case by a short-citation form.
Specifically, you may refer to the case name in a textual sentence and provide shortened
citation information after the sentence.

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For the case name, use the chosen party’s name—usually the first-named party’s
name—consistent with these rules for selecting a short-form citation and consistent with the
abbreviation rules in Rule R11 for all case names (full citation or short citation). For the
citation format, include the volume of the reporter, the reporter, the word “at” and the pincite
to the page being cited.

Within the text sentence or (preferably) after the text sentence, provide a truncated citation
sentence in the form of <volume> <Name of Reporter> at <pincite>.

Examples:

The court in Fenton also held the lower court erred in awarding damages based on loss of fair
market value of property due to the flying balls. 233 N.E.2d at 219.

As the court further noted in Fenton, 233 N.E.2d at 219, the lower court erred in awarding
damages based on loss of fair market value of property due to the flying balls.

R15.2 Short Citations in Citation Sentences and Clauses

Case names can be long, so various short-citation forms must be used when referring to the
same case repeatedly in sequence or in scattered, interspersed references. Id. is the preferred
reference if it can be used as noted below, because it is the most concise. But other short forms
are frequently required for interspersed references throughout a legal document.

R15.2.1 When a short form may be used

Once a case has been cited in full, you may refer to the case by a short-citation form.
Specifically, you provide a short-form citation sentence or clause with truncated information
compared to the full citation. The reference must be unambiguous, and the full citation must
be easily accessible earlier in the text.

Discretion may be applied to repeat the full-citation form later in a document when useful to
the reader, such as after five short-form uses of id., five footnotes using id., or after a new
heading or page break.

R15.2.2 Form of short citations

In general, the short citation uses the first-named party in the case name. As with full citations,
the case name is italicized but the comma after the case name is not italicized. The shortened
citation form omits the “v.” (for versus) and second-named party after the “v.” The shortened
citation form also omits the first page of the case as found in the reporter, and simply provides
an “at” with the pincite.

For cases, a short form citation usually includes: <The First Party of the Case Name>, <volume

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number> <Reporter> at <pincite>. As shown in Rule R15.1, if the shortened case name is
incorporated into the textual sentence, do not repeat that shortened name in the short-form
citation after the textual sentence.

Examples (where case name not part of preceding textual sentence):

Fenton, 233 N.E.2d at 219.

Malletier, 500 F. Supp. 2d at 281.

R15.2.3 Exceptions to using the first party of the case name

Do not use the first party of the case name if that party either is a geographical or governmental
unit or a party name that is used for multiple cases. Choose the second party name if needed to
avoid confusion.

Examples:

United States v. Carmel, 548 F.3d 571 (7th Cir. 2008) becomes Carmel, 548 F.3d at 573.

Gonzalez v. Raich, 545 U.S. 1 (2005) becomes Raich, 545 U.S. at 8.

R15.2.4 Shortening party names

Shorten a long party name, but only if the shortening saves significant useful space and if the
reference remains clear. Use a [hereinafter <x>] designation if needed.

Examples:

Home Depot USA, Inc. v. Jackson, 139 S. Ct. 1743, 1744 (2019) becomes Home Depot, 139 S.
Ct. at 1744.

A Book Named “John Cleland’s Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure” v. Attorney Gen. of Mass.,
383 U.S. 413, 418 (1966) [hereinafter, Memoirs] can then become Memoirs, 383 U.S. at 418.

R15.3 Id.
R15.3.1 Id. with immediately preceding citation (same page of case)

If you are citing to the same case referenced in the immediately preceding citation, use id. as
the short form citation. Id. by itself refers to the same case and same pincite in that case.

Example:

When the author of a work is a judge or legislator, it carries the force of law and cannot be
copyrighted. Georgia v. Public.Resource.org, 140 S. Ct. 1498, 1513 (2020). To hold otherwise
would be to discourage the use of “official legal works that illuminate the law we are all

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 B. CASES

presumed to know and understand.” Id.

R15.3.2 Id. with immediately preceding citation (different page)

If you are referring to the immediately preceding case, but to a different page, use id. at
<pincite>.

Example:

Fair use is ultimately a legal question because the question “primarily involves legal work.”
Google LLC v. Oracle Am., Inc., 141 S. Ct. 1183, 1199 (2021). Although “subsidiary factual
questions” may be involved, the ultimate question is legal rather than factual. Id. at 1200.

R15.3.3 Id. forbidden with string citations and ambiguous references

Id. should be used only if the preceding citation cites to one source.

Correct:

In examining the third factor—the proximity of the parties’ products in the

marketplace—courts assess whether the parties occupy “distinct merchandising markets.”
Naked Cowboy v. CBS, 844 F. Supp. 2d 510, 517-18 (S.D.N.Y. 2012). For example, would an
unsophisticated viewer confuse the source of the long-running daytime television series with
another party’s street performances or his souvenirs? Id.

Incorrect:

In examining the third factor—the proximity of the parties’ products in the

marketplace—courts assess whether the parties occupy “distinct merchandising markets.”
Hormel Foods Corp. v. Jim Henson Prods., Inc., 73 F.3d 497, 504 (2d Cir. 1996); Naked
Cowboy v. CBS, 844 F. Supp. 2d 510, 517-18 (S.D.N.Y. 2012). For example, would an
unsophisticated viewer confuse the source of the long-running daytime television series with
another party’s street performances or his souvenirs? Id.

Correct:

In examining the third factor—the proximity of the parties’ products in the

marketplace—courts assess whether the parties occupy “distinct merchandising markets.”
Hormel Foods Corp. v. Jim Henson Prods., Inc., 73 F.3d 497, 504 (2d Cir. 1996); Naked
Cowboy v. CBS, 844 F. Supp. 2d 510, 517-18 (S.D.N.Y. 2012). For example, would an
unsophisticated viewer confuse the source of the long-running daytime television series with
another party’s street performances or his souvenirs? Naked Cowboy, 844 F. Supp. 2d at
517-18.

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INDIGO INKLING

The short form id.—capitalized as Id. when it starts a citation sentence—can be used only to
refer to the immediately preceding citation. The standard for what is immediately preceding
is strict. Do not use id. simply because a full citation has been given somewhere at some
point previously in the text; it is not catchall short citation but must be tailored to context.
Id. can be used after a citation to a single source (a full or a short citation, the important
characteristic being a citation to one and only one source). Id. cannot follow a string
citation listing two or more sources. It also cannot be used after any intervening textual
reference, such as mentioning a different case or other authority by name. Citing multiple
sources in a string or mentioning other intervening sources creates possible ambiguity and
thus makes id. unhelpful and incorrect.

There is one exception to this strict construction of when to use id. If the preceding citation
includes a parenthetical citing a case within that parenthetical, that citation-within-a-
citation does not foreclose the use of id. In that scenario, id. may be used to cite back to the
immediately preceding citation to which the citation-within-a-citation is attached. Thus, a
source cited parenthetically does not become the immediately preceding citation. This is
structurally different from a string citation. Do not use id. after a string citation, even to
attempt to refer to the final citation in the string.

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 C. STATUTES, RULES, REGULATIONS, AND OTHER LEGISLATIVE & ADMINISTRATIVE
MATERIALS

C. STATUTES, RULES, REGULATIONS, AND OTHER

LEGISLATIVE & ADMINISTRATIVE MATERIALS

R16 Federal Statutes

INDIGO INKLING

Federal statutes, like most state statutes, use the § symbol to indicate the specific codified
section. Traditionally, the section symbol is always followed by a space—for example, § 107
or §§ 106-107 for a span of sections.

Even though the Uniform System of Citation dictates a space between § and the section
number, sometimes in practice that space is intentionally and systematically omitted. The
United States Supreme Court itself does not use the space, and some SCOTUS briefs do
while others do not (per an unscientific review of 2021 opinions and briefs). The decision
may be strategic in briefs subject to a word-count rule such as the 13,000-word maximum
imposed by Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 32. The Bluebook, however, does not on its
face permit this deviation.

The Bluebook has very recently, however, acknowledged the role of word counts in another
context: whether to keep the space between F. and Supp. in F. Supp. or between S. and Ct.
in S. Ct. This space is technically required by the Uniform System of Citation’s rule that
adjacent capitals like S.E. may be closed up, but a capital may not close up with an
abbreviation that is not a single capital, like Ct. in S. Ct. As of 2020, The
Bluebook’sBluepages Rule B6 softened its stance, advising writers they may close up other
traditionally expected spaces in S. Ct. and F. Supp. 2d so as to conserve space. In a
potentially controversial (?) stance, we submit that closing up the space between the section
symbol and section number may be an equivalent acceptable deviation from traditional
citation mechanics, for writers facing word-count pressure. The Supreme Court and
members of the Supreme Court Bar do it even when holding a client’s case in their hands.
So maybe you can too.

R16.1 Basic Citation Forms for Federal Statutes

R16.1.1 United States Code

For citations to the current United States Code (the official code of the United States and thus
the preferred citation), cite the title, the United States Code, the section symbol or symbols,

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and section number or numbers being cited. The name of the Act being cited may be included
before the citation, if appropriate.

<title> U.S.C. § <section number>.

<Name of Act [optional]>, <title> U.S.C. § <section number>.

Examples:

17 U.S.C. § 107.

18 U.S.C. § 1030.

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 301-399i.

R16.1.2 Year optional for current sections of the United States Code

The year in a United States Code citation is optional if the citation refers to the current codified
statute. Omitting the year from a U.S.C. citation indicates the most current version of the
federal statute being cited, whether that current version is published in the codified edition or a
more recent supplement issued to amend the codified edition.

R16.1.3 Historical citations to the United States Code

The U.S.C. is codified once every six years, with various supplements issued in the interim six
years between codification. For historical citations to previous versions of the United States
Code, citations should be to the appropriate codifying year (e.g., 2000, 2006, 2012). Cite the
most recent edition that includes the version of the statute being cited. If you are citing to a
historical version of a statute first published in a supplement published in the interim period
between official codifications, be sure to consult the supplements, indicate the supplement’s
title and year of publication in the citation.

Example:

Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. § 223 (2012 & Supp. I 2013).

R16.1.4 Unofficial annotated U.S. codes

If the U.S.C. cite is not available, then cite to an unofficial code such as U.S. Code Annotated or
U.S. Code Service. The citation form is

<title> U.S.C.A. § <section number> (West).

<title> U.S.C.S. § <section number> (LexisNexis).

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MATERIALS

R16.1.5 Year in unofficial U.S. code citations

As with the United States Code, the year is not required in citations to the current code.

Examples:

5 U.S.C.A. § 572 (West).

5 U.S.C.S. § 572 (LexisNexis).

For citations where the date is relevant or for historical code citations, indicate the date
parenthetically. The date consist of the year through which the code section is current, or may
include “current through” an exact date or legislative session, if relevant.

Examples:

5 U.S.C.A. § 572 (West 2021).

5 U.S.C.S. § 572 (LexisNexis current through July 22, 2021).

R16.1.6 Parallel citations to original section numbers

The original section numbering of enacted legislation does not inherently correspond to the
section numbering in codified statutes. When naming and citing an Act in its original enacted
form and in its codified form, include parallel citations to original section number in the Act,
and the codified location.

Use the following form: <Name of Statute> <original section number>, <title> <Abbreviation
for Name of Statutory Code> § <section number> <(<Name of Publisher, but only if citing
unofficial code> <year published>)>.

Examples:

Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act § 202, 17 U.S.C. § 271(e).

Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 § 103, 17 U.S.C.A. § 1201 (West).

R16.1.7 Official session laws

If neither a United States Code or unofficial annotated code citation is available, then cite to
the Public Law Number and parallel official session laws (i.e., the Statutes at Large). Omit the
year of passage if it is part of the Act’s name. For a citation without a pincite, use the following
format: <Name of Statute,> Pub. L. No. <____>, <volume> Stat. <page number> <(year
passed)>.

The citation may include pincite to the specific section in the original Act and the page in the
session laws. For a citation with a pincite, use the following format: <Name of Statute,> Pub. L.
No. <____>, <original section number>, <volume> Stat. <page number>, <page pinpoint>

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<(year passed)>.

Examples:

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Pub. L. No. 111-148, § 1101, 124 Stat. 119, 141-43
(2010).

Family Sponsor Immigration Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-150, 116 Stat. 74.

R16.2 Short Citations

After a full citation to the United States Code or alternative (or session laws), a short form may
be used. These short citations may take various forms but must clearly identify the reference
including the pincite.

Examples:

§ 107.

Id.

Id. § 106.

First Step Act of 2018 § 401.

§ 401, 132 Stat. at 5220.

INDIGO INKLING

“Session laws” are a bound collection of all statutes enacted by a given legislature, each
volume collecting statutes chronologically in the year they were passed. The Statutes at
Large (“Stat.”) is the official compilation for federal session laws. Generally, only cite to
session laws if the official or unofficial code is unavailable or insufficient, or if you need to
refer to the historical fact of the statute’s enactment.

R17 State Statutes

R17.1 Official State Codes

You should cite state statutes to official codes if at all possible. State code compilations are
ranked by order of preference shown in Table T3. State code citations may require the
publisher’s name, as shown in Table T3.

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MATERIALS

R17.2 Forms of Citation to State Codes

R17.2.1 Basic citations to state codes

A citation to a state code must include the code’s name (abbreviated) and identifying
information such as the code volume and section number being cited. State-code formats vary
by state. See Table T3. The citation must also include a parenthetical providing the publisher’s
name if necessary for an unofficial citation, as shown in Table T3; and the current year of that
code. State code citations are never underlined (even if they appear underlined in online
hyperlinked sources.)

Examples:

Fla. Stat. § 90.506 (2020).

O.C.G.A. § 51-3-22 (2020).

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 30.3 (2020).

R17.2.2 State codes by subject matter

Some state codes use subject-matter abbreviations in their citation formats. Follow Table T3
and the abbreviations shown there to cite such codes.

Examples:

Tex. Est. Code Ann. § 251.107 (West 2019).

N.Y. Arts & Cult. Aff. Law § 60.03 (McKinney 2020).

R17.3 Year of State Code

Provide the year of the state code’s edition or publication date in a parenthetical. Do not
include the year the statutory provision was passed.

Example:

Del. Code tit. 8, § 145 (2021).

Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2927.27 (2021).

Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 27.001 (West 2021).

INDIGO INKLING

The Uniform System of Citation requires full citations of state statutes to include the code’s

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publication date, unlike citations to the United States Code. But in many state jurisdictions,
common practice suggests—or local court rules require—omitting the publication year of
the state code. Consult Table T3 and state-specific rules and resources.

R17.4 Statutes Not in Force

To cite a statute no longer in force, refer to its most recent available citation. The citation must
also include a parenthetical indicating the statute’s subsequent negative history.

Example:

Ala. Code § 13A-12-5(a)(1) (repealed 2015).

R17.5 Short Citations

State codes may be cited in a short form after the first full citation, using a short form that
clearly identifies what is being cited. The short form may include most of the full citation
except the publisher and year. Or the short form may take an even more truncated format if
clear.

Examples:

§ 27.001.

Id.

Id. § 209.

R18 Rules of Procedure and Evidence, Restatements, and Uniform

Acts

R18.1 Rules of Evidence and Procedure

R18.1.1 Federal and state rules

Cite current federal or state rules by indicating the abbreviation of the source, followed by the
rule number. Do not use a section symbol (§) when citing rules of evidence or procedure,
unless using a jurisdiction-specific citation form that requires it. Do not include a date for
current rules of evidence or procedure. Include the date of repeal if citing a historical rule no
longer in force, and other appropriate information in a parenthetical.

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MATERIALS

Examples:

Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1).

Fed. R. App. P. 1.

Mo. R. Civ. P. 67.01.

N.J. R. Evid. 406.

R18.1.2 Uniform rules

Cite uniform rules in the same manner as for state or federal rules. Follow how the rules
indicate they should be cited as well as how they are in fact cited.

R18.1.3 Abbreviations

In citation sentences and clauses, follow customary abbreviations for the rules being cited. As
with all state citations, local customs and rules may differ.

Examples:

Rules by Name Abbreviation (national and local)

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Fed. R. Civ. P.

Federal Rules of Evidence Fed. R. Evid.

New Jersey Rules of Evidence N.J. R. Evid. (national)

N.J.R.E. (local)

Missouri Rules of Civil ProcedureMo. R. Civ. P. (national)

Rule (local)

Uniform Rules of Evidence Unif. R. Evid.

R18.2 Restatements, Model Rules, and Uniform Acts

Cite Restatements by indicating the title of the particular Restatement cited, including the
ordinal edition such as Restatement (Third) spelled out.

Follow the title and edition with the number of the section being cited and, parenthetically, the
publisher and the year that edition was published. Use the following form: Restatement
(<spelled ordinal>) of <Subject Matter> <: Subject-Matter Subtitle (if applicable)> § <section
number> (<publisher> <year published>).

A comment may be indicated by its letter designation after the Restatement section. Comments

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are abbreviated “cmt.”

Examples:

Restatement (Second) of Trusts § 46 (Am. L. Inst. 1959).

Restatement (Third) of the Law Governing Lawyers § 2 cmt. e (Am. L. Inst. 2000).

Restatement (Third) of Prop.: Servitudes § 7.1 (Am. L. Inst. 2000).

Do not abbreviate or use numerical form for the ordinal portion of the Restatement title such
as “(Second)”. You may optionally abbreviate words in the Restatement title as noted in Table
T11, such as “Property” as “Prop.” Try to avoid awkward and non-traditional abbreviations
such as “Restatement (Third) of Conflict of Ls.” and “Restatement (Second) of Conts.” Use the
option to abbreviate words of eight letters or more such as “Enrichment” as “Enrich.” if
desired, avoiding ambiguity with established abbreviations.

INDIGO INKLING

The recent history of Restatement citations is a good case study in how citation formats
evolve and are influenced by user feedback and advocacy. As of the 19th edition of The
Bluebook, published in 2010, Restatement citations followed a fairly slim format:

Restatement (Second) of Trusts § 46 (1959).

The 20th edition of The Bluebook, published in 2015, added the requirement of
parenthetically indicating the institutional author along with the year in citations to
Restatements, Uniform Acts, and Model Rules:

Restatement (Second) of Trusts § 46 (Am. Law Inst. 1959).

See Richard L. Revesz, The American Law Institute and the Bluebook, The ALI Reporter
(Fall 2015), at 3, https://www.ali.org/news/articles/ali-reporter-fall-2015/ (noting that this
new citation format was added to The Bluebook at the request of the American Law
Institute to protect the American Law Institute’s brand and the influence of its work). The
21st edition of The Bluebook, published in 2020, stated a slightly modifed citation:

Restatement (Second) of Trusts § 46 (Am. L. Inst. 1959).

As of 2020, this relatively recent citation development may be appropriate in scholarly legal
writing and is used by law reviews closely implementing the latest version of The Bluebook
specifically. This suggested citation format has been picked up by some courts but does not
appear to have been systematically adopted as of 2022. See, e.g., Gallardo by & through

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MATERIALS

Vassallo v. Marstiller, 142 S. Ct. 1571, 1761 (2022) (citing Restatement (Second) of
Contracts § 321(1) (1981)).

R18.3 Uniform Commercial Code

Citations to the Uniform Commercial Code take the following form: U.C.C. § <section number>
(<publisher> <year published>). In academic legal documents and other contexts where the
publisher is important to note, add the publisher in the first full citation.

Examples:

U.C.C. § 9-105.

U.C.C. § 9-105 (Am. L. Inst. & Unif. L. Comm’n 1977).

R18.4 Other Uniform Laws and Similar Sources

Use a similar format for other uniform laws, following the general abbreviations in Table T11.

Examples:

Unif. Trade Secrets Act § 1(4) (Unif. L. Comm’n 1985) (as amended).

U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 6A1.5 (U.S. Sentencing Comm’n 2018).

R19 Administrative Rules and Regulations

R19.1 Federal Rules

R19.1.1 General format for administrative rules

Citations to federal administrative rules and regulations take the following form for citing a
section. Provide as specific and precise a citation as the source allows.

<title number of C.F.R. provision> C.F.R. § <section number> <(year published)>.

Examples:

36 C.F.R. § 272.1 (2020).

21 C.F.R. § 133.113 (2020).

R19.1.2 C.F.R. parts

Citations to a part (that is a particular, defined “Part”) of the C.F.R. take the following form.:

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<title number of C.F.R. provision> C.F.R. pt. <part number> <(year published)>.

R19.1.3 Optional name

If the regulation is generally referred to by name or listing the name and/or the name of the
agency issuing the regulation would otherwise improve clarity, include it at the beginning of
the citation. Citations to administrative rules and regulations that include the regulation name
take the following form:

<Name of the Regulation and/or Name of the Agency Promulgating the Regulation>, <title no.
of C.F.R. provision> C.F.R. § <section number> <(year published)>.

Examples:

DOE Employee Standards of Conduct with Regard to Privacy, 10 C.F.R. § 1008.3 (2020).

FDA Standards of Identity for Food, 21 C.F.R. Parts 130 to 169 (2020).

R19.2 State Regulations

Cite state regulations following the federal format when permitted by the structure and form of
the state’s source material. State regulations vary widely from state to state in their structure
and form; thus, the appropriate citation to a state regulation—particularly for use within that
state—may require consulting a state-specific citation manual such as those listed in Table T3.

Examples:

State Regulation Uniform System of State-

Citation Format Specific
Format

Missouri Code of State Regulations Title 15, Mo. Code Regs. Ann. tit. 15, § 15 CSR
Section 30-200.030, updated as of 2020 30-200.030 (2020). 30-200.030.

New Jersey Administrative Code Section 2:16-1.1, N.J. Admin. Code § 2:16-1.1 N.J.A.C.
updated as of 2020 (2020). 2:16-1.1.

R19.3 Agency Adjudications, Arbitrations, Orders, and Other Actions

R19.3.1 Adjudications

Agency adjudications are similar to case citations but more streamlined. Use only the first-
listed private party. Omit all procedural words such as “In re” and similar. See Table T2 of The
Indigo Book for specific guidance on citing agency adjudications and arbitration citations.

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MATERIALS

Example:

Tegna, Inc., 367 N.L.R.B. No. 71 (Jan. 17, 2019).

R19.3.2 Arbitrations

Agency arbitrations follow the format for case citations (Rule R11) if they have adversary
parties and the citation for an agency adjudication (Rule R19.3.1) if they do not. Indicate the
arbitrator’s name and abbreviated title Arb. at the end of the citation.

R19.3.3 Parallel citations

Provide a citation to an official or unofficial reporter if available. If an official publication is not

available at all or not yet for the adjudication, cite to the agency’s website using a similar
format to citing unpublished cases (Rule R11.3.4) and electronic sources (Rule R32). A citation
to a proprietary database is permitted and may be helpful but is not required.

Examples:

Landrys Inc., 199 L.R.R.M. (BL) ¶ 2103 (N.L.R.B. Div. of Judges June 26, 2014).

Online Political Files of Trending Media, Inc., File No.: POL-070121-27365113 (FCC Feb. 12,
2021) (order and attached consent decree), https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-21
-156A1.pdf.

Ronnie v. Office Depot, Inc., Arb. Case No. 2019-0020, ALJ Case No. 2018-SOX-00006 (Dep’t
of Labor Sept. 29, 2020), https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OALJ/PUBLIC/ARB
/DECISIONS/ARB_DECISIONS/SOX/19_020_SOXP.PDF.

Amazon, Inc. and Amazon Logistics, Inc., File No. 1923123, 2021 WL 489846 (FTC Feb. 2,
2021) (agreement containing consent order), https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents
/cases/amazon_flex_order_with_no_signatures.pdf.

R19.3.4 Pincites

Pincite to specific pages in the document by using page numbers, paragraph numbers, star
pagination to proprietary page numbers, or another appropriate pincite reference. See Rule R5.

R19.4 Proposed Rules

Include the proposed rule’s title, citation to the Federal Register, and date of proposal:

<Title of Proposed Rule> , <Volume> Fed. Reg. <Page> , <(proposed on <date rule was
proposed>)> (to be codified at <intended C.F.R. citation>)>, <URL where Proposed Rule can
be found>.

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If the proposed rule is not yet included in the Federal Register, provide a citation to the
agency’s website including docket number if available and URL.

R19.5 Comments Filed with Agencies

R19.5.1 Comments generally

Include the commenter’s name and the proposed rule that is the subject of comment, followed
by the exact date and URL:

<Commenter’s name>, Comment on <Proposed Rule Being Commented Upon, including

optional citation in the Federal Register (<date>) <(date of comment filed)>, <URL of
Comment if available and helpful>.

Include the docket number or comment number in the citation, if applicable and helpful.

Examples:

Georgia Dep’t of Agric., Public Submission on the FDA’s Comprehensive, Multi-Year Nutrition
Innovation Strategy (Aug. 23, 2018), https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FDA-2018-N
-2381-0690.

Georgia Dep’t of Agric., Public Submission on the FDA’s Comprehensive, Multi-Year Nutrition
Innovation Strategy (83 Fed. Reg. 30180 (June 27, 2018)) (comment submitted Aug. 23, 2018),
https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FDA-2018-N-2381-0690.

R19.5.2 Comments with subsequent agency response

When citing a comment in which administrative procedure requires an agency response and
when the agency has in fact issued its response, supplement or replace the URL of the
comment standing alone to add citation information for the rule appendix or other source
containing both the comment and the agency response.

INDIGO INKLING

Citations to agency sources must build on the fundamentals of legal citation, while adapting
the special conventions of administrative-law practice and the relevant agency or agencies.
Fundamentally, all legal citations should provide the correct information including title,
issuing agency, date, and indexing information such that the source can be found and the
reader can assess the source in context. Special conventions of administrative-law practice
vary by federal and state agency. Specialty conventions may include omitting information
(such as a date where it is superfluous), citing to agency-specific sources rather than general

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MATERIALS

federal sources, or citing general federal sources plus additional parallel citations, cross-
references, and/or URLs. Those who work frequently with a particular agency will often
rely more heavily on the agency’s website or other sources than on general publication in
the Federal Register.

For example, a generic citation to agency work by the Federal Communications

Commission might look like this, following the overall Uniform System of Citation:

Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services, 85 Fed. Reg. 67,450 (Oct. 23, 2020) (to be
codified at 47 C.F.R. pt. 64); Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services, 85 Fed. Reg.
67,480 (proposed Oct. 23, 2020) (to be codified at 47 C.F.R. pt. 64).

But an attorney or policy advocate knowledgeable about FCC customs might cite the source
more like the following, knowing that the Federal Register documents are only a summary
of the FCC's full document, released more than two months after the FCC's initial release of
the document, and missing the separate statements of FCC commissioners on the
document:

Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services, Report and Order on Remand and Fourth
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, WC Docket No. 12-375, 35 FCC Rcd. 8485 (Aug. 7,
2020), https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-seeks-reduce-rates-and-charges-inmate-calling-
services-0.

Table T1 provides more detailed information about federal-agency practice, and Table T3
provides information on state-specific administrative-law citations (acknowledging that
comprehensive treatment of state practice is beyond the scope of The Indigo Book). For
work focused on particular agencies, any overall source expressing the Uniform System of
Citation should be supplemented by obtaining agency-specific citation guides, studying
recent samples of work in that agency, and working with experienced practitioners. For
these examples, we are grateful to Blake Reid, Clinical Professor and Director of the
Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic at the University of Colorado School of
Law.

R20 Federal Taxation Materials

R20.1 Internal Revenue Code

Citations to the Internal Revenue Code take either of two forms—the United States Code or the
Internal Revenue Code (which inherently refers to Title 26 of the United States Code). Either
way, these citations do not include the year when the citation refers to the current year of the

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Code.

R20.1.1 I.R.C.

Citations to the code itself take the following form: I.R.C. § <section number> .

R20.1.2 Title 26 of the United States Code

Citations to Title 26 of the United States Code, which is where the Internal Revenue Code is
codified, take the following form: 26 U.S.C. § <section number>.

Examples:

I.R.C. § 312.

26 U.S.C. § 312.

R20.1.3 Unofficial codes

Indicate the publisher if citing to an unofficial code. Do not indicate the year when citing the
current unofficial code, but do include the year if citing a past edition or dated supplement.

R20.2 Treasury Regulations

The Department of the Treasury issues Treasury Regulations pursuant to § 7805 of the Internal
Revenue Code. Treasury Regulations are codified in Title 26 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(“C.F.R.”), but should be cited as “Treas. Reg.” according to the following form: Treas. Reg. §
<section number> <(year published)>. If the regulation is temporary, then begin the citation
with Temp. Treas. Reg. instead.

Examples:

Treas. Reg. § 1.414(r)-8 (1994).

Temp. Treas. Reg. § 1.274-5T(6) (1985).

R20.3 Treasury Determinations

Cite Revenue Rulings (“Rev. Rul.”), Revenue Procedures (“Rev. Proc.”), and Treasury Decisions
(“T.D.”) to the following sources, in the following order of preference: (1) Cumulative Bulletin
(“C.B.”); (2) Internal Revenue Bulletin (“I.R.B.”); then (3) Treasury Decisions Under Internal
Revenue Laws (“Treas. Dec. Int. Rev.”).

Examples:

Rev. Rul. 81-225, 1981-2 C.B. 12.

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 C. STATUTES, RULES, REGULATIONS, AND OTHER LEGISLATIVE & ADMINISTRATIVE
MATERIALS

Rev. Proc. 97-27, 1997-21 I.R.B. 11.

T.D. 2135, 17 Treas. Dec. Int. Rev. 39 (1915).

R20.4 Private Letter Rulings

Cite Private Letter Rulings using the following format: I.R.S. P.L. R. <ruling number> (<exact
date>).

Example:

I.R.S. P.L.R. 202121010 (May 28, 2021).

R21 Legislative Materials

R21.1 Federal Bills and Resolutions

If unenacted, cite as follows: <name of bill, if helpful>, <abbreviation from the list below> <bill
number>, <number of the Congress> <section, if not citing the entire bill> <year of
publication>, with additional information when needed to distinguish between different
versions of the bill in a given Congress. Abbreviate the names of subcommittees and
committees according to the form set out in Table T5, Table T11, and Table T12. As shown
below, select an abbreviation based on the type of bill or resolution:

Type Abbreviation

Senate Bill S.

House Bill H.R.

Senate Resolution S. Res.

House Resolution H.R. Res.

Senate Joint Resolution S.J. Res.

House Joint Resolution H.R.J. Res.

Senate Concurrent ResolutionS. Con. Res.

House Concurrent Resolution H.R. Con. Res.

Senate Executive Resolution S. Exec. Res.

Examples:

S. 812, 108th Cong. (2003).

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Clinical Social Work Medicare Equality Act of 2001, S. 1083, 107th Cong. § 2(b) (2001).

ABLE Act of 2014, H.R. 647, 113th Cong. (as passed by House, Dec. 3, 2014).

H.R. 1746, 111th Cong. § 2(c)(4) (as reported by H. Comm. on Transp. and Infrastructure, Apr.
23, 2009).

H.R. Res. 431, 114th Cong. (2015).

S.J. Res. 12, 109th Cong. (2005).

INDIGO INKLING

Every two years, a new Congress is constituted, based on the two-year term for Members of
Congress set forth in Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution. Each of these
Congresses has its own number, and that number is crucial in legislative-history citations.
The 2021-22 Congress (elected in 2020) is the 117th Congress. Public Laws enacted by this
Congress and signed by the President will follow a citation format such as Pub. L. 117-1 (the
first act to be enacted sequentially by the 117th Congress). The 2019-2020 Congress (elected
in 2018) was the 116th Congress. Those Public Laws would follow a citation format such as
Pub. L. 116-25 (the twenty-fifth act to be passed by the 116th Congress); and so on. Likewise
other legislative documents use the number of that Congress as a core piece of the citation.
Online resources for government-document research seem to be constantly in flux; consult
Congress.gov or Govinfo.gov for more information.

R21.2 Enacted Federal Bills and Resolutions

Once enacted, bills and joint resolutions are statutes subject to codification and should be cited
as such following Rule R16.1. For citations to the legislation’s history (rather than as a codified
statute), cite them as unenacted bills or resolutions. Cite enacted simple resolutions and
concurrent resolutions as if they were unenacted, but add an “(enacted)” parenthetical if it
would be helpful.

R21.3 State Bills and Resolutions

Cite state bills and resolutions as follows: <number of bill or resolution>, <number, or year if
unnumbered, of the legislative body>, <number or designation of the legislative session>
(<name of state, abbreviated as in Table T12 and year of enactment or publication, if
unenacted>).

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MATERIALS

Example:

L.D. 3, 127th Leg., Reg. Sess. (Me. 2015).

R21.4 Committee Hearings

R21.4.1 Congressional committee hearings

Cite committee hearings as follows: <full title of hearing>: Hearing on <bill number, if any>
Before the <name of committee or subcommittee>, <number of the Congress> <optional
pincite to page number> <year of publication> <name and title of speaker>. For the names of
subcommittees and committees, abbreviate according to the form set out in Table T5, Table
T11, and Table T12. For the names of individuals, use Table T10.

R21.4.2 State committee hearings

For state committee hearings, cite as follows: <full title of hearing>: Hearing on <bill number,
if any> Before the <name of committee or subcommittee>, <number of the legislative session>
<optional pincite to page number> <abbreviation for the state’s name from Table T12> <year
of publication> <name and title of speaker>. Use the same abbreviation resources as for
Congressional committee hearings.

Examples:

Cell Tax Fairness Act of 2008: Hearing on H.R. 5793 Before the Subcomm. on
Commercial and Administrative Law of the H. Comm. on the Judiciary, 110th Cong.
12 (2008) (statement of Zoe Lofgren, Member, H. Comm. on the Judiciary).

Welfare and Poverty in America: Hearing before the S. Comm. on Fin., 114th Cong.
(2015) (statement of Dr. Pamela Loprest, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute).

Testimony from invited guests addressing the use of eminent domain in the State:
Hearing before the Assemb. Commerce and Econ. Dev. Com., 2006–2007 Sess. 5
(N.J. 2006) (statement of Guy R. Gregg, Assemblyman).

Hearing on L.D. 319 Before the Health and Human Servs. Comm., 127th Leg., Reg.
Sess. (Me. 2015) (statement of Susan Lamb, Executive Director, Maine Chapter of the
National Association of Social Workers).

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R21.5 Federal Congressional Reports

R21.5.1 Report citations

Cite numbered federal reports as follows: <name of house, in small caps> Rep. No. <number of
the Congress, followed by a hyphen and the number of the report>, <at optional pincite> <year
of publication> <parenthetical to indicate conference report, if applicable>.

Examples:

S. Rep. No. 106-261, at 441 (2000).

H.R. Rep. No. 110-803, at 105 (2008) (Conf. Rep.).

R21.5.2 Other legislative materials

Citations to federal and state non-statutory legislative materials, including legislative history
and unenacted bills, aren’t expressed in a uniform manner, but generally include the following
elements:

• title, if available,
• name of legislative body, abbreviated
• section number, page no. or number of report
• number of Congress and/or legislative session
• (publication year)
• (if the bill or resolution was enacted). Only include this additional parenthetical if the
bill was enacted; if unenacted, you don’t need to add anything extra.

Examples:

Paycheck Fairness Act, H.R. 11, 111th Cong. § 203 (2009).

American Clean Energy and Security Act, H.R. 2454, 111th Cong. (2009).

S. 2318, 112th Cong. (2013) (enacted).

R22 Short Form Citation of Legislative and Administrative Materials

R22.1 General short-citation forms

For subsequent citations in the same general discussion after a first full citation, short forms
that clearly identify the source are permissible.

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MATERIALS

R22.2 Id.
Id. may be used to identify the immediately preceding source consistent with Rule R6. Id. can
be used for different subsections of the same code title and section, or for different code
sections within the same title. A subsequent citation to a different title of that code necessitates
a more complete short-form citation than Id.

Full citation Id. citation Id. citation

for same provision for different provision
within same title

7 U.S.C. § 7101. Id. Id. § 7102(26).

9 C.F.R. § 54.1 (2014).Id. Id. § 151.9.

R23 Sources and Authorities: Constitutions

R23.1 United States Constitution

Citations to the federal Constitution follow a simple form, using abbreviations from Table T12
(state names) and Table T13 (document subdivisions).

For current Constitutional provisions, do not include a date. Parenthetical information may be
added consistent with Rule R10, such as for repeal or amendment.

The format is as follows: <U.S. Const.> <cited section of constitution, abbreviated> <number
of article or amendment in Roman numeral form> <§ and pinpoint, if applicable> <(additional
information, if needed)>.

Examples:

U.S. Const. amend. XIII, § 1.

U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).

U.S. Const. pmbl.

R23.3 State Constitutions

Citations to state constitutions are expressed the same format, substituting the abbreviated
name of the state following Table T12 and document subdivisions in Table T13.

Examples:

Ariz. Const. art. XVI, § 2.

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N.D. Const. art. III, § 1.

R23.4 Short Forms

Federal and state constitutions do not have a shorter alternative form for use after the first full
citation. They should be cited in full each time used. It is permissible, however, to use id. for
sequential citations to the same constitutional provision.

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 D. COURT & LITIGATION DOCUMENTS

D. COURT & LITIGATION DOCUMENTS

INDIGO INKLING

Section B of The Indigo Book (Rules R11-R15) focuses on citations to “cases”—that is

judicial opinions, both published and unpublished. But not everything a court issues is an
“opinion.” An opinion states the court’s legal basis and reasoning for that decision. An order
manages and directs the litigation in a particular case. Rules R24-27 address court and
litigation documents, and here we note the connection to case citations.

Citing orders to a court during active litigation in that court will vary and depend on that
court’s own rules and customs. In contexts outside the litigation, orders should be cited
consistently with the opinion rules in Rule R12.4.1 Thus, an order in a 2022 labor dispute
involving a Memphis Starbucks would be cited differently when participating in the
litigation and outside of it.

Briefing in the context of the litigation:

(ECF No. 45 at PageID 478, n. 1).

Citation in public contexts outside the litigation:

McKinney v. Starbucks Corp., No. 2:22-cv-02292, Order Denying in Part and Granting in
Part Motion of Workers United to Intervene or, in the Alternative, to Participate as
Amicus Curiae, at 2, n. 1 (W.D. Tenn. May 10, 2022).

ECF and Page ID page citations vary court by court, and full coverage of the Case
Management/Electronic Case Files system and PACER is beyond the scope of The Indigo
Book. We note our support for open-access initiatives such as RECAP, which is a searchable
online archive, browser extension, and email alert capturing utility made available by the
Free Law Project and Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton.

R24 Documents Filed in the Same Case

At the trial stage, court and litigation documents take a variety of forms such as pleadings,
affidavits, discovery requests and responses, motions, and court orders, just to name a few. On
appeal, the record below may become a formal numbered “Record” with its own page
references. Documents for use on appeal may also take the form of an appendix or joint
appendix.

In federal court, court and litigation documents must be filed with the federal government’s

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Case Management/Electronic Case Files system, variously known as CM/ECF (for case
management and electronic case filing, respectively) and PACER (for accessing case materials).
Thus, federal court documents have traditional document names, pagination, and in some
types of pleading documents, paragraph designations provided by the filer; as well as an
assigned ECF number for the document and PageID numbering within the document provided
by the CM/ECF system.

R24.1 Document Title

Consult the document abbreviations in Table T18. Follow it in the absence of more specific
rules or guidance from local rules. When abbreviating document names, other abbreviations
may be employed for long words (typically seven or more letters) if clear and helpful to the
reader. Always abbreviate an official record, such as the appellate record, to “R.” Do not
abbreviate if the abbreviation would confuse the reader.

Examples:

Compl. for Copyright Infringement ¶ 11.

Def.’s Second Am. Answer ¶ 28.

Jones Dep. 8:24-9:5.

Def. Acme’s Resp. to Pl. Morrison’s Req. for Admis. No. 2.A.

R. at 22.

J.A. at 137.

R24.2 Pincites to Page, Page and Line, or Paragraph

For court and litigation documents other than an appellate record, provide the exact page or
paragraph. Where line numbers are available such as in deposition transcripts, also provide the
line being referred to. Do not use “p.” before a page number, but refer to pages with “at <x>.”

R24.2.1 Pincites to the appellate record

Generally cite the appellate record with an “at.” Record citations also sometimes omit the “at”
to save on a word count. Most importantly, be accurate and be internally consistent.

Examples:

R. at 2.

R. 2.

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R24.2.2 Page and line pincites

Use a colon to separate page and line.

Example:

Smith Dep. 5:21–6:10.

R24.2.3 Commas

Use commas if necessary to avoid confusion. When abbreviating both a document name and an
exhibit to that document, add a comma after the Exhibit reference before the pincite.

Example:

Smith Dep. Ex. 12, at 3.

R24.3 Date of Document

Include the date of the document if the date is particularly relevant or if omitting the date could
cause confusion.

Examples:

Miller Aff. ¶ 8, Jan. 12, 2015.

Pl.’s Br. 4–5, May 7, 2014.

Trial Tr. vol. 3, 45, Mar. 5, 2015.

R24.4 Electronic Case Filing Number

Include an ECF number whenever a document has been filed electronically. Find the ECF
number on PACER, a federal case management system that assigns each case document a
document number. Use the page number on the original document, not the Page ID reference
added by the ECF system upon filing, except in citations provided to a court where applicable
court rules require using the ECF’s Page ID reference.

Examples:

Pl.’s Compl. ¶ 12, ECF No. 147.

Sanchez Dep. 1:1–2, Jan. 3, 2005, ECF No. 8.

Example where Page ID required:

(Petition for Temporary Injunction Pursuant to Section 10(j) of the National Labor Relations
Act ¶ 6, ECF No. 1 at Page ID 3-6.)

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R24.5 Parentheses or Brackets

Citations to court or litigation documents may stand alone as citation sentences or clauses, or
may be enclosed in parentheses or brackets. If using parenthesis or brackets, place the period
outside the closing parenthesis or closing bracket. As with all types of citations, following
applicable court rules and maintaining internal consistency in a document are crucial.

Examples:

J.A. at 182.

R. 24.

(Resp. Br. 18).

[R. at 7].

R25 Court or Litigation Documents from Other Cases

Dockets and litigation documents are widely available now in commercial databases and other
platforms. This rule describes how to cite litigation documents in other documents, not for
litigation in that particular case, which is governed by Rule R24. This rule does, however, draw
on Rule R24 as a partial basis for the citation, with additional citation information as shown
here.

R25.1 General Format in Published Cases

After citing to the document according to Rule R24 above, add the full citation for the case
where it comes from, and the case docket number in parentheses. An additional citation to a
commercial database may be added (optional).

<Name of document> <pincite> , <Citation to case in which document was filed> (<docket
number in parenthesis>), <optional commercial database identifier or webpage URL>.

Example:

Compl. 5, Parsell v. Shell Oil Co., 421 F. Supp. 1275 (D. Conn. 1976) (Civ. No. B-700).

Pl.’s Resp. to Defs.’ Mot. for Summ. J. 14, Martinez-Mendoza v. Champion Int’l Corp., 340
F.3d 1200 (11th Cir. 2003) (No. 06-19139).

Brief for Brendan Keefe in His Official Capacity as Investigative Reporter for 11Alive Atlanta,
and WXIA-TV as Amici Curiae in Support of Respondent, Georgia v. Public.Resource.org, Inc.,
140 S. Ct. 1498 (2020) (No. 18-1150), 2019 WL 5391110.

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 D. COURT & LITIGATION DOCUMENTS

R25.2 Pending or Undecided Cases

If there has been no decision in the case you’re citing, then provide the name of the document
and pincite, followed by the docket number, the date in parentheses, and other optional
information to direct the reader.

<Name of document> <pincite>, <Name of case>, <docket number>, (<exact date of

document being cited>) <optional commercial database identifier or webpage URL>.

Examples:

Compl. ¶ 2, Jones v. Smith, No. 09-230 (9th Cir. Apr. 17, 2015), ECF No. 2.

Pet. for Writ of Cert. at 6, Crowe v. Ore. St. Bar, No. 20-1678 (May 27, 2021),
https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/crowe-v-oregon-state-bar/.

R25.3 Oral Argument Audio and Transcripts

Provide the title indicating Oral Argument for an audio citation and Transcript for a transcript
citation. Pincite to the minute or page. Provide the case name, citation of the case, and the year
parenthetically.

Examples:

Oral Argument at 32:50, Georgia v. Public.Resource.org, 140 S. Ct. 1498 (2020) (No. 18-1150),
https://www.oyez.org/cases/2019/18-1150.

Transcript of Oral Argument at 5, Ramos v. Louisiana, 140 S. Ct. 1390 (2020) (No. 18-5924),
https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2019/
18-5924_4gcj.pdf.

R26 Short Form Citation for Court and Litigation Documents

Use a short form citation for court documents when the full citation is close enough to be
useful and the short form used is clear and helpful. Note that court documents may be cited
using supra. Don’t use “id.” for court documents, unless it saves a lot of space. In particular do
not use id. for record citations.

Examples:

Full Form (Original citation) Short Form Citation (subsequent

reference)

Pl.’s Resp. to Defs.’ Mot. for Summ. J. at 14, Martinez- Pl.’s Resp. to Defs.’ Mot. for Summ. J.
Mendoza v. Champion Int’l Corp., 340 F.3d 1200 (11th at 14, Martinez-Mendoza, 340 F.3d

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Full Form (Original citation) Short Form Citation (subsequent

reference)

Cir. 2003) (No. 06-19139). 1200 (No. 06-19139).

Decl. of Martha Woodmansee at 7, Salinger v. Colting, Decl. of Martha Woodmansee at 7,

641 F. Supp. 2d 250 (S.D.N.Y. 2010) (No. 09 Civ. Salinger, 641 F. Supp. 2d 250 (No. 09
05095). Civ. 05095).

R27 Capitalization in Court Documents and Legal Memoranda

R27.1 Capitalizing Court

Capitalize “Court” in each of the following situations:

• Referring to the U.S. Supreme Court

• Referring to or addressing the court receiving the document you are submitting
• Naming the court in full

Examples:

The Court held that the Official Code of Georgia Annotated is a government edict that cannot
be copyrighted by the State of Georgia.

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims held jurisdiction.

The Aalmuhammed court explained that the word author “is traditionally used to mean the
originator or the person who causes something to come into being.”

This Court is being asked to expand the definition of “author” far beyond the statutory text.

R27.2 Party Designations in a Litigation

Capitalize “Plaintiff,” “Defendant,” “Appellant” and “Appellee,” unless you are referring to
parties from other litigation.

Example (in the case involving this plaintiff as a party):

The Plaintiff does not have a cognizable copyright interest in her acting performance.

Example (referring to a different litigation):

In Bobbs-Merrill, the plaintiff-copyright owner sold its book with a printed notice announcing
that any retailer who sold the book for less than one dollar was liable for copyright

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 D. COURT & LITIGATION DOCUMENTS

infringement.

R27.3 Titles of Court Documents

In litigation filings, use the capitalized and unabbreviated title of any litigation document in
that case, when referring to it in full in a textual sentence. A litigation document may also be
referred to in a citation sentence in a full or short form, in which case it should be capitalized
but abbreviated.

Example:

The Plaintiff’s Motion for Reconsideration should be denied.

Pl.’s Mot. Recons. at 4.

R27.4 Types of Documents Not Capitalized

Do not capitalize the name for a type of court document, such as an injunction, petition, etc.

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E. BOOKS & NON-PERIODICALS

R28 Full Citation for Books & Non-Periodicals

R28.1 General
A full citation to a book or other non-periodical is made up of the following elements:

• Volume number (if the book is in a set of more than one volume)
• Author name or names
• Title of the Publication
• Parenthetically, edition and editor information, if applicable; and year

Examples:

1 Melville B. Nimmer & David Nimmer, Nimmer on Copyright § 1.01[B][1][a] at 1–14–15

(2019).

Matthew Reidsma, Masked by Trust: Bias in Library Discovery (2019).

Lawyers in Practice: Ethical Decision Making in Context (Leslie C. Levin & Lynn Mather eds.,
2012).

Joseph Williams & Joseph Bizup, Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace (12th ed. 2016).

R28.2 Author Name or Names

Use standard roman type (not italicized) for the author name or names.

R28.2.1 Exact names

In general, list the names of the authors as listed on the publication, such as by including listed
first names and middle initials in addition to surnames. Use titles that follow an author’s name
(Sr.) but not titles that precede them (Hon.)

R28.2.2 Multiple authors

For two authors, list them in the same order as on the publication separated by “&.” For more
than two authors, you may list all of the authors with “&” before the last. Or you may use “et
al.” after the first-named author.

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INDIGO INKLING

The “et al.” option for books and law review articles with multiple authors may be a space-
saving option, but it may also effectively erase the contribution of co-authors other than the
first-named. This citation erasure may occur qualitatively (in how the article is
remembered) and/or quantitatively (in various empirical citation rankings). University of
Pennsylvania Law School professor Dave Hoffman has argued that all authors should be
included in the full citation, and indeed a number of law reviews have rejected the et al.
option. Professor Hoffman calls this approach the “Fair Citation Rule. ”

Short-forms for books and law review articles may be based on just the first-named author,
an approach consistent with the spirit of efficient short-form citations. But the Fair Citation
Rule can be followed in short citations as well, an approach that is less efficient but more
representative of the work.

R28.2.3 Title of the publication

Place the publication title in italics.

R28.2.4 Pincite

Include the exact page number being cited immediately after the name of the publication. Do
not use “at” before the pincite in a full citation. When citing a work organized using sections or
paragraphs, use those instead, adding a page number only if helpful.

Example:

Marc A. Franklin et al., Mass Media Law Cases and Materials 472 (8th ed. 2011).

R28.2.5 Edition, editor or translator, and year of publication

The full citation to a book publication has up to four elements in the required parenthetical, in
the following order:

• Editor (designated as “ed.”)

• Translator (designated as “trans.” and also including the name of the publisher of the
translated edition)
• Edition number
• Year

If listing an editor or a translator, then follow the name with the designation “ed.,” or “trans.,”

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respectively. Do not place a comma before the designation of ed. or trans., but do include a
comma after that designation and before the year of publication.

Examples:

Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gregory Rabassa trans., Harper &
Row 2003) (1967).

Roger Angell, This Old Man, in The Best American Essays 2015 (Ariel Levy & Robert Atwan
eds., 2015).

R29 Short Form Citation for Books & Non-Periodicals

R29.1 Id.
Id. may be used for references to books or non-periodical material cited in the immediately
preceding citation, assuming that citation contains only one source. Update the page number
you’re referring to within that source, as needed, by using “Id. at <x>.”

Do not use id. for internal cross references, or for citing back to a body of collected works when
actually citing a single work from that body.

R29.2 Supra
Use “supra” when you’ve used the full citation before, but it’s not the immediately preceding
citation. Use a shortened title if you cite to multiple sources from the same author. Where a
source has more than two authors, short citation forms using supra may use the first-named
author and “et al.” to refer to other named authors, regardless of whether the first full citation
has done so. You may retain all the authors if desired for giving credit.

The short form supra can be used in references to an earlier-cited work where “id.” does not
apply. Citations built using supra should include:

• the author’s last name

• an unitalicized comma followed by italicized supra and followed by another unitalicized
comma
• the word “at” and the specific page being pincited.

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 E. BOOKS & NON-PERIODICALS

Examples:

Full: Id.: Supra

B.F. Skinner, Beyond Freedom and Dignity 32 (2002). Id. at 21. Skinner, supra, at 21.

3 Melville Nimmer & David Nimmer, Nimmer on See id. § See Nimmer & Nimmer,
Copyright § 12.01 (Rev. ed. 2015) 14.02. supra, § 14.02

Graham C. Lilly et al., Principles of Evidence 122 (6th ed. Id. at Lilly, supra, at 90
2012) 88–103

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F. JOURNALS, MAGAZINES, & NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

R30 Full Citation for Journals, Magazines & Newspaper Articles

R30.1 Journal Citations

R30.1.1 Consecutively paginated journals (such as law reviews)

Citations to consecutively paginated journals (that is, journals in which page numbering is
continued from the last issue) take the following form:

<Author’s Name(s)>, <Italicized Title of the Article>, <volume number, if applicable> <Name
of Publication, abbreviated> <page number of first page of article cited>, <pincite, if citing to
specific point> <(year published)>.

Follow Rule R30.2 below for author name rules and Rule R30.3 for abbreviating the name of
the publication.

Example:

Liz Brown, Bridging the Gap: Improving Intellectual Property Protection for the Look and
Feel of Websites, 3 N.Y.U. J. Intell. Prop. & Ent. L. 310, 351 (2014).

R30.1.2 Journals and magazines with standard pagination

Citations to journals and magazines with standard pagination (that is, where pagination re-
starts for every issue) take the following form:

<Author’s Name(s)>, <Italicized Title of the Article>, <Name of Publication, abbreviated>,

<full date of publication>, at <page number of first page of article cited>.

Example:

Jack Dickey, The Power of Taylor Swift, Time, Nov. 24, 2014, at 13.

R30.1.3 Pincites with standard pagination

A pincite to a specific page may be added after the page number of the article’s first page, in the
following form: , <pincite>.

Example:

Jack Dickey, The Power of Taylor Swift, Time, Nov. 24, 2014, at 13, 17.

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 F. JOURNALS, MAGAZINES, & NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

R30.1.3 Student-written material in law journals

Citations to material written by students in law journals such as comments and notes take the
following form:

<Author’s Name(s), if signed with more than initials>, <Designation of Piece>, <Italicized Title
of the Article>, <volume number, if applicable> <Name of Publication, abbreviated> <page
number of first page of article cited>, <pincite, if citing to specific point> <(year published)>.

Examples:

Amanda Levendowski, Note, Using Copyright to Combat Revenge Porn, 3 N.Y.U. J. Intell.
Prop. & Ent. L. 422 (2014).

Victoria Nemiah, Note, License and Registration, Please: Using Copyright “Conditions” To
Protect Free/Open Source Software, 3 N.Y.U. J. Intell. Prop. & Ent. L. 358, 361 (2014).

Comment, Law and Lawns: Mandatory Water Restrictions and Substantive Due Process, 7
Calif. L. Rev. 138 (1972).

INDIGO INKLING

Many sources such as newspapers and magazines are available both in a traditional hard-
copy publication and an online format. Although the online site is almost certainly easier to
find and read, traditional legal citation prioritizes the hard-copy publication for law
reviews, magazines, and similar periodical sources. Newspapers are treated differently as
shown in Rule R30.4.

R30.2 Authors
R30.2.1 Name as listed

Show the author’s name beginning with first name, initials if indicated on the publication, and
last name followed by any name suffixes (Jr., III) indicated on the publication title.

R30.2.2 Two authors

For two authors, indicate their names in the order shown on the publication, separated by an
ampersand. Do not insert a comma before the ampersand.

R30.2.3 Multiple authors

For more than two authors, all authors may be listed with an ampersand before the last name;
or all but the first may be omitted and replaced by “et al.” Indicate all authors when relevant

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the point being made, or when recognition of all authors is desirable.

R30.2.4 No listed author

When no author is listed at the beginning or end of the publication source, skip the author field
and begin the citation with the publication’s title.

R30.3 Journal Titles

R30.3.1 Abbreviated titles

Use the abbreviations for common institutional names as listed in Table T15 if the name is
listed. If the institutional name is not listed in Table T15, use abbreviations as listed in Table
T11 and Table T12. If the periodical title has an abbreviation in it, use the abbreviation. If the
word is not found in any of these tables, do not abbreviate the word in the abbreviated title.

R30.2.2 Prepositions, articles, commas, and colons

For journals not listed in the tables, streamline the journal title with these grammar
mechanics. Do not use the words “a,” “at,” “in,” “of,” and “the” in the abbreviated title. Do,
however, use the word “on.” If the title consists of “a,” “at,” “in,” “of,” or “the” followed by a
single word, do not abbreviate the remaining word. Omit all commas in abbreviated titles, but
retain other punctuation. If a periodical title has a colon followed by words, omit all that from
the abbreviated title.

Use discretion to format a journal title differently when the journal identifies its own
abbreviated title differently, particularly for legal journals (as opposed to those from other
disciplines using other citation conventions).

Examples:

“Sociological Journal of Law” becomes “Socio. J. Law”

“Law Journal on the Litigation World” becomes “L.J. on Litig. World”

“Journal at Legal Crossroads” becomes “J. Legal Crossroads”

R30.2.3 Online supplements

To cite an online supplement to a print publication, use the proper abbreviation for the print
publication, followed by the name of the online supplement.

R30.2.4 Evolving journal titles and series designation

If a periodical has been renumbered into a new series, indicate that by prefacing the series
number with “(n.s.)”. Use the title of the periodical on the issue you are citing, even if the name

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 F. JOURNALS, MAGAZINES, & NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

of the periodical has changed.

R30.4 Newspaper Articles

Citations to newspaper articles traditionally required the print-based citation, but now may use
either the print-based citation or the online citation with exact date and URL consistent with
Rule R32.

R30.4.1 Print-based citation to newspaper article

Citations to newspaper articles take the following form: <Author’s Name(s), if signed>,
<Italicized Title of the Article>, <Name of Publication, abbreviated>, <full date of
publication>, at <number of first page of article>. Add a designation after the author’s name
such as “editorial,” where appropriate.

Examples:

Charlie Savage, U.N. Commission Presses U.S. on Torture, N.Y. Times, Nov. 14, 2014, at A6.

Vikas Bajaj, Editorial, Rules for the Marijuana Market, N.Y. Times, Aug. 5, 2014, at A20.

R30.4.2 Citation to newspaper article online

Examples:

Charlie Savage, U.N. Commission Presses U.S. on Torture, N.Y. Times (Nov. 14, 2014),
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/world/europe/un-commission-presses-us-on-
torture.html.

Vikas Bajaj, Editorial Rules for the Marijuana Market, N.Y. Times (Aug. 5, 2014),
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/05/opinion/high-time-rules-for-the-marijuana-
market.html.

R31 Short Form Citation for Journals, Magazines & Newspaper

Articles

R31.1 Id.
Use “id.” when referring to the source cited in the immediately preceding citation. Id. can be
used to refer to the same source as in a preceding citation that is itself also id., but do not
repeat id. more than four times sequentially. After the fourth id., add more information by
repeating the full citation or providing a short citation with supra.

Id. may be used by itself to indicate the same page of the same source, or with “at” to indicate a

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different page of that source.

R31.2 Supra
Use “supra” when you’ve used the full citation before, but it’s not right next to the sentence you
will provide the citation for now. Use a shortened title if you cite to multiple sources from the
same author. Where a source has more than two authors, short citation forms using supra may
use the first-named author and “et al.” to refer to other named authors, regardless of whether
the first full citation has done so. You may retain all the authors if desired for giving credit.

Example (in-text citation):

Robbins, Painting with Print, supra, at 112.

Example (footnote):

Baumeister et al., Bad Is Stronger than Good, supra note 5, at 325.

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 G. INTERNET SOURCES

G. INTERNET SOURCES

R32 General Principles for Internet Sources

R32.1 Authenticated, Official, and Exact Copies

When an authenticated, official, or exact copy of a document is available online, cite as if to the
equivalent print source (i.e., URL information should not be included).

• Authenticated copy: source that uses some authenticating tool, such as a digital
signature. This is generally the preferred version.
• Official copy: version of document designated “official” by a federal, state, or local
government.
• Exact copy: unaltered online reproduction of the entirety of a printed source, including
pagination.

R32.2 Print Sources Also Available on the Internet

For sources that are available in a non-internet source, append the URL to the end of the
citation if doing so would make accessing the source significantly easier.

Example:

Daniel E. Ho & Frederick Schauer, Testing the Marketplace of Ideas, 90 N.Y.U. L. Rev. 1160,
1175 (2015), http://www.nyulawreview.org/sites/default/files/pdf/
NYULawReview-90-4-Ho_Schauer.pdf.

R32.3 Print Sources Reproduced on the Internet

For Internet sources that have the characteristics of a print source, cite as if you were citing the
print source, and append the URL to the end of the citation. Internet sources have the
characteristics of a print source when the following conditions are met: the source has all the
information needed to cite it according to another rule, and the source has a fixed, permanent
pagination (such as a PDF).

R32.4 Webpages and Internet Sources

For citations directly to webpages and other Internet sources that do not exist in any other
printed format, follow the formula in Rule R33 below.

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INDIGO INKLING

Even in an online world, the format of the printed page reigns supreme in legal citation.
Thus, when a document is available in multiple formats, choose the citation format that
best preserves the document as it would display if printed. For example, PDF is preferred
over HTML. The benefit of these citations is allowing citations to specific page numbers (for
pincites) regardless of whether it is being viewed digitally or in print.

Note that many of the Internet citation rules are little more than common sense (that’s a
compliment, not a dig). For example: include the URL that most directly links your reader
to the authority, as you don’t want to send readers on a wild goose chase through the
recesses of the Internet in search of a source. For the sake of completeness, we include these
rules below, even though most people would probably intuit them.

One internet citation rule is not common sense, however. Traditional legal citation does not
underline the URL to indicate a hyperlink. (Indeed, if you are using italics for case names,
titles, and such, nothing will be underlined anywhere in the document.) As you create a
citation to an internet source, your word processor may helpfully add an underlined
hyperlink with URL text turned a different color. For citation per the Uniform System of
Citation, believe it or not, you should remove that formatting change. Depending on the
situation, you might choose to leave the non-compliant (yet helpful) obvious hyperlink. You
could remove the hyperlink altogether. Or you could change the formatting so the hyperlink
works but is rendered in plain font, consistent with traditional legal citation.

R33 Basic Formula for Internet Sources

Citations to Internet sources follow this form: <Author Name>, <Title of Website Page>,
<Main Website Title>, <pincite> <(Date source posted, with exact time of posting if
available)>, <URL>.

R33.1 Author Name(s)

R33.1.1 Personal author

When available, use the name or names of the individual, personal authors of the source.

Example:

Kate Klonick, Facebook v. Sullivan, Knight First Amend. Inst. (Oct. 1, 2018), https://
knightcolumbia.org/content/facebook-v-sullivan.

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R33.1.2 Institutional authors

When the name of the individual, personal author is unavailable, use the name of the
institution associated with the source if one is clearly apparent. Institutional authors should be
omitted if the website’s title makes the domain’s owner clear. Institutional authors should be
abbreviated (see Table T12 and Table T11 for abbreviations). Excessively long institutional-
author names may be truncated, such as by omitting prepositional phrases that are not needed
for clear identification.

Examples:

The Pew Charitable Trusts, How Debt Collectors Are Transforming State Courts, Pew (May 6,
2020), https://www.pewtrusts.org/-/media/assets/2020/06/debt-collectors-to-
consumers.pdf

Economic Liberty, Inst. for Just., https://ij.org/issues/economic-liberty/ (last visited July 6,

2021).

Community Standards Enforcement Report, Facebook (Nov. 2019),

https://transparency.facebook.com /community-standards-enforcement

R33.1.3 Forum authors

For web posts and comments, use the actual name of the post author, or the username of the
post author if the actual name is not available. For comments, the author of the comment
should be included if available, but the author of the original post need not be cited.

R33.1.4 Unavailable author name

If the name of the author is unavailable in each of the above forms, it may be omitted from the
basic formula.

R33.2 Content Title

R33.2.1 Specific webpage title

Include the particular cited webpage as the source title (roughly equivalent to citing the title of
an article). This title should be based on either the title bar or the heading of that page as
viewed in the browser.

Examples:

Mike Masnick, Left Shark Bites Back: 3D Printer Sculptor Hires Lawyer to Respond to Katy
Perry’s Bogus Takedown, TechDirt (Feb. 9, 2015, 12:27 PM), https://www.techdirt.com/
articles/20150209/11373729960/left-shark-bites-back-3d-printer-sculptor-hires-lawyer-to-

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respond-to-katy-perrys-bogus-takedown.shtml.

Priority Legis.—U.S. House and Senate, Nat’l Cannabis Indus. Ass’n,

https://thecannabisindustry.org/government-affairs/priority-legislation-us-senate/
(last visited July 6, 2021).

R33.2.2 Shortened content title

The content title should be informative but not unduly long, if possible without compromising
clarity and precision.

R33.2.3 Comments and other related pages

Include the title of certain pages linked from main website when relevant, including postings,
comments, and titles of subheadings (in italics). Where relevant, as in comments, subheadings
should indicate their relationship to the page to which they are responsive.

Example:

Nasch, Re: Costumes, IP, and Ownership Rights, Comment to Left Shark Bites Back, TechDirt
(Feb. 14, 2015, 9:55 AM), https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150209/11373729960/left-
shark-bites-back-3d-printer-sculptor-hires-lawyer-to-respond-to-katy-perrys-bogus-
takedown.shtml.

R33.3 Main Website Title

R33.3.1 Overall title

Provide the internet source’s overall website title (roughly equivalent to the publication title in
a periodical citation). Use the name of the home page; the title given in the blog’s header; or, in
the unlikely event no name is given, the website’s top-level domain name (as distinct from the
specific URL provided later in the citation).

R33.3.2 Abbreviation

Title should be abbreviated per Table T11, Table T12, and Table T15.

Example:

Priority Legis.—U.S. House and Senate, Nat’l Cannabis Indus. Ass’n,

https://thecannabisindustry.org/government-affairs/priority-legislation-us-senate/ (last
visited July 6, 2021).

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R33.4 Pincite
R33.4.1 Paginated electronic publication, or publication of print version

Include when an electronic document preserves the pagination of a printed version. Cite to
pages as they would appear on the document if printed.

Example:

James Huguenin-Love, Song on Wire: A Technical Analysis of ReDigi and the Pre-Owned
Digital Media Marketplace, 4 N.Y.U. J. Intell. Prop. & Ent. L. 1, 4 (2014),
http://jipel.law.nyu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/JIPEL-Winter-2014-Edition.pdf.

R33.5 Date & Time

Include the date of the webpage or publication, as published on the website. The date may be
found at the top, similar to a byline or at the bottom similar to a sign-off. Include the exact time
of publication if given.

Examples:

Laura Moy, Public Knowledge & Consumers Petition Copyright Office for Right to Unlock
Access to Their Own Stuff, Public Knowledge Blogs (Nov. 3, 2014),
https://www.publicknowledge.org/news-blog/blogs/public-knowledge-consumers-petition-
copyright-office-for-right-to-unlock-ac.

Chris Cillizza, Winners and Losers of the 2014 Midterm Elections, Wash. Post Blogs (Nov. 5,
2014, 10:25 AM), http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/11/04/winners-
and-losers-of-the-2014-election-early-edition/.

R33.5.1 Time not needed

Omit time if the source is not updated throughout the day or if there is no time listed.

R33.5.2 Last visited

If no date is provided, add a parenthetical indicating the “last modified” or “last updated” date
for the URL, or, if none of the above are provided, use the “last visited” date. Any date cited in
one of these three formats should be placed after the URL in the citation.

Example:

ESPN, http://www.espn.go.com/ (last visited July 5, 2021).

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R33.6 URL
R33.6.1 Entire URL preferred

Cite in its entirety unless the URL is especially long or unwieldy (a very high standard, given
how long most URLs are).

R33.6.2

If the URL is too long and unwieldy, cite just to the root URL and include a parenthetical
directing the user to the specific material cited.

Example:

Google Books Ngram Viewer, Google, https://books.google.com/ngrams (select corpus

“English Fiction”; then search for “Arrakis”) (last visited Apr. 17, 2012).

R33.6.3 Archived URL

When helpful (such as to preserve a site that may change or to preserve a site for future
readers), include URL to an archived version of the webpage in brackets.

Example:

Kevin Underhill, Gollum Experts to Testify, Says Court, Lowering the Bar (Dec. 4, 2015),
http://www.loweringthebar.net/2015/12/gollum-experts.html [https://web.archive.org/web/
20151208124302/http://www.loweringthebar.net/2015/12/gollum-experts.html].

R33.6.4 Multiple URLs

When a website is served by multiple URLs, use the primary one. When a source is published
on multiple URLs (such as a law-firm website and a content aggregator), use the most
authoritative and original website.

R33.7 Social media

Include the author’s name, handle or other identifying information parenthetically, the
platform, parenthetical with the exact date and time posted, followed by the URL of the post.

Example:

American Bar Association (@ABAesq), Twitter (July 6, 2021, 8:11 PM), https://twitter.com/
ABAesq/status/1412564952846581761?s=20.

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R34 Short Form Citations for Internet Sources

After a full citation to an internet source, an appropriate short form may be used. Id. can be
used to refer to an internet source, consistent with Rule R6. The short form supra can be used
to shorten the full citation where id. is not appropriate.

A bracketed parenthetical also may also be used to provide a short-form definition, if needed to
avoid ambiguity or to preserve clarity. When citing directly to Internet sources, the
“hereinafter” bracketed parenthetical should come right after the URL or, if applicable, the
“last visited” parenthetical.

Example (full citation):

Chris Cillizza, Winners and Losers of the 2014 Midterm Elections, Wash. Post Blogs (Nov. 5,
2014, 10:25 AM), http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/11/04/winners-
and-losers-of-the-2014-election-early-edition/.

Example (short form):

Cillizza, supra.

Example (full citation):

Superfan Suits, http://www.superfansuits.com/ (last visited Feb. 21, 2015).

Example (short form):

Superfan Suits, supra.

Example (full citation):

Full Citation: Ohio’s Official Online Publication of State Laws and Regulations,
https://codes.ohi (last visited July 6, 2021) [hereinafter, “Ohio Official Online State Laws”].

Example (short form):

Ohio Official Online State Laws, supra.

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H. TABLES

T1 Federal Materials

T1.1 Federal Judicial Materials

Materials Date Citation

United States Supreme Court (U.S.): Cite to U.S., if possible. If not, cite to S. Ct. If that’s
not possible, cite to L. Ed. If you can cite to none of the above, cite to U.S.L.W.

United States Reports

91 U.S. to date 1875–date U.S.

Wallace 1863–1874 e.g., 68 U.S. (1 Wall.)

Black 1861–1862 e.g., 66 U.S. (1 Black)

Howard 1843–1860e.g., 42 U.S. (1 How.)

Peters 1828–1842 e.g., 26 U.S. (1 Pet.)

Wheaton 1816–1827 e.g., 14 U.S. (1 Wheat.)

Cranch 1801–1815 e.g., 5 U.S. (1 Cranch)

Dallas 1790–1800e.g., 1 U.S. (1 Dall.)

Supreme Court Reporter 1882–date S. Ct.

United States Supreme Court 1790–date L. Ed., L. Ed. 2d

Reports, Lawyers’ Edition

United States Law Week 1933–date U.S.L.W.

United States Reports 1893–date U.S.

Supreme Court Reporter 1893–date S. Ct.

United States Supreme Court 1790–date L. Ed., L. Ed. 2d

Reports, Lawyers’ Edition

United States Law Week 1933–date U.S.L.W.

Circuit Justices (e.g., Gorsuch, J., in chambers): Cite to U.S. if possible; otherwise, cite to S.
Ct., L. Ed., or U.S.L.W. in that order of preference.

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Materials Date Citation

Some cases presided over by Circuit Justices are found in other reporters. After the citation,
indicate the Circuit Justice and applicable circuit parenthetically as in this example: (Jackson,
Circuit Justice, 2d Cir. 1950).

United States Courts of Appeals (1st Cir., 2d Cir., 3d Cir., 4th Cir., 5th Cir., 6th
Cir., 7th Cir., 8th Cir., 9th Cir., 10th Cir., 11th Cir., and D.C. Cir.): Cite to F., F.2d,
F.3d, or F.4th

Federal Reporter 1891–date F., F.2d, F.3d, F.4th

Federal Appendix 2001–date F. App’x

Circuit Courts (e.g., C.C.S.D.N.Y., C.C.D. Cal.) (abolished 1912): Cite to F. or F. Cas.

Federal Reporter 1880–1912 F.

Federal Cases 1789–1880 F. Cas.

Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals (Temp. Emer. Ct. App.) (1971–1993), Emergency
Court of Appeals (Emer. Ct. App.) (created 1942, abolished 1961), and Commerce Court
(Comm. Ct.) (created 1910, abolished 1913): Cite to F. or F.2d.

Federal Reporter 1910–1993 F., F.2d

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Fed. Cir.) (created 1982),
successor to the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals (C.C.P.A.) (previously the
Court of Customs Appeals (Ct. Cust. App.)) and the appellate jurisdiction of the Court of
Claims (Ct. Cl.): Cite to F., F.2d, F.3d, or F.4th; else, cite to the official reporter.

Federal Reporter 1910–date F., F.2d, F.3d, F.4th

Court of Claims Reports 1956–1982 Ct. Cl.

Court of Customs and Patent 1929–1982 C.C.P.A.

Appeals Reports

Court of Customs Appeals Reports 1910–1929 Ct. Cust.

United States Court of Federal Claims (Fed. Cl.) (created 1992), formerly United States
Claims Court (Cl. Ct.) (created 1982), and successor to the original jurisdiction of the Court of
Claims (Ct. Cl.): Cite to one of the following reporters:

Federal Claims Reporter 1992–date Fed. Cl.

United States Claims Court 1983–1992 Cl. Ct.

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Materials Date Citation

Reporter

Federal Reporter 1930–1932 F.2d

1960–1982 F.2d

Federal Supplement 1932–1960 F. Supp.

Court of Claims Reports 1863–1982 Ct. Cl.

United States Court of International Trade (Ct. Int’l Trade) (created 1980), formerly
United States Customs Court (Cust. Ct.) (created 1926): Cite to the official reporters, if
possible; if not, in the following order, cite to F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d, or F. Supp. 3d to Cust. B. &
Dec. (an official publication), or to I.T.R.D. (BL).

Court of International Trade 1980–date Ct. Int’l Trade

Reports

Customs Court Reports 1938–1980Cust. Ct.

Federal Supplement 1980–date F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d, F. Supp. 3d

Customs Bulletin and Decisions 1967–date Cust. B. & Dec.

International Trade Reporter 1980–date I.T.R.D. (BL)

Decisions

District Courts (e.g., D. Mass., S.D.N.Y.): Cite F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d, F. Supp. 3d, F.R.D., or
B.R.

If the case is not published in the priority reporters above, cite to Fed. R. Serv., Fed. R. Serv.
2d, or Fed. R. Serv. 3d. For cases before 1932, cite to F., F.2d, or F. Cas.

Use Table T9 for court abbreviations and Table T12 for geographical abbreviations to construct
the proper abbreviation for the District Court, such as C.D. Cal. and D.N.M.

Federal Supplement 1932–date F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d, F. Supp. 3d

Federal Rules Decisions 1938–date F.R.D.

West’s Bankruptcy Reporter 1979–date B.R.

Federal Rules Service 1938–date Fed. R. Serv. (Callaghan), Fed. R. Serv. 2d

(Callaghan), Fed. R. Serv. 3d (West)

Federal Reporter 1880–1932F., F.2d

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Materials Date Citation

Federal Cases 1789–1880 F. Cas.

Citations to F. Cas. should give the case number parenthetically.

Example: Davey v. The Mary Frost, 7 F. Cas. 11 (E.D. Tx. 1876) (No. 3591).

Bankruptcy Courts and Bankruptcy Appellate Panels (e.g., Bankr. N.D. Cal.; B.A.P.
1st Cir.), cite to B.R.; else, cite to a looseleaf service.

Bankruptcy Reporter 1979–date B.R.

Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (J.P.M.L.) (created 1968) and Special Court,
Regional Rail Reorganization Act (Reg’l Rail Reorg. Ct.) (created 1973): Cite to F. Supp., F.
Supp. 2d., or F. Supp. 3d.

Federal Supplement 1968–date F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d, F. Supp. 3d

Tax Court (T.C.) (created 1942), previously Board of Tax Appeals (B.T.A.), cite to T.C. or
B.T.A.; else, cite to T.C.M. (CCH), T.C.M. (P-H), T.C.M. (RIA), or B.T.A.M. (P-H).

United States Tax Court Reports 1942–date T.C.

Reports of the United States 1924–1942 B.T.A.

Board of Tax Appeals

Tax Court Memorandum 1942–date T.C.M. (CCH)

Decisions

1942–1991 T.C.M. (P-H)

1991–date T.C.M. (RIA)

Board of Tax Appeals 1928–1942 B.T.A.M. (P-H)

Memorandum Decisions

United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Vet. App.), previously United
States Court of Veterans Appeals (Vet. App.) (created 1988), cite to Vet. App.

West’s Veterans Appeals Reporter 1990–date Vet. App.

United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (C.A.A.F.), previously United
States Court of Military Appeals (C.M.A.): Cite to C.M.A.

Decisions of the United States 1951–1975 C.M.A.

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Materials Date Citation

Court of Military Appeals

West’s Military Justice Reporter 1978–date M.J.

Court Martial Reports 1951–1975 C.M.R.

Military Service Courts of Criminal Appeals (A. Ct. Crim. App., A.F. Ct. Crim. App., C.G.
Ct. Crim. App., N-M. Ct. Crim. App.), previously Courts of Military Review (e.g., A.C.M.R.),
previously Boards of Review (e.g., A.B.R.): For cases after 1950, cite to M.J. or C.M.R. For
earlier cases, cite to the official reporter.

West’s Military Justice Reporter 1975–date M.J.

Court Martial Reports 1951–1975 C.M.R.

T1.2 Federal Statutory Materials

For statutory compilations, cite to the United States Code (U.S.C.)

United States Code <tit. no.> U.S.C. § x

Note: 26 U.S.C. may be abbreviated as I.R.C. 26 I.R.C. § x

United States Code Annotated <tit. no.> U.S.C.A. § x (West)

United States Code Service <tit. no.> U.S.C.S. § x (LexisNexis)

Session laws

United States Statutes at Large <vol. no.> Stat. <page no.> (<year>)

For public laws before 1957, cite by chapter number; for subsequent public laws, cite by public
law number.

Note that the year of the code section is not required, but may be included if appropriate to the
citation context. The exact date of the unofficial publisher’s “current through” date may also be
provided if relevant and helpful to the citation context.

T2 Federal Administrative and Executive Materials

Administrative Materials

Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA)

Decisions: Cite decisions as: <case name>, ASBCA No. <decision number>, <citation to

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Administrative Materials

services> For citations to the Board of Contract Appeals Decisions (BCA), published by
Commerce Clearing House, the publisher is not indicated and the volume number should be
used to indicate the year of the decision.

Example: RMTC Sys., Inc., ASBCA No. 43466, 93-1 BCA ¶ 25,508.

Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA)

Decisions: Cite the same way as a citation for the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals,
but include the opposing agency in the case name.

Example: G2G, LLC v. Dept. of Commerce, CBCA 4845-R, 15-1 BCA ¶ 36,163.

Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA)

Decisions: Cite decisions as: <case name>, ASBCA No. <decision number>, <citation to
services> For citations to the Board of Contract Appeals Decisions (BCA), published by
Commerce Clearing House, the publisher is not indicated and the volume number should be
used to indicate the year of the decision.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

Decisions: Cite as <case name>, CFTC No. <docket number>, <secondary source if
available> (<date>).

Example: Windjammer Capital LLC v. Glob. Futures Exch. & Trading Co., Inc., CFTC No.
14-R1, 2015 WL 9434227 (Dec. 22, 2015).

Interpretive Letters, No-Action Letters, and Exemptive Letters: Cite a service or an

electronic database. Include the full name of the correspondent if available, the CFTC docket
number, and the full date on which the letter became publicly available.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

Decisions: Cite as <case name>, CFPB No. <decision number>, <secondary source if
available> (<date>).

Example: American Express Travel Related Servs., Inc., CFPB No. 2013-CFPB-0013 (Dec. 24,
2013).

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Decisions: Cite to the Agriculture Decisions (Agric. Dec).

Example: Arizona Livestock Auction, Inc., 55 Agric Dec. 1121 (U.S.D.A. 1996).

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Administrative Materials

Directives: Cite as: <issuing agency abbreviated according to table below> <directive
number>, <directive title> (U.S.D.A. <year>).

Agricultural Marketing Service AMS

Agricultural Research Service ARS 218

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service APHIS

Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion CNPP

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension ServiceCSREES

Economic Research Service ERS

Farm Service Agency FSA

Food and Nutrition Service FNS

Food Safety and Inspection Service FSIS

Foreign Agricultural Service FAS

Forest Service FS

Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration GIPSA

National Agricultural Library NAL

National Agricultural Statistics Service NASS

National Institute of Food and Agriculture NIFA

National Resources Conservation Service NRCS

Risk Management Agency RMA

Rural Development RD

Rural Housing Service RHS

Rural Utilities Service RUS

Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA)

Decisions in Consistency Appeals Under the Coastal Zone Management Act:

Citation format for decisions of the Secretary of Commerce under the Coastal Zone

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Administrative Materials

Management Act: Decision and Findings in the Consistency Appeal of <party name>, from an
objection by <state or relevant state agency’s name> (Sec’y of Commerce <date>). If these
decisions are not published in an official reporter; indicate the source where the decision is
located.

Other NOAA Decisions: For decisions of administrative law judges in civil administrative
law cases, cite to the Ocean Resources and Wildlife Reporter (O.R.W.); else cite to an
appropriate secondary source.

Decisions of the Administrator for Appeals (NOAA App.) should so specify.

Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Decisions: For decisions of the Commissioner of Patents, cite to Decisions of the

Commissioner of Patents (Dec. Comm’r Pat.) following Rule 19 but including all procedural
phrases in party names.

For decisions of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (P.T.A.B.), cite as <case name>, No.
<docket number>, <citation to secondary source> (P.T.A.B. <year>).

Use the U.S.P.Q.2d as the preferred secondary source in these citations if available, rather than
a commercial database.

For decisions of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board that are not published but available on a
website or otherwise, cite as Ex parte <Name>, decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board,
Patent No. <case xxx,xxx,xxx>, paper No. <xxx>, <xxx> pages. See Manual of Patent
Examining Procedure 707.06.

For decisions of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (T.T.A.B.), cite as: <case name>,
<citation to secondary source> (T.T.A.B. <year>).

Use the U.S.P.Q.2d as the preferred secondary source in these citations if available, rather than
a commercial database.

Pre-Sept. 16, 2012: For decisions by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (B.P.A.I.),
cite as: <party name>, No. <docket number>, <citation to secondary source if available>
(B.P.A.I. <date>).

Patents:

Cite the patent number and the date the patent was filed.

Example: U.S. Patent No. 8,112,504 B2 (filed Mar. 4, 2009)

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The patent name and/or issuing date may be included if relevant.

System for disseminating media content representing episodes in a serialized sequence, U.S.
Patent No. 8,112,504 B2 (filed Mar. 4, 2009) (issued Feb. 7, 2012)

For citations to a specific field of the title page, include the field code in brackets.

Example: U.S. Patent No. 8,112,504 B2, at [75] (filed Mar. 4, 2009)

For citations to a specific portion of patent text, a patent figure, or an item within a figure.

Example: U.S. Patent No. 8,112,504 B2, fig. 1, item 141 (filed Mar. 4, 2009)

Short form patent citations include an apostrophe followed by the last three digits of the patent
number.

Example: ’504 Patent.

Trademarks:

For registered trademarks, cite as <TRADEMARK NAME>, Registration No. <registration

number>.

Example: THE BLUEBOOK A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF CITATION, Registration No.

3,886,986.

For trademarks that have been filed, but not approved, cite as U.S. Trademark Application
Serial No. <Serial Number> (filed <date>).

Example: U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 86,680,743 (filed Jul. 1, 2015).

Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office (1872–1971)Off. Gaz. Pat. Office

Official Gazette of the United States Patent and Trademark Off. Gaz. Pat. & Trademark
Office (1975–2002) Office

Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure TMEP (Oct. 2018)

Manual of Patent Examining Procedure MPEP (9th ed., Rev. 10.2019,

June 2020)

Department of Education

Reports: Cite Institution of Education Sciences reports as Institution of Education Sciences,

<title> <page> (<date>).

Example: Institute of Education Sciences, National Board for Education Sciences Annual

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Report 12 (2014).

Reports: Cite federal student aid proceedings as <case name>, U.S. Dep’t of Educ., No.
<docket number> (<date>).

Example: Lincoln Univ., U.S. Dep’t of Educ., No. 13-68-SF (Mar. 16, 2015).

Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection

The two official reporters of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and its predecessors
are the Administrative Decisions Under Immigration and Nationality Laws (I. & N. Dec.) and
the Customs Bulletin and Decisions (Cust. B. & Dec).

Department of Justice

Advisory Opinions: For published, formal advisory opinions, cite in the same manner as
adjudications. Cite opinions from the Attorney General as Opinions of the Attorneys General
(Op. Att’y Gen.).

Cite opinions from the Office of Legal Counsel as Opinions of the Office of Legal Counsel of the
Department of Justice (Op. O.L.C.).

Examples:

Authority of Sec’y of Treasury to Compromise Final Judgments, 36 U.S. Op. Att’y Gen. 40
(1929)

Diversion of Water from Niagara River, 30 Op. Att’y Gen. 217 (1913).

U.S. Assistance to Countries that Shoot Down Civil Aircraft Involved in Drug Trafficking, 18
Op. O.L.C. 148, 165 (1994).

Cite precedent decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) to Administrative

Decisions Under Immigration and Nationality Laws (I. & N. Dec.) as published by the
Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

Department of Labor

Decisions in Petition for Modification Cases Under Section 101(c) of the Mine Act,
30 U.S.C. § 811(c): Cite as <description of decision>, <case name>, Docket No. <docket
number> (Dep’t of Labor <date>).

Note that these decisions have not been reported in any official reporter or service.

Decisions in Enforcement Actions Brought by the Office of Federal Contract

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Administrative Materials

Compliance Programs: Cite as <case name>, <docket number>, <description of decision>

(Dep’t of Labor <date>).

Note that these decisions have not been reported in any official reporter or service.

Example: OFCCP v. Bank of Am., 97-OFC-16, Secretary's Decision and Order of Remand
(Dep't of Labor Mar. 31, 2003).

Decisions by the Benefits Review Board: Cite to a service.

Example: Jones v. I.T.O. Corp. of Baltimore, 9 Ben. Rev. Bd. Serv. (MB) 583, 585 (1979).

Opinions: Cite as <Name of agency, Name of subagency if applicable>, <Title of Letter>,

<Date>,<Further publication information or URL>.

Example: U.S. Dep’t of Labor, Wage and Hour Div., Opinion Letter FLSA2021-2 (Jan. 8,
2021), https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/opinion-letters/FLSA/
2021_01_08_02_FLSA.pdf.

Department of the Interior

Cite agency decisions to Interior Decisions (Interior Dec.) or Interior and General Land Office
Cases Relating to Public Lands (Pub. Lands Dec.). Where a board within the agency issues the
opinion, note the board in the same parenthetical as the date, using these abbreviations:

Interior Board of Land Appeals IBLA

Interior Board of Indian Appeals DBIA

Interior Board of Contract Appeals IBCA

Example: Shell Offshore, Inc., 94 Interior Dec. 69 (IBLA 1987).

Department of State

Reports: For reports of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, cite as: U.S.
Dep’t of State, Bureau of Democracy, H.R. and Lab., <title> <page> (<date>).

Example: U.S. Dep’t of State, Bureau of Democracy, H.R. and Lab., International Religious
Freedom Report 14 (2014).

Department of the Treasury

Regulations: For Department of Treasury regulations, cite as <Treas. Reg.>, despite the fact
that they are published under Title 26 of the C.F.R.

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Administrative Materials

For unamended regulations, cite the year.

Example: Treas. Reg. § 1.41-2 (1989).

Indicate if the regulation is a temporary regulation by beginning the citation with Temp:

Example: Temp. Treas. Reg. § 5e.274-8 (1982).

For specific questions and answers, cite as:

Example: Treas. Reg. § 1.72-16(a), Q&A (3)(a) (1963).

If any subsection of the cited section has been amended or appears in substantially different
versions, give the year of the most recent amendment. Follow this rule even if the particular
subsection you are citing has never been amended.

Example: Treas. Reg. § 1.41-2 (as amended in 2001).

Indicate when the source of the amendment is relevant.

Example: Treas. Reg. § 1.41-2 (as amended by T.D. 8930, 65 FR 287).

For proposed Treasury regulations to the Federal Register, cite in the following manner:

Example: Prop. Treas. Reg. § 1.704-1, 48 Fed. Reg. 9871, 9872 (Mar. 9, 1983).

Treasury Determinations: Cite Revenue Rulings, Revenue Procedures, and Treasury

Decisions to the Cumulative Bulletin (C.B.) or its advance sheet, the Internal Revenue Bulletin
(I.R.B.), or to Treasury Decisions Under Internal Revenue Laws (Treas. Dec. Int. Rev.), in
that order of preference.

The numbering of the Cumulative Bulletin is as follows:

1. By volume number from 1919 to 1921.

2. By volume number and part number from 1921 to 1936.
3. By year and part number from 1937 to date.

The abbreviations used are explained in the introductory pages of each volume of the
Cumulative Bulletin.

Private Letter Rulings: Cite by number and the date issued, if available.

Technical Advice Memoranda: Cite by number and the date issued, if available.

General Counsel Memoranda: Cite by number and the date on which the memorandum

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was approved.

Other Treasury Determinations: For all other Treasury materials, cite to the Cumulative
Bulletin, Internal Revenue Bulletin, or Internal Revenue Manual (IRM).

Delegation Orders (Deleg. Order)

Treasury Orders (Treas. Order)

Treasury Directives (Treas. Dir.)

Notices, Announcements, and News Releases

Otherwise cite by number and date issued.

Cases: For the Tax Court and Board of Tax Appeals, cite as those of a court, not of an agency.

Acquiescence: The following may be indicated in the case citation if the Commissioner of the
Internal Revenue Service has published an acquiescence (acq.), acquiescence in result only
(acq. In result), or nonacquiescence (nonacq.) in a decision of the Tax Court or Board of Tax
Appeals.

Action on Decision: To cite an action on decision (action on dec) as subsequent history,

include its identifying number, if any, and its full date.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Decisions: For Environmental Administrative Decisions (E.A.D.) indicate the decision

maker—either the Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) or an administrative law judge—if the
source does not make it obvious.

Example: Donald Cutler, 11 E.A.D. 622, 623 (EAB 2004).

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Decisions: For EEOC decisions that do not have readily identifiable titles, cite using the
decision number in place of the title. Otherwise cite per Rule 19.3.

Example: Budnik v. Chertoff, EEOC DOC 0520070154 (2006).

For EEOC Federal Sector decisions that have party names, cite in accordance with Rule 11.2.

Executive Office of the President

Executive Orders, Presidential Proclamations, and Reorganization Plans: Cite by

page number to 3 C.F.R. However, since all executive orders are not reprinted in successive
years of the C.F.R., cite to the original year, rather than the most recent edition of the C.F.R.

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Where relevant, include a parallel citation to the U.S.C.

Example: Exec. Order 13,136, 3 C.F.R. 216 (Sep. 3, 1999).

If the material is not in the C.F.R., cite to the Federal Register.

Example: Exec. Order 14,023, 86 Fed. Reg. 19569 (April 9, 2021).

A parallel citation to the Statutes at Large may also be given.

Other Presidential Papers: Cite to Public Papers of the Presidents (Papers) if found there.
If not recorded in the Public Papers, cite the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents
(Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc.), published from 1965 to January 29, 2009, the Daily Compilation
of Presidential Documents (Daily Comp. Pres. Doc.), published from January 29, 2009 to date,
or the U.S. Code Congressional and Administrative News (U.S.C.C.A.N.).

Budgets: Use the structure of book citations for governmental budgets.

Example: Office of Mgmt. & Budget, Exec. Office of the President, Budget of the United
States Government, Fiscal Year 2014 (2013).

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Decisions: For decisions of administrative law judges in civil penalty enforcement matters
adjudicated under 14 C.F.R. pt. 13, § 13.16 and subpart G, cite per Rule R12.4 as slip opinions.

For Decisions of the Administrator or his delegate, cite using an order number, not a docket
number.

For Decisions of the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition (ODRA) adjudicated under 14
C.F.R. Part 17, the citation should incorporate the type of dispute.

For other FAA decisions and orders, the citation should indicate the nature of the decision,
followed by the date.

Examples:

Federal Express Corporation, FAA Order No. 2002-20, 2002 WL 31777976 (F.A.A.).

Envirosolve, LLC, FAA Order No. 2006-2, 2006 WL 465371 (Feb. 7, 2006).

Aerocomp, Inc., FAA Order No. 2006-1, Order Dismissing Appeal (Jan. 12, 2006).

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Cite to the Federal Communications Commission Reports (F.C.C., F.C.C.2d), published

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1934-1986, or the Federal Communications Commission Record (FCC Rcd.), published since
1986.

Example: Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet, GN Docket No. 14-28, Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking, 29 FCC Rcd 5561 (2014).

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

Cite decisions to the Federal Energy Guidelines: FERC Reports (FERC).

Example: Filing of Privileged Materials and Answers to Motions, Order No. 769, 141 FERC ¶
61,049 (2012).

Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA)

Cite decisions to the Decisions of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (F.L.R.A.).

Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC)

Cite decisions to the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission Decisions
(FMSHRC).

Federal Reserve System

Enforcement Actions: Cite written agreements resulting from enforcement actions as:
Written Agreement between <private bank name> and <Federal Reserve Bank name>, Docket
no. <docket number> (<date>).

Example: Written Agreement Between Allied First Bancorp, Inc. and Federal Reserve Bank of
Chicago, Docket No. 14-006-WA/RB-HC (2014).

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Cite decisions to the Federal Trade Commission (F.T.C.).

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Bid Protest Decisions: Cite to Decisions of the Comptroller General of the United States
(Comp. Gen.).

Example: Space Communications Co., 66 Comp. Gen. 2 (1987).

For unpublished decisions to a readily accessible source, cite as: <protesting party>, <docket
number>, <volume number or year> <source> <location within source volume or year>
(Comp. Gen. <date>).

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 H. TABLES

Administrative Materials

Do not indicate the publisher when citing these cases to the Comptroller General’s
Procurement Decision, published by West.

Examples:

HP Enterprise Services, LLC, B-405692, 2012 CPD ¶ 13 (Comp. Gen. Dec. 14, 2011).

Phoenix Environmental Design, Inc., B-412503, 2016 WL 873296 (Comp. Gen. Mar. 7, 2016).

Insert “et al.” after the docket number where a decision resolves multiple bid protests, each
having its own docket number.

Example:

IAP-Hill, LLC, B-406289 et al, 2012 CPD ¶ 151 (Comp. Gen. Apr. 4, 2012).

International Trade Commission (USITC)

Trade Remedy Investigations: Cite as: <investigation name>, Inv. No. <number>, USITC
Pub. <number> (<date>) (<status>).

Indicate where a single decision contains multiple investigation numbers.

Examples:

Trade and Investment Polices in India, 2014–2015, Inv. No. 332-550, USITC Pub. 4566 (Sep.
2015).

The Year in Trade 2014: Operation of the Trade Agreements Program, USITC Pub. 4543 (July
2015).

Polyvinyl Alcohol from China, Japan, and Taiwan, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-309, 731-TA-528,
731-TA-529, USITC Pub. 4067 (Mar. 27, 2009) (Review).

Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)

Cite decisions to the Decisions of the United States Merit Systems Protection Board
(M.S.P.B.).

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

Cite decisions and orders to the Decisions and Orders of the National Labor Relations Board
(N.L.R.B.).

National Mediation Board (NMB)

Cite decisions to the Decisions of the National Mediation Board (N.M.B.).

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Administrative Materials

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Cite decisions to the National Transportation Safety Board Decisions (N.T.S.B.), published
from 1967-1977.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

For decisions of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, cite to the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission Issuances (N.R.C.).

For decisions of its predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission (1956–1975), cite to the
Atomic Energy Commission Reports (A.E.C.).

Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC)

Decisions: For commission decisions reported in a service, cite as: <party name>, <service
volume number> <publisher> <service, abbreviated as below> <page/paragraph number>
(No. <docket number>, <year>).

Example: US Pagoda, Inc., CCH OSHD ¶ 33123 (No. 10-2035, 2011).

At the end of a citation, indicate parenthetically when an administrative law judge issued the
decision, rather than the commission.

Example: Miller Construction Co., 24 BL OSHC 1817 (No. 13-0323, 2013) (ALJ).

The abbreviations OSHRC uses for services reporting its decisions vary from those in Table T4
as follows:

Occupational Safety & Health Cases (BL) BL OSHC

Occupational Safety & Health Decisions (CCH) CCH OSHD

A decision that is not cited in any service or database may be cited as an unpublished slip
opinion following the format in Rule R12.4.

Example: Prime Roofing Corp., No. 07-1409 (OSHRC Feb. 5, 2008),

https://www.pewtrusts.org/-/media/assets/2020/06/debt-collectors-to-consumers.pdf

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Interpretive Letters, No-Action Letters, and Exemptive Letters: Cite a looseleaf

service or an electronic database. In the citation, include the correspondent’s full name and the
date that the letter became publicly available.

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 H. TABLES

Administrative Materials

Examples:

Poplogix LLC, SEC No-Action Letter, 2010 WL 4472794 (Nov. 5, 2010).

MP Environmental Funding LLC, SEC Interpretive Letter, 2007 WL 2838964 (Sep. 19, 2007)

Releases: Cite the Federal Register, SEC Docket, or a loose-leaf service. Releases that have
subject-matter title may be presented in a short form. Make sure to include the act under
which the release was issued, the release number, and the date.

Example: SEC Whistleblower Rules, Exchange Act Release No. 75592, 80 Fed. Reg 47829
(Aug. 10, 2015).

If the release is an adjudication, abbreviate the parties’ names according to Rule 11.

Example: Midas Sec., LLC, Exchange Act Release No. 66200, 102 SEC Docket 3123, 102 SEC
Docket 3137 (Jan. 20, 2012).

If the adjudication occurred before an administrative law judge, indicate this fact in the date
parenthetical.

If a particular release is issued under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the Investment
Company Act, a parallel citation should be given in that order.

Staff Interpretations: Cite SEC Staff Accounting Bulletins, Staff Legal Bulletins, and
Telephone Interpretations as follows:

Example: SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 99, 64 Fed. Reg. 45150 (Aug. 19, 1999).

SEC Filings: For annual reports, proxy statements, and other company filings required under
federal securities laws, provide the name of the company (abbreviated according to Rule 15),
the title as given in the document, the form type in parentheses, the page number if applicable,
and the full date of filing with the SEC.

Example: Apple Inc., Annual Report (Form 10-K), (Oct. 28, 2015).

If citing annual reports, proxy statements, or other documents in a form other than that filed
with the SEC, treat as books under Rule 15.

Example: Facebook, Inc., 2014 Annual Report (2014).

Small Business Administration (SBA)

Decisions: Cite decisions as: <party name>, SBA No. <docket number> (<date>).

Example: OxyHeal Medical Systems, Inc., SBA No. SIZ-5707 (Jan. 19 2016).

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Administrative Materials

The docket number indicates the type of decision:

Small disadvantaged business SDBA

Size determination SIZ

Service-disabled veteran-owned business VET

Business development program BDP

North American Industry Classification System NAICS

Social Security Administration (SSA)

Rulings and Acquiescence Rulings: For Social Security Rulings, cite as SSR; for Social
Security Acquiescence Rulings, cite as SSAR.

Cite to the Social Security Rulings, Cumulative Edition (S.S.R. Cum. Ed.). If not published
there, cite to another official source, such as the Code of Federal Regulations or the Federal
Register. Otherwise, cite a commercial database or other source.

Example: SSR 62-2, 1960-1974 Soc. Sec. Rep. Serv. 69 (Jan. 1, 1962).

Surface Transportation Board (STB)

For materials from the Surface Transportation Board, cite to the Surface Transportation
Board Reporter (S.T.B.). For materials from its predecessor, cite to the Interstate Commerce
Commission (ICC), to the Interstate Commerce Commission Reporter (I.C.C., I.C.C. 2d).

The official date for unpublished decisions is the date on which the decision was served on the
parties or otherwise filed by the STB (or ICC). Do not cite the date of the decision.

T3 U.S. States and Other Jurisdictions

This table provides a uniform standard for citing state and U.S. territorial legal sources. It also
provides selected Local Notes on state-specific practices. This table does not attempt to
comprehensively address state-specific citation rules and customs; indeed its primary use is
simply to illustrate that many states do in fact adopt small and wide variations from the
Uniform System of Citations. To dig deep into a particular state’s citations rules and customs,
refer to court websites, court rules, and state style manuals if available, as well as the expertise
of law librarians and legal professionals. See also Peter Martin, Introduction to Basic Legal
Citation § 7-500, Table of State-Specific Citation Norms and Practices,
https://www.law.cornell.edu/citation/7-500. Updates and suggested Local Notes may be

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 H. TABLES

provided to the editors of The Indigo Book.

Category Dates Abbreviation

Alabama

Supreme Court (Ala.): Cite to So., So. 2d, or So. 3d.

Southern Reporter 1886–date So., So. 2d, So. 3d

Alabama Reports 1840–1976 Ala.

Porter 1834–1839 Port.

Stewart and Porter 1831–1834 Stew. & P.

Stewart 1827–1831 Stew.

Minor 1820–1826 Minor

Court of Civil Appeals (Ala. Civ. App.) and Court of Criminal Appeals (Ala. Crim.
App.), before 1969 Court of Appeals (Ala. Ct. App.): Cite to So., So. 2d, or So. 3d.

Southern Reporter 1911–date So., So. 2d, So. 3d

Alabama Appellate Courts Reports 1911–1974 Ala. App.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Ala. Code (published by West).

Code of Alabama, 1975 (West) Ala. Code § x-x-x

(<year>)

Michie’s Alabama Code, 1975 (LexisNexis) Ala. Code § x-x-x

(LexisNexis <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Ala. Laws.

Alabama Laws <year> Ala. Laws <page

no.>

West’s Alabama Legislative Service <year> Ala. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Michie’s Alabama Code <year> Advance Legislative <year>-<pamph. no.>

Service (LexisNexis) Ala. Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

Administrative compilation

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Alabama Administrative Code Ala. Admin. Code r. x-x-

x.x (<year>)

Administrative register

Alabama Administrative Monthly <vol. no.> Ala. Admin.

Monthly <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Alaska

Supreme Court (Alaska): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1960–date P.2d, P.3d

Court of Appeals (Alaska Ct. App.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1980–date P.2d, P.3d

District Courts of Alaska (D. Alaska): These courts had local jurisdiction from 1884 to
1959. Cite to F. Supp., F., or F.2d; else, cite to Alaska or Alaska Fed., in that order of
preference.

Federal Supplement 1946–1959 F. Supp.

Federal Reporter 1886–1932 F., F.2d

Alaska Reports 1887–1958 Alaska

Alaska Federal Reports 1869–1937 Alaska Fed.

United States District Courts for California and Oregon, and District Courts of
Washington (D. Cal., D. Or., D. Wash.): These courts had local jurisdiction in Alaska
until 1884. Cite to F. or F. Cas.

Federal Reporter 1880–1884 F.

Federal Cases 1867–1880 F. Cas.

Alaska Federal Reports 1869–1937 Alaska Fed.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Alaska Stat.

Alaska Statutes (LexisNexis) Alaska Stat. § x.x.x

(<year>)

West’s Alaska Statutes Annotated Alaska Stat. Ann. § x.x.x

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 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Alaska Sess. Laws.

Session Laws of Alaska <year> Alaska Sess.

Laws <page no.>

Alaska Statutes <year> Advance Legislative Service <year>-<pamph. no.>

Alaska Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

West’s Alaska Legislative Service <year> Alaska Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Alaska Administrative Code (LexisNexis) Alaska Admin. Code tit.

x, § x.x (<year>)

Arizona

Supreme Court (Ariz.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1883–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Arizona Reports 1866–date Ariz.

Court of Appeals (Ariz. Ct. App.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1965–date P.2d, P.3d

Arizona Reports 1976–date Ariz.

Arizona Appeals Reports 1965–1977 Ariz. App.

Tax Court (Ariz. Tax Ct.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1988–date P.2d, P.3d

Statutory compilations: Cite to Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann.

Arizona Revised Statutes Annotated (West) Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § x-

x (<year>)

Arizona Revised Statutes (LexisNexis) Ariz. Rev. Stat. § x-x

(LexisNexis <year>)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Session laws: Cite to Ariz. Sess. Laws.

Session Laws, Arizona <year> Ariz. Sess. Laws

<page no.>

Arizona Legislative Service (West) <year> Ariz. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Arizona Administrative Code Ariz. Admin. Code § x-x-

x (<year>)

Administrative register

Arizona Administrative Register <vol. no.> Ariz. Admin.

Reg. <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Arkansas

Supreme Court (Ark.): Cite to S.W., S.W.2d, or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1886–date S.W., S.W.2d, or S.W.3d

Arkansas Reports 1837–2009 Ark.

Court of Appeals (Ark. Ct. App.): Cite to S.W.2d or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1979–date S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Arkansas Appellate Reports 1981–2009 Ark. App.

Arkansas Reports 1979–1981 Ark.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Ark. Code Ann. (published by LexisNexis).

Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated (LexisNexis) Ark. Code Ann. § x-x-x

(<year>)

West's Arkansas Code Annotated Ark. Code Ann. § x-x-x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Ark. Acts.

Acts of Arkansas (West) <year> Ark. Acts <page

no.>

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 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated <year> Advance <year>-<pamph. no.>

Legislative Service (LexisNexis) Ark. Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

West's Arkansas Legislative Service <year> Ark. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Code of Arkansas Rules (LexisNexis) x-x-x Ark. Code R. § x

(LexisNexis <year>)

Administrative registers: Cite to Ark. Reg.

Arkansas Register <vol. no.> Ark. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
year>)

Arkansas Government Register <iss. no.> Ark. Gov’t

Reg. <page no.>
(LexisNexis <month
year>)

Local Notes:

Arkansas has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after February 13, 2009.
Citations include a parallel citation to the Southwestern Reports or other source. For
additional instruction, consult Arkansas Supreme Court Rule 5-2.

Examples:

Box v. J.B. Hunt Transp., Inc., 2017 Ark. App. 605, 533 S.W.3d 603.

Mounce v. Jeronimo Insulating LLC, 2021 Ark. App. 195, 2021 WL 1655901.

See generally Arkansas Reporter of Decisions, House Style Guide (2010),

https://courts.arkansas.gov/sites/default/files
/House%20Style%20Guide%20September2010.pdf (“This House Style Guide is intended for
internal use by the judiciary and staff of the Arkansas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals in
preparing opinions. Practitioners may also consult this House Style Guide, but must adhere to
specific requirements of the Arkansas Rules of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals
regarding pleadings, briefs, and other documents submitted to the supreme court and court of
appeals.”)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

California

Local Notes:

The year of cases is indicated parenthetically after the case name. Parallel citations may be
placed in brackets after the California Reports citation. Citation sentences are entirely enclosed
in parentheses.

Example: (Brescia v. Angelin (2009) 172 Cal.App.4th 133 [90 Cal.Rptr.3d 842]).

California statutory and administrative code citations follow state-specific abbreviations, such
as Cal. U. Com. Code for the California Uniform Commercial Code.

See Edward W. Jessen, California Style Manual: A Handbook of Legal Style for California
Courts and Lawyers (4th ed. 2000), available at http://www.sdap.org/downloads/Style-
Manual.pdf

Supreme Court (Cal.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1883–date P., P.2d, P.3d

California Reports 1850–date Cal., Cal. 2d, Cal. 3d,

Cal. 4th

West’s California Reporter 1959–date Cal. Rptr., Cal. Rptr. 2d,

Cal. Rptr. 3d

California Unreported Cases 1855–1910 Cal. Unrep.

Court of Appeal (Cal. Ct. App.), previously District Court of Appeal (Cal. Dist. Ct.
App.): Cite to P. or P.2d (before 1960) or Cal. Rptr., Cal. Rptr. 2d (after 1959), or Cal. Rptr.
3d.

West’s California Reporter 1959–date Cal. Rptr., Cal. Rptr. 2d,

Cal. Rptr. 3d

Pacific Reporter 1905–1959 P., P.2d

California Appellate Reports 1905–date Cal. App., Cal. App. 2d,

Cal. App. 3d, Cal. App.
4th

Appellate Divisions of the Superior Court (Cal. App. Dep’t Super. Ct.): Cite to P. or
P.2d (before 1960) or to Cal. Rptr., Cal. Rptr. 2d (after 1959), or Cal. Rptr. 3d.

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 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

West’s California Reporter 1959–date Cal. Rptr., Cal. Rptr. 2d,

Cal. Rptr. 3d

Pacific Reporter 1929–1959 P., P.2d

California Appellate Reports Supplement (bound with 1929–date Cal. App. Supp., Cal.
Cal. App.) App. 2d Supp., Cal. App.
3d Supp., Cal. App. 4th
Supp.

Statutory compilations: Cite to either the West or the Deering subject-matter code.

West’s Annotated California Codes Cal. <Subject> Code § x

(West <year>)

Deering’s California Codes, Annotated (LexisNexis) Cal. <Subject> Code § x

(Deering <year>)

Agricultural (renamed “Food and Agricultural” in 1972) Agric.

Business and Professions Bus. & Prof.

Civil Civ.

Civil Procedure Civ. Proc.

Commercial Com.

Corporations Corp.

Education Educ.

Elections Elec.

Evidence Evid.

Family Fam.

Financial Fin.

Fish and Game Fish & Game

Food and Agricultural (formerly “Agricultural”) Food & Agric.

Government Gov’t

Harbors and Navigation Harb. & Nav.

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Health and Safety Health & Safety

Insurance Ins.

Labor Lab.

Military and Veterans Mil. & Vet.

Penal Penal

Probate Prob.

Public Contract Pub. Cont.

Public Resources Pub. Res.

Public Utilities Pub. Util.

Revenue and Taxation Rev. & Tax.

Streets and Highways Sts. & High.

Unemployment Insurance Unemp. Ins.

Vehicle Veh.

Water Water

Welfare and Institutions Welf. & Inst.

Session laws: Cite to Cal. Stat.

Statutes of California <year> Cal. Stat. <page

no.>

West’s California Legislative Service <year> Cal. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Deering’s California Advance Legislative Service <year>-<pamph. no.>

(LexisNexis) Cal. Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

Administrative compilation

California Code of Regulations (West) Cal. Code Regs. tit. x, § x

(<year>)

Administrative register

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Category Dates Abbreviation

California Regulatory Notice Register <iss. no.> Cal.

Regulatory Notice Reg.
<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Colorado

Supreme Court (Colo.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d, if found there; else, cite to Colo., if found
there, or to Colo. Law. or Brief Times Rptr.

Pacific Reporter 1883–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Colorado Reports 1864–1980 Colo.

Colorado Lawyer 1972–date Colo. Law.

Brief Times Reporter 1977–1996 Brief Times Rptr.

Colorado Journal 1996–2002 Colo. J.

Law Week Colorado 2002–date L. Week Colo.

Court of Appeals (Colo. App.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d, if found there; else, cite to Colo.
App., if found there, or else to one of the other reporters listed below.

Pacific Reporter 1970–date P.2d, P.3d

1912–1915 P.

1891–1905 P.

Colorado Court of Appeals Reports 1891–1905 Colo. App.

1912–1915 Colo. App.

1970–1980 Colo. App.

Colorado Lawyer 1972–date Colo. Law.

Brief Times Reporter 1977–1996 Brief Times Rptr.

Colorado Journal 1996–2002 Colo. J.

Law Week Colorado 2002–date L. Week Colo.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Colo. Rev. Stat.

Colorado Revised Statutes (LexisNexis): Colo. Rev. Stat. § x-x-x

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Colo. Rev. Stat. § <title-article-section> (<year>) (<year>)

West’s Colorado Revised Statutes Annotated: Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. §

x-x-x (West <year>)
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § <title-article-section> (West
<year>)

Session laws: Cite to Colo. Sess. Laws.

Session Laws of Colorado (LexisNexis) <year> Colo. Sess. Laws

<page no.>

Colorado Legislative Service (West) <year> Colo. Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilations: Cite to Colo. Code Regs.

Colorado Code of Regulations Colo. Code Regs. § x-x

(<year>)

Code of Colorado Regulations (LexisNexis) <vol. no.> Colo. Code

Regs. § x-x (LexisNexis
<year>)

Administrative register

Colorado Register <iss. no.> Colo. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
year>)

Local Notes:

Colorado has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after January 3, 2012. For
additional information, consult Rules of the Supreme Court of Colorado, Chief Justice
Directive 12-01.

Examples:

McCoy v. People, 2019 CO 44, ¶ 20, 442 P.3d 379, 385.

People v. McClintic, 202 COA 120M, 484 P.3d 724.

Connecticut

Supreme Court (Conn.), previously Supreme Court of Errors (Conn.): Cite to A.,
A.2d, or A.3d.

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 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Atlantic Reporter 1885–date A., A.2d, A.3d

Connecticut Reports 1814–date Conn.

Day 1802–1813 Day

Root 1789–1798 Root

Kirby 1785–1789 Kirby

Appellate Court (Conn. App. Ct.): Cite to A.2d or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1983–date A.2d, A.3d

Connecticut Appellate Reports 1983–date Conn. App.

Superior Court (Conn. Super. Ct.) and Court of Common Pleas (Conn. C.P.): Cite
to A.2d or A.3d, if found there; else, cite to Conn. Supp., if found there, or else to one of the
other reporters listed below.

Atlantic Reporter 1954–date A.2d, A.3d

Connecticut Supplement 1935–date Conn. Supp.

Connecticut Law Reporter 1990–date Conn. L. Rptr.

Connecticut Superior Court Reports 1986–1994 Conn. Super. Ct.

Circuit Court (Conn. Cir. Ct.): Cite to A.2d or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1961–1974 A.2d, A.3d

Connecticut Circuit Court Reports 1961–1974 Conn. Cir. Ct.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Conn. Gen. Stat.

General Statutes of Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § x-x

(<year>)

Connecticut General Statutes Annotated (West) Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. §

x-x (West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Conn. Acts, Conn. Pub. Acts, or Conn. Spec. Acts.

Connecticut Public & Special Acts 1972–date <year> Conn. Acts

<page no.> ([Reg. or
Spec.] Sess.)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Connecticut Public Acts 1650–1971 <year> Conn. Pub. Acts

<page no.>

Connecticut Special Acts (Resolves & Private Laws, 1789–1971 <year> Conn. Spec. Acts
Private & Special Laws, Special Laws, Resolves & Private <page no.>
Acts, Resolutions & Private Acts, Private Acts &
Resolutions, and Special Acts & Resolutions)

Connecticut Legislative Service (West) <year> Conn. Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies Conn. Agencies Regs. §

x-x-x (<year>)

Administrative registers: Cite to Conn. L.J.

Connecticut Law Journal <vol. no.> Conn. L.J.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Connecticut Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> Conn. Gov’t

Reg. <page no.>
(LexisNexis <month
year>)

Local Notes:

See generallyOffice of the Reporter of Judicial Decisions, The Manual of Style for the
Connecticut Courts (3d ed. 2013).

Delaware

Supreme Court (Del.), previously Court of Errors and Appeals (Del.): Cite to A.,
A.2d, or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1886–date A., A.2d, A.3d

Delaware Reports

31 Del. to 59 Del. 1919–1966 Del.

Boyce 1909–1920 e.g., 24 Del. (1 Boyce)

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 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Pennewill 1897–1909 e.g., 17 Del. (1 Penne.)

Marvel 1893–1897 e.g., 15 Del. (1 Marv.)

Houston 1855–1893 e.g., 6 Del. (1 Houst.)

Harrington 1832–1855 e.g., 1 Del. (1 Harr.)

Delaware Cases 1792–1830 Del. Cas.

Court of Chancery (Del. Ch.): Cite to A., A.2d, or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1886–date A., A.2d, A.3d

Delaware Chancery Reports 1814–1968 Del. Ch.

Delaware Cases 1792–1830 Del. Cas.

Superior Court (Del. Super. Ct.), previously Superior Court and Orphans’ Court
(Del. Super. Ct. & Orphans’ Ct.): Cite to A.2d or A.3d, if found there; else, cite to one of
the official reporters listed under Supreme Court (Del.).

Atlantic Reporter 1951–date A.2d, A.3d

Family Court (Del. Fam. Ct.): Cite to A.2d or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1977–date A.2d, A.3d

Statutory compilations: Cite to Del. Code Ann.

Delaware Code Annotated (LexisNexis) Del. Code Ann. tit. x, § x

(<year>)

West’s Delaware Code Annotated Del. Code Ann. tit. x, § x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Del. Laws.

Laws of Delaware <vol. no.> Del. Laws

<page no.> (<year>)

Delaware Code Annotated <year> Advance Legislative <year>-<pamph. no.>

Service (LexisNexis) Del. Code. Ann. Adv.
Legis. Serv. <page no.>
(LexisNexis)

West’s Delaware Legislative Service <year> Del. Legis. Serv.

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Category Dates Abbreviation

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilations: Cite to Del. Admin. Code.

Delaware Administrative Code x-x-x Del. Admin. Code

§ x (<year>)

Code of Delaware Regulations (LexisNexis) x-x-x Del. Code Regs. § x

(LexisNexis <year>)

Administrative registers: Cite to Del. Reg. Regs.

Delaware Register of Regulations <vol. no.> Del. Reg.

Regs. <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Delaware Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> Del Gov’t Reg.

<page no.> (LexisNexis
<month year>)

Local Notes:

The Delaware Code is cited as <vol.> Del. C. <section>. See generally Superior Court of
Delaware, Guide to the Delaware Rules of Legal Citation (2004), https://courts.delaware.gov
/superior/pdf/citation_guide.pdf

Blake Rohrbacher, Delaware Uniform Citations (2008), https://courts.delaware.gov/superior

/pdf/de_uniform_citation_2008.pdf (adopted by the Litigation Section of the Delaware State
Bar Association).

District of Columbia

Court of Appeals (D.C.), previously Municipal Court of Appeals (D.C.): Cite to A.2d
or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1943–date A.2d, A.3d

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Cir.),
previously Court of Appeals of/for the District of Columbia (D.C. Cir.), previously
Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (D.C.): Cite to F., F.2d, or F.3d.

Federal Reporter 1919–date F., F.2d, F.3d

United States Court of Appeals Reports 1941–date U.S. App. D.C.

138
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Appeal Cases, District of Columbia 1893–1941 App. D.C.

District of Columbia Reports

Tucker and Clephane 1892–1893 21 D.C. (Tuck. & Cl.)

Mackey 1880–1892 <12–20> D.C. (Mackey

<1–9>)

MacArthur and Mackey 1879–1880 11 D.C. (MacArth. & M.)

MacArthur 1873–1879 <8–10> D.C. (MacArth.

<1–3>)

District of Columbia Reports (reported by Mackey) 1863–1872 <6–7> D.C.

Hayward & Hazleton, Circuit Court (Circuit Court 1840–1863 <1–2> Hay. & Haz.
Reports, vols. 6–7)

Cranch, Circuit Court 1801–1840 <1–5> D.C. (Cranch

<1–5>)

Superior Court (D.C. Super. Ct.), previously Municipal Court (D.C. Mun. Ct.): Cite
to Daily Wash. L. Rptr.

Daily Washington Law Reporter 1971–date Daily Wash. L. Rptr.

Statutory compilations: Cite to D.C. Code.

District of Columbia Official Code (LexisNexis) D.C. Code § x-x

(<year>)

West's District of Columbia Code Annotated (West) D.C. Code Ann. § x-x
(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Stat., D.C. Reg., or D.C. Code Adv. Leg. Serv.

United States Statutes at Large <vol. no.> Stat. <page

no.> (<year>)

District of Columbia Register <vol. no.> D.C. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

District of Columbia Official Code Lexis Advance <year>-<pamph. no.>

Legislative Service D.C. Code Adv. Leg.

139
The Indigo Book

Category Dates Abbreviation

Serv. <page no.>

District of Columbia Session Law Service West <year> D.C. Sess. L.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Municipal regulations: Cite to D.C. Mun. Regs.

Code of D.C. Municipal Regulations D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. x, §

x (<year>)

Code of District of Columbia Municipal Regulations D.C. Code Mun. Regs.

(LexisNexis) tit. x § x (LexisNexis
<year>)

Administrative register

District of Columbia Register <vol. no.> D.C. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

See generally District of Columbia Court of Appeals Style Guide (2019),

https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/matters-docs/DCCACitationGuide.pdf

Florida

Supreme Court (Fla.): Cite to So., So. 2d, or So. 3d.

Southern Reporter 1886–date So., So. 2d, So. 3d

Florida Reports 1846–1948 Fla.

Florida Law Weekly 1978–date Fla. L. Weekly

District Court of Appeal (Fla. Dist. Ct. App.): Cite to So. 2d or So. 3d.

Southern Reporter 1957–date So. 2d, So. 3d

Florida Law Weekly 1978–date Fla. L. Weekly

Circuit Court (Fla. Cir. Ct.), County Court (e.g., Fla. Orange Cnty. Ct.), Public
Service Commission (Fla. P.S.C.), and other lower courts of record: Cite to Fla.
Supp. or Fla. Supp. 2d.

Florida Supplement 1950–1991 Fla. Supp., Fla. Supp. 2d

140
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Florida Law Weekly Supplement 1992–date Fla. L. Weekly Supp.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Fla. Stat.

Florida Statutes Fla. Stat. § x.x (<year>)

West’s Florida Statutes Annotated Fla. Stat. Ann. § x.x

(West <year>)

LexisNexis Florida Statutes Annotated Fla. Stat. Ann. § x.x

(LexisNexis <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Fla. Laws.

Laws of Florida <year> Fla. Laws <page

no.>

West’s Florida Session Law Service <year> Fla. Sess. Law

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Florida Administrative Code Annotated (LexisNexis) Fla. Admin. Code Ann.

r. x-x.x (<year>)

Administrative register: Cite to Fla. Admin. Reg.

Florida Administrative Register 2012–date <vol. no.> Fla. Admin.

Reg. <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Florida Administrative Weekly (LexisNexis) 1996–2012 <vol. no.> Fla. Admin.

Weekly <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Local Notes:

Florida statutes are customarily cited with section first: § xx.xxx, Fla. Stat. (2020).

At the intermediate appellate level, the Florida courts are divided into five District Courts of
Appeal. Citations indicate the applicable District Court of Appeal, abbreviated as DCA. See Fla.
R. App. P. 8.800; Indigo Book Rule R12.1.2.

Example: Saldana v. State, 295 So. 3d 1235 (Fla. 1st DCA 2020).

See generallyFlorida Style Manual (Florida State Univ. Law Rev., eds.,8th ed. 2019),

141
The Indigo Book

Category Dates Abbreviation

https://www.floridastylemanual.com/

Georgia

Supreme Court (Ga.): Cite to S.E. or S.E.2d.

South Eastern Reporter 1887–date S.E., S.E.2d

Georgia Reports 1846–date Ga.

Court of Appeals (Ga. Ct. App.): Cite to S.E. or S.E.2d.

South Eastern Reporter 1907–date S.E., S.E.2d

Georgia Appeals Reports 1907–date Ga. App.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Ga. Code Ann. (published by LexisNexis).

Official Code of Georgia Annotated (LexisNexis) Ga. Code Ann. § x-x-x

(<year>)

West’s Code of Georgia Annotated Ga. Code Ann. § x-x-x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Ga. Laws.

Georgia Laws <year> Ga. Laws <page

no.>

Georgia <year> Advance Legislative Service (LexisNexis) <year>-<pamph. no.>

Ga. Code Ann. Adv.
Legis. Serv. <page no.>
(LexisNexis)

West’s Georgia Legislative Service <year> Ga. Code Ann.

Adv. Legis. Serv. <page
no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Official Compilation Rules and Regulations of the State of Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. x-
Georgia x-x.x (<year>)

Administrative register

Georgia Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> Ga. Gov’t Reg.

142
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

<page no.> (LexisNexis

<month year>)

Local Notes:

The Official Code of Georgia Annotated is cited as O.C.G.A. See O.C.G.A. § 1-1-8(e).

Hawaii

Supreme Court (Haw.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1959–date P.2d, P.3d

West’s Hawaii Reports (begins with vol. 76) 1994–date Haw.

Hawaii Reports (ends with vol. 75) 1847–1994 Haw.

Intermediate Court of Appeals (Haw. Ct. App.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1980–date P.2d, P.3d

West’s Hawaii Reports 1994–date Haw.

Hawaii Appellate Reports 1980–1994 Haw. App.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Haw. Rev. Stat.

Hawaii Revised Statutes Haw. Rev. Stat. § x-x

(<year>)

Michie’s Hawaii Revised Statutes Annotated (LexisNexis) Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. §
x-x (LexisNexis <year>)

West’s Hawai'i Revised Statutes Annotated Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. §

x-x (West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Haw. Sess. Laws.

Session Laws of Hawaii <year> Haw. Sess. Laws

<page no.>

Michie’s Hawaii Revised Statutes Annotated Advance <year>-<pamph. no.>

Legislative Service (LexisNexis) Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann.
Adv. Legis. Serv. <page
no.> (LexisNexis)

West’s Hawai'i Legislative Service <year> Haw. Legis.

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The Indigo Book

Category Dates Abbreviation

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Code of Hawaii Rules (LexisNexis) Haw. Code R. § x-x-x

(LexisNexis <year>)

Administrative register

Hawaii Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> Haw. Gov’t

Reg. <page no.>
(LexisNexis <month
year>)

Local Notes:

See generally A Handbook of Citation Forms for the Law Clerks at the Appellate Courts of the
State of Hawai’i (2008), https://www.law.hawaii.edu/sites/www.law.hawaii.edu/files/content
/library/HandbookofCitationForm.pdf (keyed to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation
(Columbia L. Rev. et al., eds., 18th ed. 2005)).

Idaho

Supreme Court (Idaho): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1883–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Idaho Reports 1866–date Idaho

Court of Appeals (Idaho Ct. App.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1982–date P.2d, P.3d

Idaho Reports 1982–date Idaho

Statutory compilations: Cite to Idaho Code (published by LexisNexis).

Idaho Code (LexisNexis) Idaho Code § x-x

(<year>)

West’s Idaho Code Annotated Idaho Code Ann. § x-x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Idaho Sess. Laws.

Idaho Session Laws <year> Idaho Sess.

144
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Laws <page no.>

Idaho Code Annotated Advance Legislative Service <year>-<pamph. no.>

(LexisNexis) Idaho Code Ann. Adv.
Legis. Serv. <page no.>
(LexisNexis)

West’s Idaho Legislative Service <year> Idaho Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation: http://adminrules.gov/rules/current

Idaho Administrative Code Idaho Admin. Code r.

x.x.x.x (<year>)

Administrative register

Idaho Administrative Bulletin <vol. no.> Idaho Admin.

Bull. <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Local Notes:

The Idaho Code is commonly cited in the state as I.C. § xx-xxxx.

Illinois

Supreme Court (Ill.): Cite to N.E., N.E.2d, or N.E.3d.

North Eastern Reporter 1884–date N.E., N.E.2d, N.E.3d

Illinois Official Reports 2011–date <year> IL <docket no.>

Illinois Reports

11 Ill. to date 1849–2011 Ill., Ill. 2d

Gilman 1844–1849 e.g., 6 Ill. (1 Gilm.)

Scammon 1832–1843 e.g., 2 Ill. (1 Scam.)

Breese 1819–1831 1 Ill. (Breese)

West's Illinois Decisions 1976–date Ill. Dec.

Appellate Court (Ill. App. Ct.): Cite to N.E.2d, N.E.3d.

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Category Dates Abbreviation

North Eastern Reporter 1936–date N.E.2d, N.E.3d

Illinois Official Reports 2011–date <year> IL App. (<court

no.>)

Illinois Appellate Court Reports 1877–2011 Ill. App., Ill. App. 2d, Ill.
App. 3d

West’s Illinois Decisions 1976–date Ill. Dec.

Illinois Circuit Court (Ill. Cir. Ct.), previously Court of Claims (Ill. Ct. Cl.): Cite to
Ill. Ct. Cl.

Illinois Court of Claims Reports 1889–date Ill. Ct. Cl.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Ill. Comp. Stat.

Illinois Compiled Statutes <ch. no.> Ill. Comp.

Stat. <act no.> / <sec.
no.> (<year>)

West’s Smith-Hurd Illinois Compiled Statutes Annotated <ch. no.> Ill. Comp.
Stat. Ann. <act no.> /
<sec. no.> (West
<year>)

Illinois Compiled Statutes Annotated (LexisNexis) <ch. no.> Ill. Comp.

Stat. Ann. <act no.> /
<sec. no.> (LexisNexis
<year>)

Session laws: Cite to Ill. Laws.

Laws of Illinois <year> Ill. Laws <page

no.>

Illinois Legislative Service (West) <year> Ill. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Illinois Compiled Statutes Annotated Advance Legislative <year>-<pamph. no.>

Service (LexisNexis) Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann.
Adv. Legis. Serv. <page
no.> (LexisNexis)

146
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Administrative compilations: Cite to Ill. Admin. Code.

Illinois Administrative Code Ill. Admin. Code tit. x, §

x (<year>)

Code of Illinois Rules (LexisNexis) <vol. no.> Ill. Code R.

<rule no.> (LexisNexis
<year>)

Administrative register

Illinois Register <vol. no.> Ill. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

The Illinois Compiled Statutes are cited using “ILCS.”

Example: 735 ILCS 5/2-1401(e) (West 2016).

Illinois has adopted a public domain citation format for cases effective July 1, 2011. See Illinois
Supreme Court Rule 6. Thus, when citing an Illinois intermediate appellate court decision and
including a parallel citation to the North Eastern Reporter, it is advisable to include the
intermediate appellate division, noting also that the public domain format renders the court
and year unambiguously clear. See generallyStyle Manual for the Supreme Court and
Appellate Courts of Illinois (5th ed. 2017), https://courts.illinois.gov/StyleManual/SupCrt
_StyleManual.pdf

Examples:

People v. Doe, 2011 IL 102345

People v. Doe, 2011 IL App (1st) 101234

Archer Daniels Midland Co. v. Sinele, 2019 IL App (4th) 180714, 139 N.E.3d 1036.

Indiana

Supreme Court (Ind.): Cite to N.E., N.E.2d, N.E.3d.

North Eastern Reporter 1885–date N.E., N.E.2d, N.E.3d

Indiana Reports 1848–1981 Ind.

Blackford 1817–1847 Blackf.

147
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Court of Appeals (Ind. Ct. App.), previously Appellate Court (Ind. App.): Cite to
N.E., N.E.2d, or N.E.3d.

North Eastern Reporter 1891–date N.E., N.E.2d, N.E.3d

Indiana Court of Appeals Reports (prior to 1972, Indiana 1890–1979 Ind. App.
Appellate Court Reports)

Tax Court (Ind. T.C.): Cite to N.E.2d or N.E.3d.

North Eastern Reporter 1986–date N.E., N.E.2d, N.E.3d

Statutory compilations: Cite to Ind. Code.

Indiana Code Ind. Code § x-x-x-x

(<year>)

West’s Annotated Indiana Code Ind. Code Ann. § x-x-x-x

(West <year>)

Burns Indiana Statutes Annotated (LexisNexis) Ind. Code Ann. § x-x-x-x

(LexisNexis <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Ind. Acts.

Acts, Indiana <year> Ind. Acts <page

no.>

West’s Indiana Legislative Service <year> Ind. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Burns Indiana Statutes Annotated Advance Legislative <year>-<pamph. no.>

Service (LexisNexis) Ind. Stat. Ann. Adv.
Legis. Serv. <page no.>
(LexisNexis)

Administrative compilations: Cite to Ind. Admin. Code.

Indiana Administrative Code <tit. no.> Ind. Admin.

Code x-x-x (<year>)

West’s Indiana Administrative Code <tit. no.> Ind. Admin.

Code Code x-x-x (West
<year>)

148
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Administrative register

Indiana Register <vol. no.> Ind. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

The Indiana Code is referred to in short citations as I.C. or IC. The Indiana Administrative
Code is referred to in short citations as I.A.C. or IAC. See Ind. R. App. P. 22 (2021),
https://www.in.gov/courts/rules/appellate/index.html.

Iowa

Supreme Court (Iowa): Cite to N.W. or N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1879–date N.W., N.W.2d

Iowa Reports (Cite to edition published by Clarke for vols. 1855–1968 Iowa
1–8.)

Greene 1847–1854 Greene

Morris 1839–1846 Morris

Bradford 1838–1841 Bradf.

Court of Appeals (Iowa Ct. App.): Cite to N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1977–date N.W.2d

Statutory compilations: Cite to Iowa Code.

Code of Iowa Iowa Code § x.x

(<year>)

West’s Iowa Code Annotated Iowa Code Ann. § x.x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Iowa Acts.

Acts of the State of Iowa <year> Iowa Acts <page

no.>

Iowa Legislative Service (West) <year> Iowa Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

149
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Administrative compilation

Iowa Administrative Code Iowa Admin. Code r. x-

x.x (<year>)

Administrative register

Iowa Administrative Bulletin <vol. no.> Iowa Admin.

Bull. <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Kansas

Supreme Court (Kan.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1883–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Kansas Reports 1862–date Kan.

McCahon 1858–1868 McCahon

Court of Appeals (Kan. Ct. App.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1895–1901 P.

1977–date P.2d, P.3d

Kansas Court of Appeals Reports 1895–1901 Kan. App.

1977–date Kan. App. 2d

Statutory compilations: Cite to Kan. Stat. Ann.

Kansas Statutes Annotated Kan. Stat. Ann. § x-x

(<year>)

West’s Kansas Statutes Annotated Kan. Stat. Ann. § x-x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Kan. Sess. Laws.

Session Laws of Kansas <year> Kan. Sess. Laws

<page no.>

West’s Kansas Legislative Service <year> Kan. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

150
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Administrative compilation

Kansas Administrative Regulations (updated by Kan. Admin. Regs. § x-

supplements) x-x (<year>)

Administrative register

Kansas Register <vol. no.> Kan. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

Kansas Statutes Annotated are cited as K.S.A. xx-xxx. SeeKansas Appellate Practice
Handbook, Citation Guide app’x C (2018), https://www.kansasjudicialcouncil.org/
Documents/Appellate%20Practice%20Handbook/Appendix%20C-Revised%202018.pdf

Kentucky

Supreme Court (Ky.): before 1976 the Court of Appeals (Ky.) was the highest state court.
Cite to S.W., S.W.2d, or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1886–date S.W., S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Kentucky Reports

78 Ky. to 314 Ky. 1879–1951 Ky.

Bush 1866–1879 e.g., 66 Ky. (3 Bush)

Duvall 1863–1866 e.g., 62 Ky. (1 Duv.)

Metcalf 1858–1863 e.g., 58 Ky. (1 Met.)

Monroe, Ben 1840–1857 e.g., 53 Ky. (14 B. Mon.)

Dana 1833–1840 e.g., 35 Ky. (5 Dana)

Marshall, J.J. 1829–1832 e.g., 27 Ky. (4 J.J.

Marsh.)

Monroe, T.B. 1824–1828 e.g., 19 Ky. (3 T.B. Mon.)

Littell 1822–1824 e.g., 13 Ky. (3 Litt.)

Littell’s Selected Cases 1795–1821 e.g., 16 Ky. (1 Litt. Sel.

Cas.)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Marshall, A.K. 1817–1821 e.g., 10 Ky. (3 A.K.

Marsh.)

Bibb 1808–1817 e.g., 6 Ky. (3 Bibb)

Hardin 1805–1808 3 Ky. (Hard.)

Sneed 1801–1805 2 Ky. (Sneed)

Hughes 1785–1801 1 Ky. (Hughes)

Kentucky Opinions 1864–1886 Ky. Op.

Kentucky Law Reporter 1880–1908 Ky. L. Rptr.

Kentucky Appellate Reporter 1994–2000 Ky. App.

Kentucky Attorneys Memo 2001–2007 Ky. Att’y Memo

Kentucky Law Summary 1966–date Ky. L. Summ.

Court of Appeals (Ky. Ct. App.) (for decisions before 1976, see Kentucky Supreme
Court): Cite to S.W.2d or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1976–date S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Kentucky Appellate Reporter 1994–2000 Ky. App.

Kentucky Attorneys Memo 2001–2007 Ky. Att’y Memo

Kentucky Law Summary 1966–date Ky. L. Summ.

Statutory compilations: Cite to one of the following codes.

Baldwin’s Kentucky Revised Statutes Annotated (West) Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § x.x
(West <year>)

Michie’s Kentucky Revised Statutes Annotated Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § x.x
(LexisNexis) (LexisNexis <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Ky. Acts.

Acts of Kentucky <year> Ky. Acts <page

no.>

Kentucky Revised Statutes and Rules Service (West) <year> Ky. Rev. Stat. &
R. Serv. <page no.>

152
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

(West)

Michie’s Kentucky Revised Statutes Advance Legislative <year>-<pamph. no.>

Service (LexisNexis) Ky. Rev. Stat. Adv.
Legis. Serv. <page no.>
(LexisNexis)

Administrative compilation

Kentucky Administrative Regulations Service <tit. no.> Ky. Admin.

Regs. <rule no.>
(<year>)

Administrative register

Administrative Register of Kentucky <vol. no.> Ky. Admin.

Reg. <page no.>
(<month year>)

Local Notes:

The Kentucky Revised Statutes Annotated are cited locally as KRS xx.xxxx. See Ky. R. Civ. P.
76.12(4)(g).

Louisiana

Supreme Court (La.), before 1813 the Superior Court of Louisiana (La.) and the
Superior Court of the Territory of Orleans (Orleans): Cite to So., So. 2d, or So. 3d.

Southern Reporter 1886–date So., So. 2d, So. 3d

Louisiana Reports 1901–1972 La.

Louisiana Annual Reports 1846–1900 La. Ann.

Robinson 1841–1846 Rob.

Louisiana Reports 1830–1841 La.

Martin (Louisiana Term Reports) 1809–1830 Mart. (o.s.), Mart. (n.s.)

Court of Appeal (La. Ct. App.): Cite to So., So. 2d, or So. 3d.

Southern Reporter 1928–date So., So. 2d, So. 3d

Louisiana Court of Appeals Reports 1924–1932 La. App.

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Peltier’s Decisions, Parish at Orleans 1917–1924 Pelt.

Teissier, Orleans Court of Appeals 1903–1917 Teiss.

Gunby’s Reports 1885 Gunby

McGloin 1881–1884 McGl.

Statutory compilations: Cite to one of the following codes.

West’s Louisiana Statutes Annotated La. Stat. Ann. § x:x

(<year>)

West’s Louisiana Children’s Code Annotated La. Child. Code Ann. art.
x (<year>)

West’s Louisiana Civil Code Annotated La. Civ. Code Ann. art. x
(<year>)

West’s Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Annotated La. Code Civ. Proc. Ann.
art. x (<year>)

West’s Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Annotated La. Code Crim. Proc.
Ann. art. x (<year>)

West’s Louisiana Code of Evidence Annotated La. Code Evid. Ann. art.
x (<year>)

West's Louisiana Constitution Annotated La. Const. Ann. art. x

(<year>)

Session laws: Cite to La. Acts.

State of Louisiana: Acts of the Legislature <year> La. Acts <page no.>

West’s Louisiana Session Law Service <year> La. Sess. Law

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Louisiana Administrative Code La. Admin. Code tit. x, §

x (<year>)

Administrative register

Louisiana Register <vol. no.> La. Reg.

154
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

<page no.> (<month

day, year>)

Local Notes:

Local practice in Louisiana uses large-and-small caps for statutes: LA. CIV. CODE art. 2315
(2019). For administrative rules, likewise local practice uses large-and-small caps: LA. ADMIN.
CODE tit. 51, pt. 1, §105 (2019). See generally Louisiana Citation and Style Manual, 70 La. L.
Rev. 1239 (2019), https://digitalcommons.law.lsu.edu/lalrev/vol79/iss4/13/

Louisiana has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after December 31, 1993. See
Rules of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, part G, section 8. The format is:

Examples:

Smith v. Jones, 93-2345 (La. 7/15/94); 650 So.2d 500.

Smith v. Jones, 93-2345 (La. App. 1 Cir. 7/15/94); 660 So.2d 400.

Smith v. Jones, 94-2345, p. 7 (La. 7/15/94); 650 So.2d 500, 504.

Maine

Supreme Judicial Court (Me.): Cite to A., A.2d or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1885–date A., A.2d, A.3d

Maine Reports 1820–1965 Me.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Me. Stat.

West’s Maine Statutes Me. Stat. tit. x, § x

(<year>)

Maine Revised Statutes Annotated (West) Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit.
x, § x (<year>)

Session laws: Cite to Me. Laws.

Laws of the State of Maine <year> Me. Laws <page

no.>

Maine Legislative Service (West) <year> Me. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Administrative compilation

Code of Maine Rules (LexisNexis) x-x-x Me. Code R. § x

(LexisNexis <year>)

Administrative register

Maine Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> Me. Gov’t

Reg. <page no.>
(LexisNexis <month
year>)

Local Notes:

Maine has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after December 31, 1996. See
Administrative Order of the Supreme Judicial Court—New Citation Form (Aug. 20, 1996);
Michael D. Selzinger, Charles K. Leadbetter, and Sara T.S. Wolfe, Uniform Maine Citations
(2020-21 ed.), https://digitalcommons.mainelaw.maine.edu/uniform-maine-citations/16/

Examples:

Estate of Hoch v. Stifel, 2011 ME 24, 16 A.3d 137.

Estate of Hoch v. Stifel, 2011 ME 24, ¶ 11, 16 A.3d 137.

Saucier v. State Tax Assessor, 1998 ME 61, 708 A.2d 28.

Maryland

Court of Appeals (Md.): Cite to A., A.2d or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1885–date A., A.2d, A.3d

Maryland Reports 1851–date Md.

Gill 1843–1851 Gill

Gill and Johnson 1829–1842 G. & J.

Harris and Gill 1826–1829 H. & G.

Harris and Johnson 1800–1826 H. & J.

Harris and McHenry 1770–1774 H. & McH.

1780–1799

156
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Court of Special Appeals (Md. Ct. Spec. App.): Cite to A.2d or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1967–date A.2d, A.3d

Maryland Appellate Reports 1967–date Md. App.

Statutory compilations: Cite by subject to either Michie’s Md. Code Ann. or West’s Md.
Code Ann.

Michie’s Annotated Code of Maryland (LexisNexis) Md. Code Ann.,

<subject> § x-x
(LexisNexis <year>)

West’s Annotated Code of Maryland Md. Code Ann.,

<subject> § x-x (West
<year>)

Agriculture Agric.

Business Occupations and Professions Bus. Occ. & Prof.

Business Regulation Bus. Reg.

Commercial Law Com. Law

Constitutions Const.

Corporations and Associations Corps. & Ass’ns

Correctional Services Corr. Servs.

Courts and Judicial Proceedings Cts. & Jud. Proc.

Criminal Law Crim. Law

Criminal Procedure Crim. Proc.

Economic Development Econ. Dev.

Education Educ.

Election Law Elec. Law

Environment Envir.

Estates and Trusts Est. & Trusts

Family Law Fam. Law

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Financial Institutions Fin. Inst.

Health–General Health–Gen.

Health Occupations Health Occ.

Housing and Community Development Hous. & Cmty. Dev.

Human Services Hum. Servs.

Insurance Ins.

Labor and Employment Lab. & Empl.

Land Use Land Use

Local Government Local Gov't

Natural Resources Nat. Res.

Public Safety Pub. Safety

Public Utility Pub. Util.

Real Property Real Prop.

State Finance and Procurement State Fin. & Proc.

State Government State Gov’t

State Personnel and Pensions State Pers. & Pens.

Tax–General Tax–Gen.

Tax–Property Tax–Prop.

Transportation Transp.

Session laws: Cite to Md. Laws.

Laws of Maryland <year> Md. Laws <page

no.>

Michie’s Annotated Code of Maryland Advance <year>-<pamph. no.>

Legislative Service (LexisNexis) Md. Code Ann. Adv.
Legis. Serv. <page no.>
(LexisNexis)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

West’s Maryland Legislative Service <year> Md. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Code of Maryland Regulations Md. Code Regs. <reg.

no.> (<year>)

Administrative register

Maryland Register <vol. no.> Md. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Massachusetts

Supreme Judicial Court (Mass.): Cite to N.E., or N.E.2d, N.E.3d.

North Eastern Reporter 1885–date N.E., N.E.2d, N.E.3d

Massachusetts Reports

97 Mass. to date 1867–date Mass.

Allen 1861–1867 e.g., 83 Mass. (1 Allen)

Gray 1854–1860 e.g., 67 Mass. (1 Gray)

Cushing 1848–1853 e.g., 55 Mass. (1 Cush.)

Metcalf 1840–1847 e.g., 42 Mass. (1 Met.)

Pickering 1822–1839 e.g., 18 Mass. (1 Pick.)

Tyng 1805–1822 e.g., 2 Mass. (1 Tyng)

Williams 1804–1805 1 Mass. (1 Will.)

Appeals Court (Mass. App. Ct.): Cite to N.E.2d, N.E.3d.

North Eastern Reporter 1972–date N.E.2d, N.E.3d

Massachusetts Appeals Court Reports 1972–date Mass. App. Ct.

Lower Courts (Mass. Dist. Ct., Bos. Mun. Ct.): Cite to Mass. App. Div., if found there;
else cite to Mass. Supp. or Mass. App. Dec.

Reports of Massachusetts 1936–1950 Mass. App. Div.

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Appellate Division 1980–date

Massachusetts Reports Supplement 1980–1983 Mass. Supp.

Massachusetts Appellate Decisions 1941–1977 Mass. App. Dec.

Appellate Division Advance Sheets 1975–1979 <year> Mass. App. Div.

Adv. Sh. <page no.>

Statutory compilations: Cite to Mass. Gen. Laws.

General Laws of Massachusetts (Mass. Bar Ass’n/West): Mass. Gen. Laws ch. x, §
x (<year>)
Mass. Gen. Laws ch.<chapter no.>, § <section no.>
(<year> )

Massachusetts General Laws Annotated (West): Mass. Gen. Laws Ann.

ch. x, § x (West <year>)
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch.<chapter no.>, § <section no.>
(West <year> )

Annotated Laws of Massachusetts (LexisNexis): Mass. Ann. Laws ch. x, §

x (LexisNexis <year>)
Mass. Ann. Gen. Laws ch. <chapter no.>, § <section
no.> (LexisNexis <year> )

Session laws: Cite to Mass. Acts.

Acts and Resolves of Massachusetts <year> Mass. Acts

<page no.>

Massachusetts Legislative Service (West) <year> Mass. Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Massachusetts Advance Legislative Service (LexisNexis) <year>-<pamph. no.>

Mass. Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

Administrative compilations: Cite to official Mass. Code Regs.

Code of Massachusetts Regulations <tit. no.> Mass. Code

Regs. <sec. no.>
(<year>)

Code of Massachusetts Regulations (LexisNexis) <tit. no.> Mass. Code

Regs. <sec. no.>

160
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

(LexisNexis <year>)

Administrative register

Massachusetts Register <iss. no.> Mass. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

The General Laws of Massachusetts are cited in Massachusetts courts as G.L. c. x, § x.

See generally SJC Style Manual (2020), https://www.mass.gov/doc/sjc-style-manual; Trial

Court Law Libraries, Massachusetts Legal Writing and Citations, https://www.mass.gov/info
-details/massachusetts-legal-writing-and-citations (last updated August 3, 2020).

Michigan

Supreme Court (Mich.): Cite to N.W. or N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1879–date N.W., N.W.2d

Michigan Reports 1847–date Mich.

Douglass 1843–1847 Doug.

Blume, Unreported Opinions 1836–1843 Blume Unrep. Op.

Blume, Supreme Court Transactions 1836–1843 Blume Sup. Ct. Trans.

Court of Appeals (Mich. Ct. App.): Cite to N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1965–date N.W.2d

Michigan Appeals Reports 1965–date Mich. App.

Court of Claims (Mich. Ct. Cl.): Cite to Mich. Ct. Cl.

Michigan Court of Claims Reports 1939–1942 Mich. Ct. Cl.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Mich. Comp. Laws.

Michigan Compiled Laws (1979) Mich. Comp. Laws § x.x

(<year>)

Michigan Compiled Laws Annotated (West) Mich. Comp. Laws Ann.

§ x.x (West <year>)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Michigan Compiled Laws Service (LexisNexis) Mich. Comp. Laws Serv.

§ x.x (LexisNexis
<year>)

Session laws: Cite to Mich. Pub. Acts.

Public and Local Acts of the Legislature of the State of <year> Mich. Pub. Acts
Michigan <page no.>

Michigan Legislative Service (West) <year> Mich. Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Michigan Advance Legislative Service (LexisNexis) <year>-<pamph. no.>

Mich. Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

Administrative compilation

Michigan Administrative Code Mich. Admin. Code r.

x.x (<year>)

Administrative register

Michigan Register <iss. no.> Mich. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

The Michigan Compiled Laws are customarily cited locally as MCL xxxx.xx. See Michigan
Supreme Court Office of the Reporter of Decisions, Michigan Appellate Opinion Manual (rev.
Dec. 2017), https://courts.michigan.gov/Courts/MichiganSupremeCourt/Documents
/MiAppOpManual.pdf

Minnesota

Supreme Court (Minn.): Cite to N.W. or N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1879–date N.W., N.W.2d

Minnesota Reports 1851–1977 Minn.

Court of Appeals (Minn. Ct. App.): Cite to N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1983–date N.W.2d

162
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Statutory compilations: Cite to Minn. Stat.

Minnesota Statutes Minn. Stat. § x.x

(<year>)

Minnesota Statutes Annotated (West) Minn. Stat. Ann. § x.x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Minn. Laws.

Laws of Minnesota <year> Minn. Laws

<page no.>

Minnesota Session Law Service (West) <year> Minn. Sess. Law

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Minnesota Rules Minn. R. <rule no.>

(<year>)

Administrative register

Minnesota State Register <vol. no.> Minn. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Mississippi

Supreme Court (Miss.): Cite to So., So. 2d, or So. 3d.

Southern Reporter 1886–date So., So. 2d, So. 3d

Mississippi Reports

23 Miss. to 254 Miss. 1851–1966 Miss.

Smedes and Marshall 1843–1850 e.g., 9 Miss. (1 S. & M.)

Howard 1834–1843 e.g., 2 Miss. (1 Howard)

Walker 1818–1832 1 Miss. (1 Walker)

Mississippi Decisions 1820–1885 Miss. Dec.

Court of Appeals (Miss. Ct. App.): Cite to So. 2d or So. 3d.

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Southern Reporter 1995–date So. 2d, So. 3d

Statutory compilations: Cite to Miss. Code Ann. (published by LexisNexis).

Mississippi Code 1972 Annotated (LexisNexis) Miss. Code Ann. § x-x-x

(<year>)

West’s Annotated Mississippi Code Miss. Code Ann. § x-x-x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Miss. Laws.

General Laws of Mississippi <year> Miss. Laws

<page no.>

Mississippi General Laws Advance Sheets (LexisNexis) <year>-<pamph. no.>

Miss. Laws Adv. Sh.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

West's Mississippi Legislative Service <year> Miss. Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Code of Mississippi Rules (LexisNexis) <tit. no.>-<ch. no.>

Miss. Code R. § x
(LexisNexis <year>)

Administrative register

Mississippi Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> Miss. Gov’t

Reg. <page no.>
(LexisNexis <month
year>)

Local Notes:

Mississippi has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after July 1, 1997. See Miss.
R. App. P. 28(f), https://courts.ms.gov/research/rules/msrulesofcourt
/Rules%20of%20Appellate%20Procedure%20Current.pdf.

Examples:

Okoloise v. Yost, 2017-CA-01472-SCT (Miss. 2019).

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 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Okoloise v. Yost, 2017-CA-01472-SCT (¶ 30) (Miss. 2019).

Missouri

Supreme Court (Mo.): Cite to S.W., S.W.2d, or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1886–date S.W., S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Missouri Reports 1821–1956 Mo.

Court of Appeals (Mo. Ct. App.): Cite to S.W., S.W.2d, or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1902–date S.W., S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Missouri Appeals Reports 1876–1954 Mo. App.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Mo. Rev. Stat.

Missouri Revised Statutes Mo. Rev. Stat. § x.x

(<year>)

Vernon’s Annotated Missouri Statutes (West) Mo. Ann. Stat. § x.x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Mo. Laws.

Session Laws of Missouri <year> Mo. Laws <page

no.>

Missouri Legislative Service (West) <year> Mo. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Missouri Code of State Regulations Annotated Mo. Code Regs. Ann. tit.
x, § x-x.x (<year>)

Administrative register

Missouri Register <vol. no.> Mo. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

Missouri statutes are cited locally around the following basic template: Section xxx.xxx, RSMo
2016 or § xxx.xxx, RSMo 2016. Missouri Supreme Court cases are generally decided en banc

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Category Dates Abbreviation

and are cited (Mo. banc <year>). The Missouri Court of Appeals is cited locally as “Mo. App.”
(omitting the “Ct.” as shown in this Table). Missouri Court of Appeals cases may indicate the
district of decision where relevant: (Mo. App. S.D.). See Thomas Patrick Deaton, Jr., Show Me
Citations: A Manual for Legal Citations in Missouri Courts (9th ed. 2020) (practitioner-
maintained manual), https://www.thomaspatrickdeaton.com/ShowMeCitations2020
-0706.pdf

Montana

Supreme Court (Mont.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1883–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Montana Reports 1868–date Mont.

State Reporter 1945–date State Rptr.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Mont. Code Ann.

Montana Code Annotated Mont. Code Ann. § x-x-x

(<year>)

West's Montana Code Annotated Mont. Code Ann. § x-x-x

(West <year>)

Session laws

Laws of Montana <year> Mont. Laws

<page no.>

Administrative compilation

Administrative Rules of Montana Mont. Admin. R. <rule

no.> (<year>)

Administrative register

Montana Administrative Register <iss. no.> Mont. Admin.

Reg. <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Local Notes:

Montana has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after December 31, 1997. See
Order In re: Opinion Forms and Citation Standards of the Supreme Court of Montana and the

166
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Adoption of Public Domain and Neutral-Format Citation (Dec. 16, 1997); Order In the Matter
of Aneding Citation Standards, No. AF-07-0064 (Jan. 22, 2009); Order in the Matter of
Amending Citations Standards for the Montana Supreme Court, No. AF 06-0632 (Feb. 24,
2010), https://casetext.com/case/in-re-matter-of-opinion-forms.

Example: Doe v. Roe, 1998 MT 12, ¶¶ 44-45, 286 Mont. 175, 989 P.2d 1312.

Nebraska

Supreme Court (Neb.): Cite to N.W. or N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1879–date N.W., N.W.2d

Nebraska Reports 1860–date Neb.

Court of Appeals (Neb. Ct. App.): Cite to N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1992–date N.W.2d

Nebraska Appellate Reports 1992–date Neb. App.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Neb. Rev. Stat.

Revised Statutes of Nebraska Neb. Rev. Stat. § x-x

(<year>)

Revised Statutes of Nebraska Annotated (LexisNexis) Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § x-

x (LexisNexis <year>)

West's Revised Statutes of Nebraska Annotated Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § x-

x (West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Neb. Laws.

Laws of Nebraska <year> Neb. Laws

<page no.>

West's Nebraska Legislative Service <year> Neb. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Nebraska Administrative Code <tit. no.> Neb. Admin.

Code § x-x (<year>)

Nevada

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Supreme Court (Nev.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1883–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Nevada Reports 1865–date Nev.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Nev. Rev. Stat.

Nevada Revised Statutes Nev. Rev. Stat. § x.x

(<year>)

Michie's Nevada Revised Statutes Annotated (LexisNexis) Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §
x.x (LexisNexis <year>)

West’s Nevada Revised Statutes Annotated Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §

x.x (West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Nev. Stat.

Statutes of Nevada <year> Nev. Stat. <page

no.>

West’s Nevada Legislative Service <year> Nev. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Nevada Administrative Code Nev. Admin. Code § x.x

(<year>)

Administrative register

Nevada Register of Administrative Regulations <vol. no.> Nev. Reg.

Admin. Regs. <reg. no.>
(<month day, year>)

New Hampshire

Supreme Court (N.H.): Cite to A., A.2d, or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1885–date A., A.2d, A.3d

New Hampshire Reports 1816–date N.H.

Statutory compilations: Cite to N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. (published by West).

New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated (West) N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §

168
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

x:x (<year>)

Lexis New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §
x:x (LexisNexis <year>)

Session laws: Cite to N.H. Laws or N.H. Legis. Serv.

Laws of the State of New Hampshire (West) <year> N.H. Laws

<page no.>

New Hampshire Legislative Service (West) <year> N.H. Legis. Serv.

<page no.>

Lexis New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated <year> <year>-<pamph. no.>

Advance Legislative Service (LexisNexis) N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann.
Adv. Legis. Serv. <page
no.> (LexisNexis)

Administrative compilations: Cite to N.H. Code Admin. R. Ann.

New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules Annotated N.H. Code Admin. R.

(LexisNexis) Ann. <dep't name as
abbreviated in Rules>
<rule no.> (<year>)

Code of New Hampshire Rules (LexisNexis) N.H. Code R. <dep't

name as abbreviated in
Rules> <rule no.>
(LexisNexis <year>)

Administrative registers: Cite to N.H. Rulemaking Reg.

New Hampshire Rulemaking Register <vol. no.> N.H.

Rulemaking Reg. <page
no.> (<month day,
year>)

New Hampshire Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> N.H. Gov’t

Reg. <page no.>
(LexisNexis <month
year>)

New Jersey

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Supreme Court (N.J.), previously Court of Errors and Appeals (N.J.): Cite to A.,
A.2d, or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1885–date A., A.2d, A.3d

New Jersey Reports 1948–date N.J.

New Jersey Law Reports 1790–1948 N.J.L.

New Jersey Equity Reports 1845–1948 N.J. Eq.

New Jersey Miscellaneous Reports 1923–1948 N.J. Misc.

Superior Court (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div., N.J. Super. Ct. Ch. Div., N.J. Super. Ct.
Law Div.), previously Court of Chancery (N.J. Ch.), Supreme Court (N.J. Sup.
Ct.), and Prerogative Court (N.J. Prerog. Ct.): Cite to A., A.2d, or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1885–date A., A.2d, A.3d

New Jersey Superior Court Reports 1948–date N.J. Super.

New Jersey Law Reports 1790–1948 N.J.L.

New Jersey Equity Reports 1830–1948 N.J. Eq.

New Jersey Miscellaneous Reports 1923–1948 N.J. Misc.

County Court (e.g., Essex Cnty. Ct.) and other lower courts: Cite to A.2d.

Tax Court (N.J. Tax Ct.): Cite to N.J. Tax.

New Jersey Tax Court Reports 1979–date N.J. Tax

Statutory compilations: Cite to N.J. Stat. Ann.

New Jersey Statutes Annotated (West) N.J. Stat. Ann. § x:x

(West <year>)

New Jersey Revised Statutes (2013) N.J. Rev. Stat. § x:x

(<year>)

Session laws: Cite to N.J. Laws.

Laws of New Jersey <year> N.J. Laws <page

no.>

New Jersey Session Law Service (West) <year> N.J. Sess. Law

170
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

New Jersey Administrative Code (LexisNexis) N.J. Admin. Code § x:x-

x.x (<year>)

Administrative register

New Jersey Register (LexisNexis) <vol. no.> N.J. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Administrative report

New Jersey Administrative Reports 1979–date N.J. Admin., N.J.

Admin. 2d

Local Notes:

In local practice, the New Jersey Constitution’s name is underlined: N.J. Const. art. <Roman
numeral>, § <number>, ¶ <number>. New Jersey Statutes Annotated are cited as N.J.S.A.
followed by the relevant section number but no section symbol: N.J.S.A. <section number>.
See New Jersey Manual on Style for Judicial Opinions (2017), https://www.njcourts.gov
/attorneys/assets/attyresources/manualonstyle.pdf

New Mexico

Supreme Court (N.M.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1883–date P., P.2d, P.3d

New Mexico Reports 1852–2012 N.M.

Court of Appeals (N.M. Ct. App.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1967–date P.2d, P.3d

New Mexico Reports 1967–2012 N.M.

Statutory compilations: Cite to N.M. Stat. Ann.

New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978 (Conway Greene) N.M. Stat. Ann. § x-x-x
(<year>)

West’s New Mexico Statutes Annotated N.M. Stat. Ann. § x-x-x

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Category Dates Abbreviation

(West <year>)

Michie's Annotated Statutes of New Mexico (LexisNexis) N.M. Stat. Ann. § x-x-x
(LexisNexis <year>)

Session laws: Cite to N.M. Laws.

Laws of the State of New Mexico <year> N.M. Laws

<page no.>

New Mexico Advance Legislative Service (Conway <year> N.M. Adv. Legis.
Greene) Serv. <page no.>

West's New Mexico Legislative Service <year> N.M. Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Code of New Mexico Rules (LexisNexis) N.M. Code R. § x.x.x.x

(LexisNexis <year>)

Administrative register

New Mexico Register <vol. no.> N.M. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

New Mexico has adopted a public domain citation format for cases effective July 1, 2013. See
N.M. Sup. Ct. R. 23-112 (Appendix), available at https://casetext.com/rule/new-mexico-court
-rules/new-mexico-supreme-court-general-rules/rule-23-112-citations-for-pleadings-and
-other-papers/appendix-to-rule-23-112-nmra-technical-and-citation-information.

Examples:

Glaser v. LeBus, 2012-NMSC-012, 276 P.3d 959.

Lasen, Inc. v. Tadjikov, 2020-NMCA-006, 456 P.3d 1090.

New York

Court of Appeals (N.Y.): Cite to N.E., N.E.2d, or N.E.3d.

172
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

North Eastern Reporter 1885–date N.E., N.E.2d, N.E.3d

New York Reports (The first series of N.Y. is reprinted in 1847–date N.Y., N.Y.2d
N.Y.S. and N.Y.S.2d without separate pagination. Do not
include a parallel cite to N.Y.S. or N.Y.S.2d in citations to
the first series of N.Y.)

West’s New York Supplement 1956–date N.Y.S.2d, N.Y.S.3d

Court for the Correction of Errors (N.Y.) and Supreme Court of Judicature (N.Y.
Sup. Ct.) (highest state courts of law before 1847): Cite to one of the following
reporters.

Lockwood’s Reversed Cases 1799–1847 Lock. Rev. Cas.

Denio’s Reports 1845–1848 Denio

Hill and Denio Supplement (Lalor) 1842–1844 Hill & Den.

Hill’s Reports 1841–1844 Hill

Edmond’s Select Cases 1834–1853 Edm. Sel. Cas.

Yates’ Select Cases 1809 Yates Sel. Cas.

Anthon’s Nisi Prius Cases 1807–1851 Ant. N.P. Cas.

Wendell’s Reports 1828–1841 Wend.

Cowen’s Reports 1823–1829 Cow.

Johnson’s Reports 1806–1823 Johns.

Caines’ Reports 1803–1805 Cai.

Caines’ Cases 1796–1805 Cai. Cas.

Coleman & Caines’ Cases 1794–1805 Cole. & Cai. Cas.

Johnson’s Cases 1799–1803 Johns. Cas.

Coleman’s Cases 1791–1800 Cole. Cas.

Court of Chancery (N.Y. Ch.) (highest state court of equity before 1848): Cite to one
of the following reporters.

Edwards’ Chancery Reports 1831–1850 Edw. Ch.

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Barbour’s Chancery Reports 1845–1848 Barb. Ch.

Sandford’s Chancery Reports 1843–1847 Sand. Ch.

Saratoga Chancery Sentinel 1841–1847 Sarat. Ch. Sent.

Paige’s Chancery Reports 1828–1845 Paige Ch.

Clarke’s Chancery Reports 1839–1841 Cl. Ch.

Hoffman’s Chancery Reports 1839–1840 Hoff. Ch.

Hopkins’ Chancery Reports 1823–1826 Hopk. Ch.

Lansing’s Chancery Reports 1824–1826 Lans. Ch.

Johnson’s Chancery Reports 1814–1823 Johns. Ch.

New York Chancery Reports Annotated 1814–1847 N.Y. Ch. Ann.

Supreme Court, Appellate Division (N.Y. App. Div.), previously Supreme Court,
General Term (N.Y. Gen. Term): Cite to N.Y.S., N.Y.S.2d, or N.Y.S.3d.

West’s New York Supplement 1888–date N.Y.S., N.Y.S.2d,

N.Y.S.3d

Appellate Division Reports 1896–date A.D., A.D.2d, A.D.3d

Supreme Court Reports 1874–1896 N.Y. Sup. Ct.

Lansing’s Reports 1869–1873 Lans.

Barbour’s Supreme Court Reports 1847–1877 Barb.

Other lower courts (e.g., N.Y. App. Term, N.Y. Sup. Ct., N.Y. Ct. Cl., N.Y. Civ. Ct.,
N.Y. Crim. Ct., N.Y. Fam. Ct.): Cite to N.Y.S., N.Y.S.2d, or N.Y.S.3d.

West’s New York Supplement 1888–date N.Y.S., N.Y.S.2d,

N.Y.S.3d

New York Miscellaneous Reports 1892–date Misc., Misc. 2d

Other lower courts before 1888: Cite to one of the following reporters.

Abbott’s New Cases 1876–1894 Abb. N. Cas.

Abbott’s Practice Reports 1854–1875 Abb. Pr., Abb. Pr. (n.s.)

174
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Howard’s Practice Reports 1844–1886 How. Pr., How. Pr. (n.s.)

Statutory compilations: Cite to one of the following sources.

McKinney’s Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated N.Y. <subject> Law § x

(West) (McKinney <year>)

New York Consolidated Laws Service (LexisNexis) N.Y. <subject> Law § x

(Consol. <year>)

New York Consolidated Laws Unannotated (LexisNexis) N.Y. <subject> Law § x

(LexisNexis <year>)

Abandoned Property Aband. Prop.

Agricultural Conservation Agric. Conserv.

Agriculture and Markets Agric. & Mkts.

Alcoholic Beverage Control Alco. Bev. Cont.

Alternative County Government Alt. County Gov’t

Arts and Cultural Affairs Arts & Cult. Aff.

Banking Banking

Benevolent Orders Ben. Ord.

Business Corporation Bus. Corp.

Canal Canal

Civil Practice Law and Rules N.Y. C.P.L.R. <rule no.>

(McKinney <year>)
or:
N.Y. C.P.L.R. <rule no.>
(Consol. <year>)

Civil Rights Civ. Rights

Civil Service Civ. Serv.

Commerce Com.

Cooperative Corporations Coop. Corp.

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Correction Correct.

County County

Criminal Procedure Crim. Proc.

Debtor and Creditor Debt. & Cred.

Domestic Relations Dom. Rel.

Economic Development Econ. Dev.

Education Educ.

Elder Elder

Election Elec.

Eminent Domain Procedure Em. Dom. Proc.

Employers’ Liability Empl’rs Liab.

Energy Energy

Environmental Conservation Envtl. Conserv.

Estates, Powers and Trusts Est. Powers & Trusts

Executive Exec.

Financial Services Fin. Serv.

General Associations Gen. Ass’ns

General Business Gen. Bus.

General City Gen. City

General Construction Gen. Constr.

General Municipal Gen. Mun.

General Obligations Gen. Oblig.

Highway High.

Indian Indian

Insurance Ins.

176
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Judiciary Jud.

Judiciary Court Acts Jud. Ct. Acts

Labor Lab.

Legislative Legis.

Lien Lien

Limited Liability Company Ltd. Liab. Co.

Local Finance Local Fin.

Mental Hygiene Mental Hyg.

Military Mil.

Multiple Dwelling Mult. Dwell.

Multiple Residence Mult. Resid.

Municipal Home Rule and Statute of Local Governments Mun. Home Rule

Navigation Nav.

Not-for-Profit Corporation Not-for-Profit Corp.

Optional County Government Opt. Cty. Gov’t

Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Parks Rec. & Hist.

Preserv.

Partnership P’ship

Penal Penal

Personal Property Pers. Prop.

Private Housing Finance Priv. Hous. Fin.

Public Authorities Pub. Auth.

Public Buildings Pub. Bldgs.

Public Health Pub. Health

Public Housing Pub. Hous.

Public Lands Pub. Lands

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Public Officers Pub. Off.

Public Service Pub. Serv.

Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Rac. Pari-Mut. Wag. &

Breed.

Railroad R.R.

Rapid Transit Rapid Trans.

Real Property Real Prop.

Real Property Actions and Proceedings Real Prop. Acts.

Real Property Tax Real Prop. Tax

Religious Corporations Relig. Corp.

Retirement and Social Security Retire. & Soc. Sec.

Rural Electric Cooperative Rural Elec. Coop.

Second Class Cities Second Class Cities

Social Services Soc. Serv.

Soil and Water Conservation Districts Soil & Water Conserv.

Dist.

State State

State Administrative Procedure Act A.P.A.

State Finance State Fin.

State Printing and Public Documents State Print. & Pub. Docs.

State Technology State Tech.

Statutes Stat.

Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act Surr. Ct. Proc. Act

Tax Tax

Town Town

Transportation Transp.

178
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Transportation Corporations Transp. Corp.

Unconsolidated Unconsol.

Uniform Commercial Code U.C.C.

Vehicle and Traffic Veh. & Traf.

Village Village

Volunteer Ambulance Workers’ Benefit Vol. Ambul. Workers’

Ben.

Volunteer Firefighters’ Benefit Vol. Fire. Ben.

Workers’ Compensation Workers’ Comp.

Uncompiled laws: Cite to one of the following sources. For the user’s convenience, the
McKinney’s volume in which the law appears is indicated parenthetically below.

McKinney’s Consolidated Laws N.Y. <law> § x

(McKinney <year>)

Consolidated Laws Service N.Y. <law> § x (Consol.

<year>)

LexisNexis New York Consolidated Laws Unannotated N.Y. <law> § x

(LexisNexis <year>)

New York City Civil Court Act (29A) City Civ. Ct. Act

New York City Criminal Court Act (29A) City Crim. Ct. Act

Code of Criminal Procedure (11A) Code Crim. Proc.

Court of Claims Act (29A) Ct. Cl. Act

Family Court Act (29A) Fam. Ct. Act

Uniform City Court Act (29A) Uniform City Ct. Act

Uniform District Court Act (29A) Uniform Dist. Ct. Act

Uniform Justice Court Act (29A) Uniform Just. Ct. Act

Session laws: Cite to official N.Y. Laws, if found there; else, cite to N.Y. Sess. Laws.

Laws of New York <year> N.Y. Laws <page

179
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Category Dates Abbreviation

no.>

McKinney's Session Laws of New York (West) <year> N.Y. Sess. Laws
(McKinney) <page no.>

New York Consolidated Laws Service <year>-<pamph. no.>

N.Y. Consol. Laws Adv.

Advance Legislative Service (LexisNexis) Legis. Serv. <page no.>

(LexisNexis)

Administrative compilation

Official Compilation of Codes, Rules & Regulations of the N.Y. Comp. Codes R. &
State of New York (West) Regs. tit. x, § x (<year>)

Administrative register

New York State Register <vol. no.> N.Y. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

Case-citation formats follow the formats shown in the New York Law Reports Style Manual
(2017 ed., with cumulative updates through 2020), https://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/style
-manual/2017/2017-SM.htm. A few key differences include citing the applicable reporter from
the New York Official Reports Service, and indicating the Department of the Appellate Division
in the court/year parenthetical for intermediate appellate divisions. A few formatting
differences include placing the entire citation in parentheses, placing the year in brackets, and
omitting periods from the various citation components.

Examples:

(Brown & Brown, Inc. v Johnson, 25 NY3d 364 [2015]).

(Boss v Am. Express Fin. Advisors, Inc., 15 AD3d 306 [1st Dept 2005]).

Statutory citations also vary significantly from the Uniform System of Citation’s general
standards. For example, periods with abbreviations are also often omitted from New York
statutory citations in local practice, such as with citing the Civil Practice Laws and Rules are as
CPLR xxxx.

North Carolina

180
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Supreme Court (N.C.): Cite to S.E. or S.E.2d.

South Eastern Reporter 1887–date S.E., S.E.2d

North Carolina Reports

63 N.C. to date 1868–date N.C.

Phillips’ Equity 1866–1868 62 N.C. (Phil. Eq.)

Phillips’ Law 1866–1868 61 N.C. (Phil.)

Winston 1863–1864 60 N.C. (Win.)

Jones’ Equity (54–59) 1853–1863 e.g., 54 N.C. (1 Jones

Eq.)

Jones’ Law (46–53) 1853–1862 e.g., 46 N.C. (1 Jones)

Busbee’s Equity 1852–1853 45 N.C. (Busb. Eq.)

Busbee’s Law 1852–1853 44 N.C. (Busb.)

Iredell’s Equity (36–43) 1840–1852 e.g., 36 N.C. (1 Ired. Eq.)

Iredell’s Law (23–35) 1840–1852 e.g., 23 N.C. (1 Ired.)

Devereux & Battle’s Equity (21–22) 1834–1839 e.g., 21 N.C. (1 Dev. &
Bat. Eq.)

Devereux & Battle’s Law (18–20) 1834–1839 e.g., 20 N.C. (3 & 4 Dev.
& Bat.)

Devereux’s Equity (16–17) 1826–1834 e.g., 16 N.C. (1 Dev. Eq.)

Devereux’s Law (12–15) 1826–1834 e.g., 12 N.C. (1 Dev.)

Hawks (8–11) 1820–1826 e.g., 8 N.C. (1 Hawks)

Murphey (5–7) 1804–1813 e.g., 5 N.C. (1 Mur.)

1818–1819

Taylor’s North Carolina Term Reports 1816–1818 4 N.C. (Taylor)

Carolina Law Repository 1813–1816 4 N.C. (Car. L. Rep.)

Haywood (2–3) 1789–1806 e.g., 2 N.C. (1 Hayw.)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Conference by Cameron & Norwood 1800–1804 1 N.C. (Cam. & Nor.)

Taylor 1798–1802 1 N.C. (Tay.)

Martin 1778–1797 1 N.C. (Mart.)

Court of Appeals (N.C. Ct. App.): Cite to S.E.2d.

South Eastern Reporter 1968–date S.E.2d

North Carolina Court of Appeals Reports 1968–date N.C. App.

Statutory compilations: Cite to N.C. Gen. Stat. (published by LexisNexis).

General Statutes of North Carolina (LexisNexis) N.C. Gen. Stat. § x-x

(<year>)

West’s North Carolina General Statutes Annotated N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § x-
x (West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to N.C. Sess. Laws.

Session Laws of North Carolina <year> N.C. Sess. Laws

<page no.>

North Carolina <year> Advance Legislative Service <year>-<pamph. no.>

(LexisNexis) N.C. Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

North Carolina Legislative Service (West) <year> N.C. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

North Carolina Administrative Code (West) <tit. no.> N.C. Admin.

Code <rule no.>
(<year>)

Administrative register

North Carolina Register (LexisNexis) <vol. no.> N.C. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

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Category Dates Abbreviation

North Carolina has adopted a public domain citation format, effective January 2021. See
Supreme Court of North Carolina, Universal Citation for North Carolina Fact Sheet (Nov.
2020), https://www.nccourts.gov/assets/news-uploads/FINAL_fact-sheet_UniversalCitation-
-SCofNC_11182020.pdf?JVPiE5JQ6Yeng5IJ8_a1TzZF6bjdSTgt

Examples:

Crazie Overstock Promotions, LLC v. State, 2021-NCSC-57, 858 S.E.2d 581.

Town of Apex v. Rubin, 2021-NCCOA-187, 858 S.E.2d 387.

North Carolina statutes are cited as N.C.G.S. § xx-xx (year). See generally Supreme Court
Office of Administrative Counsel, The Guidebook: Citation, Style, and Usage at the Supreme
Court of North Carolina (2019), https://www.nccourts.gov/assets/inline-files/TheGuidebook
_SupremeCourtofNorthCarolina_062019_0.pdf?1lTTY94loM9lL3LuzuIEZ04IbNaxjiSJ;
Appellate Rules Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association, A Style Manual for the
North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure (2021), https://www.ncbar.org/wp-content
/uploads/2021/05/2021-05-13-FINAL-Style-Manual-with-Hyperlinks.pdf.

North Dakota

Supreme Court (N.D.): Cite to N.W. or N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1890–date N.W., N.W.2d

North Dakota Reports 1890–1953 N.D.

Supreme Court of Dakota (Dakota): Cite to N.W.

North Western Reporter 1879–1889 N.W.

Dakota Reports 1867–1889 Dakota

Court of Appeals of North Dakota (N.D. Ct. App.): Cite to N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1987–date N.W.2d

Statutory compilations: Cite to N.D. Cent. Code.

North Dakota Century Code (LexisNexis) N.D. Cent. Code § x-x-x

(<year>)

West’s North Dakota Century Code Annotated N.D. Cent. Code Ann. §
x-x-x (West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to N.D. Laws.

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Laws of North Dakota <year> N.D. Laws

<page no.>

North Dakota Century Code <year> Advance Legislative <year>-<pamph. no.>

Service (LexisNexis) N.D. Cent. Code Adv.
Legis. Serv. <page no.>
(LexisNexis)

West’s North Dakota Legislative Service <year> N.D. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

North Dakota Administrative Code N.D. Admin. Code <rule

no.> (<year>)

Local Notes:

North Dakota has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after December 31, 1996.
See North Dakota Supreme Court Citation Manual (2000), https://www.ndcourts.gov/
supreme-court/citation-manual

Examples:

Smith v. Jones, 1997 ND 15.

Smith v. Jones, 1997 ND 15, 600 N.W.2d 900.

Smith v. Jones, 1997 ND 15, ¶ 21.

Smith v. Jones, 1997 ND 15, ¶ 21, 600 N.W.2d 900.

Ohio

Supreme Court (Ohio): Cite to N.E., N.E.2d, or N.E.3d.

North Eastern Reporter 1885–date N.E., N.E.2d, N.E.3d

Ohio State Reports 1852–date Ohio St., Ohio St. 2d,

Ohio St. 3d

Ohio Reports 1821–1851 Ohio

Wilcox’s Condensed Reports 1821–1831 Wilc. Cond. Rep.

184
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Wright 1831–1834 Wright

Ohio Unreported Cases 1809–1899 Ohio Unrep. Cas.

Court of Appeals (Ohio Ct. App.): Cite to N.E., N.E.2d, or N.E.3d.

North Eastern Reporter 1926–date N.E., N.E.2d, N.E.3d

Ohio Appellate Reports 1913–date Ohio App., Ohio App.

2d, Ohio App. 3d

Ohio Circuit Court Reports 1914–1917 Ohio C.C.

Ohio Courts of Appeals Reports 1916–1922 Ohio Ct. App.

Other law courts: Cite to N.E., N.E.2d, or N.E.3d, if found there; else, cite to another
reporter in the following order of preference.

North Eastern Reporter 1926–date N.E., N.E.2d, N.E.3d

Ohio Miscellaneous Reports 1962–2012 Ohio Misc., Ohio Misc.

2d

Ohio Bar Reports 1982–1987 Ohio B.

Ohio Opinions 1934–1982 Ohio Op., Ohio Op. 2d,

Ohio Op. 3d

Ohio Law Abstract 1922–1964 Ohio Law Abs.

Ohio Nisi Prius Reports 1903–1934 Ohio N.P., Ohio N.P.

(n.s.)

Ohio Decisions 1894–1921 Ohio Dec.

Ohio Decisions, Reprint 1840–1893 Ohio Dec. Reprint

Ohio Circuit Decisions 1885–1923 Ohio Cir. Dec.

Ohio Circuit Court Decisions 1901–1923 e.g., 13-23 Ohio C.C.

Dec.

Ohio Circuit Court Reports 1885–1901 Ohio C.C.

Ohio Law Bulletin 1876–1921 Ohio L. Bull.

Ohio Circuit Court Reports, New Series 1903–1917 Ohio C.C. (n.s.)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Ohio Law Reporter 1903–1934 Ohio L.R.

Tappen’s Reports 1816–1819 Tapp. Rep.

Anderson’s Unreported Ohio Appellate Cases 1990 Ohio App. Unrep.

Statutory compilations: Cite to one of the following codes.

Page’s Ohio Revised Code Annotated (LexisNexis): Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §
x.x (LexisNexis <year>)
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § <section number> (LexisNexis
<year> )

Baldwin’s Ohio Revised Code Annotated (West): Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §
x.x (West <year>)
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § <section number> (West <year>
)

Session laws: Cite to Ohio Laws.

State of Ohio: Legislative Acts Passed and Joint Resolutions Adopted <year> Ohio Laws
<page no.>

Page’s Ohio Legislative Bulletin (LexisNexis) <year> Ohio Legis. Bull.

<page no.> (LexisNexis)

Baldwin’s Ohio Legislative Service Annotated (West) <year> Ohio Legis. Serv.
Ann. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Baldwin's Ohio Administrative Code (West): Ohio Admin. Code <rule

no.> (<year>)
Ohio Admin. Code <rule no.> <year>

Administrative and executive registers: Cite to one of the following registers.

Baldwin's Ohio Monthly Record 1977–date Ohio Monthly Rec.

<page no.> (<month
year>)

Ohio Government Reports 1965–1976 Ohio Gov’t <page no.>

(<month day, year>)

Ohio Department Reports 1914–1964 Ohio Dep’t <page no.>

(<month day, year>)

186
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Local Notes:

Extensive guidance and rules are provided by the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Writing Manual: A
Guide to Citations, Style, and Judicial Opinion Writing (2d ed. 2013),
https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/ROD/manual.pdf.

The Ohio Revised Code is customarily cited locally as R.C. § xx.xx. A common local variation of
this statutory citation is O.R.C. § xx.xx.The Ohio Court of Appeals is divided into appellate
districts that should be indicated parenthetically in the court/year component. Ohio has
adopted a public domain citation format for cases decided after April 30, 2002.

Examples:

Bonacorsi v. Wheeling & Lake Erie Ry. Co., 95 Ohio St.3d 314, 2002-Ohio-2220, 767
N.E.2d 707, ¶ 15.

Bowling Green v. Godwin, 110 Ohio St.3d 58, 2006-Ohio-3563, 850 N.E.2d 698, ¶ 13,
fn. 1.

Byer v. Wright, 160 Ohio App.3d 472, 2005-Ohio-1797, 827 N.E.2d 835 (11th Dist.).

Oklahoma

Supreme Court (Okla.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1890–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Oklahoma Reports 1890–1953 Okla.

Court of Appeals of Indian Territory (Indian Terr.): Cite to S.W.

South Western Reporter 1896–1907 S.W.

Indian Territory Reports 1896–1907 Indian Terr.

Court of Criminal Appeals (Okla. Crim. App.), before 1959 Criminal Court of
Appeals (Okla. Crim. App.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1908–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Oklahoma Criminal Reports 1908–1953 Okla. Crim.

Court of Civil Appeals (Okla. Civ. App.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1971–date P.2d, P.3d

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Statutory compilations: Cite to Okla. Stat.

Oklahoma Statutes (West) Okla. Stat. tit. x, § x

(<year>)

Oklahoma Statutes Annotated (West) Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. x, §

x (West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Okla. Sess. Laws.

Oklahoma Session Laws (West) <year> Okla. Sess. Laws

<page no.>

Oklahoma Session Law Service (West) <year> Okla. Sess. Law

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Oklahoma Administrative Code Okla. Admin. Code §

x:x-x-x (<year>)

Administrative registers: Cite to one of the following sources.

Oklahoma Register 1983–date <vol. no.> Okla. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Oklahoma Gazette 1962–1983 <vol. no.> Okla. Gaz.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

Oklahoma has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after May 1, 1997. See Okla.
Sup. Ct. R. 1.200(e); Okla. Crim. App. R. 3.5.C(2)(a).

Examples:

MTG Guarnieri Mfg., Inc. v. Clouatre, 2010 OK CIV APP 71, 239 P.3d 202.

Harvell v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 2006 OK 24, 164 P.3d 1028.

Oregon

Supreme Court (Or.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

188
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Pacific Reporter 1883–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Oregon Reports 1853–date Or.

Court of Appeals (Or. Ct. App.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1969–date P.2d, P.3d

Oregon Reports, Court of Appeals 1969–date Or. App.

Tax Court (Or. T.C.): Cite to Or. Tax.

Oregon Tax Reports 1962–date Or. Tax

Statutory compilations: Cite to Or. Rev. Stat.

Oregon Revised Statutes Or. Rev. Stat. § x.x

(<year>)

West’s Oregon Revised Statutes Annotated Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § x.x
(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Or. Laws. When citing statutes repealed during or after 1953, indicate
parenthetically the former Or. Rev. Stat. sections.

Oregon Laws and Resolutions <year> Or. Laws <page

no.>

<year> Or. Laws Spec.

Sess. <page no.>

<year> Or. Laws Adv.

Sh. No. x, <page no.>

West’s Oregon Legislative Service <year> Or. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Oregon Administrative Rules Or. Admin. R. <rule

no.> (<year>)

Administrative register

Oregon Bulletin <vol. no.> Or. Bull.

<page no.> (<month

189
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Category Dates Abbreviation

day, year>)

Local Notes:

Oregon Statutes are locally cited ORS § xxx.xxx.

See generally Oregon Appellate Courts Style Manual (2018), https://www.courts.oregon.gov

/publications/Documents/UpdatedStyleManual2002.pdf

Pennsylvania

Supreme Court (Pa.): Cite to A., A.2d, or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1885–date A., A.2d, A.3d

Pennsylvania State Reports 1845–date Pa.

Monaghan 1888–1890 Monag.

Sadler 1885–1889 Sadler

Walker 1855–1885 Walk.

Pennypacker 1881–1884 Pennyp.

Grant 1814–1863 Grant

Watts and Sergeant 1841–1845 Watts & Serg.

Wharton 1835–1841 Whart.

Watts 1832–1840 Watts

Rawle 1828–1835 Rawle

Penrose and Watts 1829–1832 Pen. & W.

Sergeant and Rawle 1814–1828 Serg. & Rawle

Binney 1799–1814 Binn.

Yeates 1791–1808 Yeates

Addison 1791–1799 Add.

Dallas 1754–1806 Dall.

Alden 1754–1814 Ald.

Superior Court (Pa. Super. Ct.): Cite to A., A.2d, or A.3d.

190
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

For cases decided after December 31, 1998, use the following public domain citation format:

Example:

Jones v. Smith, 1999 PA Super 1

Atlantic Reporter 1931–date A., A.2d, A.3d

Pennsylvania Superior Court Reports 1895–1997 Pa. Super.

Commonwealth Court (Pa. Commw. Ct.): Cite to A.2d or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1970–date A.2d, A.3d

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Reports 1970–1994 Pa. Commw.

Other lower courts: Cite to Pa. D. & C., Pa. D. & C.2d, Pa. D. & C.3d, Pa. D. & C.4th, or Pa.
D. & C.5th. Not all lower court decisions are reproduced in the reporters listed below, and it
may be necessary, on occasion, to cite to the legal reporter for an individual county, if
available. For a comprehensive list of Pennsylvania county court reports, consult chapter
seven, appendix four, Frank Y. Liu et al., Pennsylvania Legal Research Handbook (2008).

Pennsylvania District and County Reports 1918–date Pa. D. & C., Pa. D. &
C.2d, Pa. D. & C.3d, Pa.
D. & C.4th, Pa. D. &
C.5th

Pennsylvania District Reports 1892–1921 Pa. D.

Pennsylvania County Court Reports 1870–1921 Pa. C.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Pa. Cons. Stat. (79 titles). These publications should not be
confused with Pa. Code, which is a code of regulations, not of legislation.

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes <tit. no.> Pa. Cons. Stat.

§ x (<year>)

Purdon’s Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated <tit. no.> Pa. Stat. and
Statutes Annotated (West) Cons. Stat. Ann. § x
(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Pa. Laws.

Laws of Pennsylvania <year> Pa. Laws <page

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Category Dates Abbreviation

no.>

Purdon’s Pennsylvania Legislative Service (West) <year> Pa. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Pennsylvania Code (Fry Communications) <tit. no.> Pa. Code § x.x

(<year>)

Administrative register

Pennsylvania Bulletin (Fry Communications) <vol. no.> Pa. Bull.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

Pennsylvania has a complex system of consolidated and unconsolidated statutes, and may
provide a parallel citation to Purdom’s Pennsylvania Statutes Annotated if available. See
Order Amending Rule 126 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure, No. 278
Appellate Procedural Rules Doc., 49 Pa. B. 1335 (March 23, 2019),
http://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pabull?file=/secure/pabulletin/data/vol49/49-12
/416.html.

Rhode Island

Supreme Court (R.I.): Cite to A., A.2d or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1885–date A., A.2d, A.3d

Rhode Island Reports 1828–1980 R.I.

Statutory compilations: Cite to R.I. Gen. Laws.

General Laws of Rhode Island (LexisNexis) <tit. no.> R.I. Gen. Laws
§ x-x-x (<year>)

West’s General Laws of Rhode Island Annotated <tit. no.> R.I. Gen. Laws
Ann. § x-x-x (West
<year>)

Session laws: Cite to R.I. Pub. Laws.

Public Laws of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations <year> R.I. Pub. Laws

192
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

<page no.>

Acts and Resolves of Rhode Island and Providence <year> R.I. Acts &
Plantations Resolves <page no.>

Rhode Island Advance Legislative Service (LexisNexis) <year>-<pamph. no.>

R.I. Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

West’s Rhode Island Advance Legislative Service <year> R.I. Adv. Legis.
Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Code of Rhode Island Rules (LexisNexis) <tit. no.>-<ch. no.> R.I.

Code R. § x (LexisNexis
<year>)

Administrative register

Rhode Island Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> R.I. Gov’t

Reg. <page no.>
(LexisNexis <month
year>)

South Carolina

Supreme Court after 1868 (S.C.): Cite to S.E. or S.E.2d.

South Eastern Reporter 1887–date S.E., S.E.2d

South Carolina Reports 1868–date S.C.

Court of Appeals (S.C. Ct. App.): Cite to S.E.2d.

South Eastern Reporter 1983–date S.E.2d

South Carolina Reports 1983–date S.C.

Courts of law before 1868: Cite to South Carolina Law Reports (S.C.L.)

Richardson (37–49) 1850–1868 e.g., 37 S.C.L. (3 Rich.)

Strobhart (32–36) 1846–1850 e.g., 32 S.C.L. (1 Strob.)

Richardson (30–31) 1844–1846 e.g., 30 S.C.L. (1 Rich.)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Speers (28–29) 1842–1844 e.g., 28 S.C.L. (1 Speers)

McMullan (26–27) 1840–1842 e.g., 26 S.C.L. (1

McMul.)

Cheves 1839–1840 25 S.C.L. (Chev.)

Rice 1838–1839 24 S.C.L. (Rice)

Dudley 1837–1838 23 S.C.L. (Dud.)

Riley 1836–1837 22 S.C.L. (Ril.)

Hill (19–21) 1833–1837 e.g., 19 S.C.L. (1 Hill)

Bailey (17–18) 1828–1832 e.g., 17 S.C.L. (1 Bail.)

Harper 1823–1824 16 S.C.L. (Harp.)

McCord (12–15) 1821–1828 e.g., 12 S.C.L. (1

McCord)

Nott and McCord (10–11) 1817–1820 e.g., 10 S.C.L. (1 Nott &

McC.)

Mill (Constitutional) (8–9) 1817–1818 e.g., 8 S.C.L. (1 Mill)

Treadway (6–7) 1812–1816 e.g., 6 S.C.L. (1 Tread.)

Brevard (3–5) 1793–1816 e.g., 3 S.C.L. (1 Brev.)

Bay (1–2) 1783–1804 e.g., 1 S.C.L. (1 Bay)

Courts of equity before 1868: Cite to South Carolina Equity Reports (S.C. Eq.)

Richardson’s Equity (24–35) 1850–1868 e.g., 24 S.C. Eq. (3 Rich.

Eq.)

Strobhart’s Equity (20–23) 1846–1850 e.g., 20 S.C. Eq. (1 Strob.

Eq.)

Richardson’s Equity (18–19) 1844–1846 e.g., 18 S.C. Eq. (1 Rich.

Eq.)

Speers’ Equity 1842–1844 17 S.C. Eq. (Speers Eq.)

McMullan’s Equity 1840–1842 16 S.C. Eq. (McMul. Eq.)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Cheves’ Equity 1839–1840 15 S.C. Eq. (Chev. Eq.)

Rice’s Equity 1838–1839 14 S.C. Eq. (Rice Eq.)

Dudley’s Equity 1837–1838 13 S.C. Eq. (Dud. Eq.)

Riley’s Chancery 1836–1837 12 S.C. Eq. (Ril. Eq.)

Hill’s Chancery (10–11) 1833–1837 e.g., 10 S.C. Eq. (1 Hill

Eq.)

Richardson’s Cases 1831–1832 9 S.C. Eq. (Rich. Cas.)

Bailey’s Equity 1830–1831 8 S.C. Eq. (Bail. Eq.)

McCord’s Chancery (6–7) 1825–1827 e.g., 6 S.C. Eq. (1

McCord Eq.)

Harper’s Equity 1824 5 S.C. Eq. (Harp. Eq.)

Desaussure’s Equity (1–4) 1784–1817 e.g., 1 S.C. Eq. (1 Des.

Eq.)

Statutory compilation

Code of Laws of South Carolina 1976 Annotated S.C. Code Ann. § x-x-x
(<year>)

Session laws

Acts and Joint Resolutions, South Carolina <year> S.C. Acts <page
no.>

Administrative compilation: Administrative regulations appear in volumes 1–10 of S.C.

Code Ann. This publication should not be confused with the statutory compilation of the same
name, which also contains volumes 1–10.

Code of Laws of South Carolina 1976 Annotated: Code of S.C. Code Ann. Regs.
Regulations (West) <reg no.> (<year>)

Administrative register

South Carolina State Register <vol. no.> S.C. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

South Dakota

Supreme Court (S.D.): Cite to N.W. or N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1890–date N.W., N.W.2d

South Dakota Reports 1890–1976 S.D.

Supreme Court of Dakota (Dakota): Cite to N.W.

North Western Reporter 1879–1889 N.W.

Dakota Reports 1867–1889 Dakota

Statutory compilation

South Dakota Codified Laws (West) S.D. Codified Laws § x-

x-x (<year>)

Session laws: Cite to S.D. Sess. Laws.

Session Laws of South Dakota <year> S.D. Sess. Laws

<ch. x § x> <page no.>

Administrative compilation

Administrative Rules of South Dakota S.D. Admin. R. <rule

no.> (<year>)

Administrative register

South Dakota Register <vol. no.> S.D. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

The South Dakota Codified Laws are locally cited as SDCL § x-x-x. See SDCL § 2-16-18.

South Dakota has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after December 31, 1996.
See S.D. R. Civ. Pro. § 15-26A-69.1 and S.D. Sup. Ct. R. 10-05.

Example:

JAS Enters., Inc. v. BBS Enters., Inc., 2013 S.D. 54, 835 N.W.2d 117.

196
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Tennessee

Supreme Court (Tenn.): Cite to S.W., S.W.2d, or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1886–date S.W., S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Tennessee Reports

60 Tenn. to 225 Tenn. 1872–1972 Tenn.

Heiskell 1870–1874 e.g., 48 Tenn. (1 Heisk.)

Coldwell 1860–1870 e.g., 41 Tenn. (1 Cold.)

Head 1858–1860 e.g., 38 Tenn. (1 Head)

Sneed 1853–1858 e.g., 33 Tenn. (1 Sneed)

Swan 1851–1853 e.g., 31 Tenn. (1 Swan)

Humphreys 1839–1851 e.g., 20 Tenn. (1 Hum.)

Meigs 1838–1839 19 Tenn. (Meigs)

Yerger 1818–1837 e.g., 9 Tenn. (1 Yer.)

Martin & Yerger 1825–1828 8 Tenn. (Mart. & Yer.)

Peck 1821–1824 7 Tenn. (Peck)

Haywood 1816–1818 e.g., 4 Tenn. (1 Hayw.)

Cooke 1811–1814 3 Tenn. (Cooke)

Overton 1791–1815 e.g., 1 Tenn. (1 Overt.)

Court of Appeals (Tenn. Ct. App.): Cite to S.W.2d or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1932–date S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Tennessee Appeals Reports 1925–1971 Tenn. App.

Court of Criminal Appeals (Tenn. Crim. App.): Cite to S.W.2d or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1967–date S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Tennessee Criminal Appeals Reports 1967–1971 Tenn. Crim. App.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Tenn. Code Ann. (published by LexisNexis).

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Tennessee Code Annotated (LexisNexis) Tenn. Code Ann. § x-x-x

(<year>)

West's Tennessee Code Annotated Tenn. Code Ann. § x-x-x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Tenn. Pub. Acts or Tenn. Priv. Acts.

Public Acts of the State of Tennessee <year> Tenn. Pub. Acts

<page no.>

Private Acts of the State of Tennessee <year> Tenn. Priv. Acts

<page no.>

Tennessee Code Annotated Advance Legislative Service <year>-<pamph. no.>

(LexisNexis) Tenn. Code Ann. Adv.
Legis. Serv. <page no.>
(LexisNexis)

West’s Tennessee Legislative Service <year> Tenn. Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Official Compilation Rules & Regulations of the State of Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs.
Tennessee <rule no.> (<year>)

Administrative register

Tennessee Administrative Register <vol. no.> Tenn. Admin.

Reg. <page no.>
(<month year>)

Texas

Supreme Court (Tex.): Cite to S.W., S.W.2d, or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1886–date S.W., S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Texas Reports 1846–1962 Tex.

Synopses of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of Texas 1862–1865 Robards (no vol.
Arising from Restraints by Conscript and Other Military number)
Authorities (Robards)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Texas Law Review (containing previously unpublished 1845–1846 65 Tex. L. Rev.

cases from the 1845 term)

Digest of the Laws of Texas (Dallam’s Opinions) 1840–1844 Dallam (no vol.
number)

Texas Supreme Court Journal 1957–date Tex. Sup. Ct. J.

Court of Criminal Appeals (Tex. Crim. App.), previously Court of Appeals (Tex.
Ct. App.): Cite to S.W., S.W.2d, or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1892–date S.W., S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Texas Criminal Reports 1892–1962 Tex. Crim.

Texas Court of Appeals Reports 1876–1892 Tex. Ct. App.

Condensed Reports of Decisions in Civil Causes in the 1876–1883 White & W. Willson
Court of Appeals (White & Willson vol. 1) (Willson vols. 1883–1892
2–4)

Commission of Appeals (Tex. Comm’n App.): Cite to S.W. or S.W.2d.

South Western Reporter 1886–1892 S.W.

1918–1945 S.W.2d

Texas Reports 1879–1892 Tex.

1918–1945

Texas Unreported Cases (Posey) 1879–1884 Posey

Condensed Reports of Decisions in Civil Causes in the 1879–1883 White & W.

Court of Appeals (White & Willson)

Courts of Appeals (Tex. App.), previously Courts of Civil Appeals (Tex. Civ. App.):
Cite to S.W., S.W.2d, or S.W.3d.

South Western Reporter 1892–date S.W., S.W.2d, S.W.3d

Texas Civil Appeals Reports 1892–1911 Tex. Civ. App.

Consult Texas-specific citation guides for historical subsequent history when citing opinions of
the Commission of Appeals from 1879 to 1892. For additional information on the history and
structure of Texas courts and on local citation rules, the following sources are suggested: Texas
Law Review Ass’n, The Greenbook: Texas Rules of Form (14th ed. 2018); Lydia M.V. Brandt,

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Texas Legal Research (1995); and A Reference Guide to Texas Law and Legal History (Karl T.
Gruben & James E. Hambleton eds., 2d ed. 1987).

Statutory compilations: Texas is nearing the completion of a recodification of its laws. Cite
to the new subject-matter Tex. Code Ann., if found there; else, cite to Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann.
or to one of the independent codes contained in the series Vernon’s Texas Civil Statutes or
Vernon’s Texas Statutes Annotated. Note that the independent codes are not part of the new
subject-matter Tex. Code Ann.

Vernon’s Texas Codes Annotated (West) Tex. <Subject> Code

Ann. § x (West <year>)

Vernon’s Texas Revised Civil Statutes Annotated (West) Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann.
art. x, § x (West <year>)

Vernon’s Texas Business Corporation Act Annotated Tex. Bus. Corp. Act Ann.
(West) art. x (West <year>)

Vernon’s Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Annotated Tex. Code Crim. Proc.
(West) Ann. art. x (West
<year>)

Vernon’s Texas Insurance Code Annotated (West) Tex. Ins. Code Ann. art.
x (West <year>)

Vernon’s Texas Probate Code Annotated (West) Tex. Prob. Code Ann. § x
(repealed) (West <year>)

(Note this independent

code has been repealed
as of 2014)

Texas Subject-Matter Codes

Agriculture Agric.

Alcoholic Beverage Alco. Bev.

Business and Commerce Bus. & Com.

Business Organizations (effective Jan. 1, 2006) Bus. Orgs.

Civil Practice and Remedies Civ. Prac. & Rem.

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 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Education Educ.

Election Elec.

Estates Est.

Family Fam.

Finance Fin.

Government Gov’t

Health and Safety Health & Safety

Human Resources Hum. Res.

Insurance Ins.

Labor Lab.

Local Government Loc. Gov’t

Natural Resources Nat. Res.

Occupations Occ.

Parks and Wildlife Parks & Wild.

Penal Penal

Property Prop.

Special District Local Laws Spec. Dists.

Tax Tax

Transportation Transp.

Utilities Util.

Water Water

Session laws: Cite to Tex. Gen. Laws.

General and Special Laws of the State of Texas <year> Tex. Gen. Laws
<page no.>

Vernon’s Texas Session Law Service (West) <year> Tex. Sess. Law
Serv. <page no.> (West)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Laws of the Republic of Texas <year> Repub. Tex.

Laws <page no.>

Session laws passed before 1941 must be cited according to the exact title, e.g., Tex. Loc. &
Spec. Laws, Tex. Gen. & Spec. Laws, and Tex. Gen. Laws. The Revised Statutes were enacted
and published separately in 1879, 1895, 1911, and 1925 and should be cited as <year> Tex. Rev.
Civ. Stat. xxx. The Code of Criminal Procedure and Penal Code were enacted and published
separately in 1856, 1879, 1895, 1911, and 1925 and should be cited as <year> Tex. Crim. Stat.
xxx.

Administrative compilation

Texas Administrative Code (West) <tit. no.> Tex. Admin.

Code § x.x (<year>)

Administrative register

Texas Register (LexisNexis) <vol. no.> Tex. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

See generally The Greenbook, Texas Rules of Form (14th ed. 2018).At the intermediate
appellate level, the Texas courts are divided into regional intermediate appellate districts.
Customary local practice for Texas intermediate appellate citations is as follows: <case
name>, <vo.> S.W. 2d <page> (Tex. App.—<name of intermediate appellate district> <year>).
The Houston appellate district has two numbered districts and thus also includes either [1st
Dist.] or [14th Dist.]. Customary local practice also includes subsequent history in the citation
parenthetical. See The Greenbook: Texas Rules of Form (14th 2018).

Example:

Titan Oil & Gas Consultants, LLC v. Willis, 614 S.W.3d 261 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2020, pet.
filed).

Utah

Supreme Court (Utah): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1881–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Utah Reports 1873–1974 Utah, Utah 2d

202
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Court of Appeals (Utah Ct. App.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1987–date P.2d, P.3d

Statutory compilations: Cite to one of the following codes.

Utah Code Annotated (LexisNexis) Utah Code Ann. § x-x-x

(LexisNexis <year>)

West’s Utah Code Annotated Utah Code Ann. § x-x-x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Utah Laws.

Laws of Utah <year> Utah Laws

<page no.>

Utah Code <year> Advance Legislative Service <year>-<pamph. no.>

(LexisNexis) Utah Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

Utah Legislative Service (West) <year> Utah. Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Utah Administrative Code Utah Admin. Code r. x-

x-x (<year>)

Administrative register

Utah State Bulletin <iss. no.> Utah Bull.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

Utah has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after December 31, 1998. See Utah
App R. 24(f). Include parallel citations to the Pacific Reporter where available.

Include parallel citations to the Utah Advanced Reports (if possible) when no citation to the
Pacific Reporter is available.

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Examples:

Smith v. Jones, 1999 UT 16.

Smith v. Jones, 1999 UT App 16.

Smith v. Jones, 1999 UT 16, 380 Utah Adv. Rep. 24.

Smith v. Jones, 1999 UT App 16, 380 Utah Adv. Rep. 24.

Smith v. Jones, 1999 UT 16, 998 P.2d 250.

Smith v. Jones, 1999 UT App 16, 998 P.2d 250.

Vermont

Supreme Court (Vt.): Cite to A., A.2d or A.3d.

Atlantic Reporter 1885–date A., A.2d, A.3d

Vermont Reports 1826–date Vt.

Aikens 1825–1828 Aik.

Chipman, D. 1789–1824 D. Chip.

Brayton 1815–1819 Brayt.

Tyler 1800–1803 Tyl.

Chipman, N. 1789–1791 N. Chip.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Vt. Stat. Ann. (published by LexisNexis), if found there

Vermont Statutes Annotated (LexisNexis) Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. x, § x

(<year>)

West’s Vermont Statutes Annotated Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. x, § x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Vt. Acts & Resolves.

Acts and Resolves of Vermont <year> Vt. Acts &

Resolves <page no.>

204
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Vermont <year> Advance Legislative Service(LexisNexis) <year>-<pamph. no.>

Vt. Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

West’s Vermont Legislative Service <year> Vt. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Code of Vermont Rules (LexisNexis) <tit. no.>-<ch. no.> Vt.

Code R. § x (<year>)

Administrative register

Vermont Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> Vt. Gov’t Reg.

<page no.> (LexisNexis
<month year>)

Local Notes:

Vermont Statutes Annotated are cited locally as xx V.S.A. § xx. See 1 V.S.A. § 51.

Vermont has adopted a public domain citation format for cases after December 31, 2002. See
Vt. R. App. P. 28.2.

Example: Smith v. Jones, 2001 VT 1, ¶ 12, 169 Vt. 203, 850 A.2d 421.

Virginia

Supreme Court (Va.), previously Supreme Court of Appeals (Va.): Cite to S.E. or
S.E.2d.

South Eastern Reporter 1887–date S.E., S.E.2d

Virginia Reports

75 Va. to date 1880–date Va.

Grattan 1844–1880 e.g., 42 Va. (1 Gratt.)

Robinson 1842–1844 e.g., 40 Va. (1 Rob.)

Leigh 1829–1842 e.g., 28 Va. (1 Leigh)

Randolph 1821–1828 e.g., 22 Va. (1 Rand.)

Gilmer 1820–1821 21 Va. (Gilmer)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Munford 1810–1820 e.g., 15 Va. (1 Munf.)

Hening & Munford 1806–1810 e.g., 11 Va. (1 Hen. & M.)

Call 1779–1825 e.g., 5 Va. (1 Call)

Virginia Cases, Criminal 1789–1826 e.g., 3 Va. (1 Va. Cas.)

Washington 1790–1796 e.g., 1 Va. (1 Wash.)

Court of Appeals (Va. Ct. App.): Cite to S.E.2d.

South Eastern Reporter 1985–date S.E.2d

Virginia Court of Appeals Reports 1985–date Va. App.

Circuit Court (Va. Cir. Ct.): Cite to Va. Cir.

Virginia Circuit Court Opinions 1957–date Va. Cir.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Va. Code Ann. (published by LexisNexis).

Code of Virginia 1950 Annotated (LexisNexis) Va. Code Ann. § x-x

(<year>)

West’s Annotated Code of Virginia Va. Code Ann. § x-x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Va. Acts.

Acts of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of <year> Va. Acts <page
Virginia no.>

Virginia <year> Advance Legislative Service (LexisNexis) <year>-<pamph. no.>

Va. Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

West’s Virginia Legislative Service <year> Va. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Virginia Administrative Code (West) <tit. no.> Va. Admin.

Code § x-x-x (<year>)

Administrative register

206
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Virginia Register of Regulations (LexisNexis) <vol. no.> Va. Reg.

Regs. <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Washington

Supreme Court (Wash.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1880–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Washington Reports 1889–date Wash., Wash. 2d

Washington Territory Reports 1854–1888 Wash. Terr.

Court of Appeals (Wash. Ct. App.): Cite to P.2d or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1969–date P.2d, P.3d

Washington Appellate Reports 1969–date Wash. App.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Wash. Rev. Code.

Revised Code of Washington Wash. Rev. Code § x.x.x

(<year>)

West's Revised Code of Washington Annotated Wash. Rev. Code Ann. §

x.x.x (West <year>)

Annotated Revised Code of Washington (LexisNexis) Wash. Rev. Code Ann. §

x.x.x (LexisNexis
<year>)

Session laws: Cite to Wash. Sess. Laws.

Session Laws of Washington <year> Wash. Sess.

Laws <page no.>

West’s Washington Legislative Service <year> Wash. Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Washington Administrative Code Wash. Admin. Code § x-

x-x (<year>)

Administrative register

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Washington State Register <iss. no.> Wash. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Local Notes:

Locally, the state code is often cited RCW xx.xx.xx. See generally Official Reporter of
Decisions, Style Sheet, Washington Courts (July 3, 2018), https://www.courts.wa.gov
/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/?fa=atc_supreme.style.

West Virginia

Supreme Court of Appeals (W. Va.): Cite to S.E. or S.E.2d.

South Eastern Reporter 1886–date S.E., S.E.2d

West Virginia Reports 1864–date W. Va.

West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals (W. Va. Ct. App.)

(Pending as of June 2022; check the court’s website for 2022-date

citation information.)

Statutory compilations: Cite to W. Va. Code.

West Virginia Code W. Va. Code § x-x-x

(<year>)

Michie’s West Virginia Code Annotated (LexisNexis) W. Va. Code Ann. § x-x-
x (LexisNexis <year>)

West’s Annotated Code of West Virginia W. Va. Code Ann. § x-x-

x (West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to W. Va. Acts.

Acts of the Legislature of West Virginia <year> W. Va. Acts

<page no.>

West Virginia <year> Advance Legislative Service <year>-<pamph. no.>

(LexisNexis) W. Va. Adv. Legis. Serv.
<page no.> (LexisNexis)

West’s West Virginia Legislative Service <year> W. Va. Legis.

Serv. <page no.>

208
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Administrative compilation

West Virginia Code of State Rules W. Va. Code R. § x-x-x

(<year>)

Administrative register

West Virginia Register <vol. no.> W. Va. Reg.

<page no.> (<month
day, year>)

Wisconsin

Supreme Court (Wis.): Cite to N.W. or N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1879–date N.W., N.W.2d

Wisconsin Reports 1853–date Wis., Wis. 2d

Pinney 1839–1852 Pin.

Chandler 1849–1852 Chand.

Burnett 1842–1843 Bur.

Burnett (bound with session laws for Dec. 1841) 1841 Bur.

Court of Appeals (Wis. Ct. App.): Cite to N.W.2d.

North Western Reporter 1978–date N.W.2d

Wisconsin Reports 1978–date Wis. 2d

Statutory compilations: Cite to Wis. Stat.

Wisconsin Statutes Wis. Stat. § x.x (<year>)

West’s Wisconsin Statutes Annotated Wis. Stat. Ann. § x.x

(West <year>)

Session laws: Cite to Wis. Sess. Laws.

Wisconsin Session Laws <year> Wis. Sess. Laws

<page no.>

West’s Wisconsin Legislative Service <year> Wis. Legis. Serv.

<page no.> (West)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Administrative compilation

Wisconsin Administrative Code Wis. Admin. Code

<agency abbreviation> §
x-x (<year>)

Administrative register

Wisconsin Administrative Register <iss. no.> Wis. Admin.

Reg. <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Local Notes:

Wisconsin has adopted a public domain citation format for cases decided after December 31,
1999. See Wis. Sup. Ct. R. 80, https://www.wicourts.gov/sc/scrule/DisplayDocument.pdf
?content=pdf&seqNo=146082.

Examples:

Smith v. Jones, 2000 WI 14, ¶ 6.

Smith v. Jones, 214 Wis. 2d 408, ¶ 12.

Doe v. Roe, 2001 WI App 9, ¶ 17.

Doe v. Roe, 595 N.W.2d 346, ¶ 27.

Wyoming

Supreme Court (Wyo.): Cite to P., P.2d, or P.3d.

Pacific Reporter 1883–date P., P.2d, P.3d

Wyoming Reports 1870–1959 Wyo.

Statutory compilations: Cite to Wyo. Stat. Ann. (published by LexisNexis).

Wyoming Statutes Annotated (LexisNexis) Wyo. Stat. Ann. § x-x-x

(<year>)

West’s Wyoming Statutes Annotated Wyo. Stat. Ann. § x-x-x

(West <year>)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Session laws: Cite to Wyo. Sess. Laws.

Session Laws of Wyoming <year> Wyo. Sess. Laws

<page no.>

West’s Wyoming Legislative Service <year> Wyo. Legis.

Serv. <page no.> (West)

Administrative compilation

Code of Wyoming Rules (LexisNexis) <tit. no.>-<ch. no.>

Wyo. Code R. § x
(LexisNexis <year>)

Administrative register

Wyoming Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> Wyo. Gov’t

Reg. <page no.>
(LexisNexis <month
year>)

Local Notes:

Wyoming has adopted a public domain citation format for cases decided after December 31,
2003. See Order Amending Citation Format (Aug. 19, 2005). Parallel citations are optional.

Examples:

Doe v. Roe, 2001 WY 12.

Doe v. Roe, 2001 WY 12, 989 P.2d 1312 (2001).

American Samoa

High Court of American Samoa (Am. Samoa): Cite to Am. Samoa, Am. Samoa 2d, or
Am. Samoa 3d.

American Samoa Reports 1900–date Am. Samoa, Am. Samoa

2d, Am. Samoa 3d

Statutory compilation

American Samoa Code Annotated Am. Samoa Code Ann. §

x (<year>)

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Category Dates Abbreviation

Administrative compilation

American Samoa Administrative Code Am. Samoa Admin.

Code § x (<year>)

Canal Zone

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (E.D. La.): This
court has jurisdiction over litigation pending as of Apr. 1, 1982, in the United States District
Court for the District of the Canal Zone. Cite to F. Supp.

Federal Supplement 1982–1983 F. Supp.

United States District Court for the District of the Canal Zone (D.C.Z.): This court
ceased to exist on Mar. 31, 1982. Cite to F. Supp.

Federal Supplement 1946–1982 F. Supp.

Statutory compilation

Panama Canal Code C.Z. Code tit. x, § x

(<year>)

Guam

Supreme Court of Guam (Guam):

The Supreme Court of Guam uses a public domain format as shown here. A parallel citation
may be included.

Example:

Santos v. Carney, 1997 Guam 4.

Santos v. Carney, 1997 Guam 4, 1997 WL 460435.

District Court of Guam (D. Guam): Cite to F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d, or F. Supp. 3d.

Federal Supplement 1951–date F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d, F.

Supp. 3d

Guam Reports 1955–1980 Guam

Statutory compilation

212
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Category Dates Abbreviation

Guam Code Annotated <tit. no.> Guam Code

Ann. § x (<year>)

Session laws

Guam Session Laws Guam Pub. L. <law no.>

(<year>)

Administrative compilation

Administrative Rules & Regulations of the Government of <tit. no.> Guam Admin.
Guam R. & Regs. § x (<year>)

Navajo Nation

Supreme Court (Navajo), previously Court of Appeals (Navajo): Cite to Navajo Rptr.

Navajo Reporter 1969–date Navajo Rptr.

District Court (Navajo D. Ct.): Cite to Navajo Rptr.

Navajo Reporter 1969–date Navajo Rptr.

Statutory compilation

Navajo Nation Code Annotated (West) Navajo Nation Code

Ann. tit. x, § x (<year>)

Northern Mariana Islands

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has adopted a public domain citation
format.

Example:

ABC Company vs. XYZ Company, 2001 MP 1 ¶ 10.

See Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court Style Manual (Jan. 1, 2017), http://cnmilaw.org
/pdf/courtrules/R26.pdf.

Supreme Court (N. Mar. I.): Cite to N. Mar. I.

Northern Mariana Islands Reporter 1989–date N. Mar. I.

District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, Trial and Appellate Divisions
(D. N. Mar. I. and D. N. Mar. I. App. Div.), and Commonwealth Superior Court (N.

213
The Indigo Book

Category Dates Abbreviation

Mar. I. Commw. Super. Ct.), previously Commonwealth Trial Court (N. Mar. I.
Commw. Trial Ct.): Cite to F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d, or F. Supp. 3d.

Federal Supplement 1979–date F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d, F.

Supp. 3d

Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Reporter 1979–date N. Mar. I. Commw.

Statutory compilation

Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Code <tit. no.> N. Mar. I.

(LexisNexis) Code § x (<year>)

Session laws

Northern Mariana Islands Session Laws <year> N. Mar. I. Pub.

L. <law no.>

Administrative compilation

Northern Mariana Islands Administrative Code <tit. no.> N. Mar. I.

Admin. Code § x
(<year>)

Administrative register

Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Register <vol. no.> N. Mar. I.

Reg. <page no.>
(<month day, year>)

Oklahoma Native Americans

Tribal Courts, Courts of Indian Offenses (Appellate Division), Courts of Indian

Appeals, and Courts of Indian Offenses: Cite to Okla. Trib.

Oklahoma Tribal Court Reports 1979–2009 Okla. Trib.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has adopted a public domain citation format for cases decided after December 31,
1997. The format is:

Example: Yumac Home Furniture v. Caguas Lumber Yard, 2015 TSPR 148.

214
 H. TABLES

Category Dates Abbreviation

Supreme Court (P.R.): Cite to P.R. or P.R. Offic. Trans., if found there; else, cite to P.R.
Dec. or P.R. Sent., in that order of preference.

Puerto Rico Reports 1899–1978 P.R.

Official Translations of the Opinions of the Supreme 1978–date P.R. Offic. Trans.
Court of Puerto Rico

Decisiones de Puerto Rico 1899–date P.R. Dec.

Sentencias del Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico 1899–1902 P.R. Sent.

Circuit Court of Appeals (P.R. Cir.): Cite to T.C.A

Decisiones del Tribunal de Circuito de Apelaciones de 1995–date T.C.A.

Puerto Rico

Statutory compilation

Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated (LexisNexis) P.R. Laws Ann. tit. x, § x

(<year>)

Leyes de Puerto Rico Anotadas (LexisNexis) P.R. Leyes An.tit. x, § x

(<year>)

Session laws

Laws of Puerto Rico <year> P.R. Laws <page

no.>

Leyes de Puerto Rico (LexisNexis) <year> P.R. Leyes

<page no.>

Virgin Islands

All courts: Cite to V.I.

Virgin Islands Reports 1917–date V.I.

Statutory compilation

Virgin Islands Code Annotated (LexisNexis) 1962–date V.I. Code Ann. tit. x, § x-
x <year>

Session laws: Cite to V.I. Sess. Laws.

Session Laws of the Virgin Islands <year> V.I. Sess. Laws

215
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Category Dates Abbreviation

<page no.>

Virgin Islands Code Annotated Advance <year>-<pamph. no.>

V.I. Code Ann. Adv.

Legislative Service (LexisNexis) Legis. Serv. <page no.>

(LexisNexis)

Administrative compilation

Code of U.S. Virgin Islands Rules (LexisNexis) <tit. no.>-<ch. no.> V.I.
Code R. § x-x
(LexisNexis <year>)

Administrative register

Virgin Islands Government Register (LexisNexis) <iss. no.> V.I. Gov’t

Reg. <page no.>
(LexisNexis <month
year>)

T4 Required Abbreviations for Services

T4.1 Service Publisher Names

Service Publisher Name Abbreviation

Bloomberg Law BL

Commerce Clearing House CCH

Matthew Bender MB

Research Institute of AmericaRIA

T4.2 Service Abbreviations

For each looseleaf service title, the appropriate abbreviation is followed by the name of the
publisher.

Service Name Abbreviation

Administrative Law Third Series Admin. L.3d (BL)

216
 H. TABLES

Service Name Abbreviation

Affirmative Action Compliance Manual for Federal Contractors Aff. Action Compl. Man.
(BL)

AIDS Law & Litigation Reporter AIDS L. & Litig. Rep.

(Univ. Pub. Group)

All States Tax Guide All St. Tax Guide (RIA)

American Federal Tax Reports, Second Series A.F.T.R.2d (RIA)

American Stock Exchange Guide Am. Stock Ex. Guide

(CCH)

Antitrust & Trade Regulation Report Antitrust & Trade Reg.

Rep. (BL)

Aviation Law Reporter Av. L. Rep. (CCH)

⇒ bound as Aviation Cases Av. Cas. (CCH)

BL’s Banking Report Banking Rep. (BL)

Bankruptcy Court Decisions Bankr. Ct. Dec. (LRP)

Bankruptcy Law Reports Bankr. L. Rep. (CCH)

Benefits Review Board Service Ben. Rev. Bd. Serv. (MB)

BioLaw BioLaw (LexisNexis)

Blue Sky Law Reporter Blue Sky L. Rep. (CCH)

Board of Contract Appeals Decisions—see Contract Appeals

Decisions

Business Franchise Guide Bus. Franchise Guide

(CCH)

Canadian Commercial Law Guide Can. Com. L. Guide

(CCH)

Canadian Tax Reporter Can. Tax Rep. (CCH)

Chemical Regulation Reporter Chem. Reg. Rep. (BL)

Chicago Board Options Exchange Guide Chicago Bd. Options Ex.

Guide (CCH)

217
The Indigo Book

Service Name Abbreviation

Collective Bargaining Negotiations & Contracts Collective Bargaining

Negot. & Cont. (BL)

Collier Bankruptcy Cases, Second Series Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d

(MB)

Commodity Futures Law Reporter Comm. Fut. L. Rep.

(CCH)

Communications Regulation Commc’ns Reg. (BL)

Congressional Index Cong. Index (CCH)

Consumer Credit Guide Consumer Cred. Guide

(CCH)

Consumer Product Safety Guide Consumer Prod. Safety

Guide (CCH)

Contract Appeals Decisions Cont. App. Dec. (CCH)

⇒ bound as Board of Contract Appeals Decisions B.C.A. (CCH)

Contracts Cases, Federal—see Government Contracts Reporter

Copyright Law Decisions Copyright L. Dec. (CCH)

Copyright Law Reporter Copyright L. Rep. (CCH)

Cost Accounting Standards Guide Cost Accounting Stand.

Guide (CCH)

The Criminal Law Reporter Crim. L. Rep. (BL)

Daily Labor Report Daily Lab. Rep. (BL)

Dominion Tax Cases Dominion Tax Cas.

(CCH)

EEOC Compliance Manual EEOC Compl. Man. (BL)

EEOC Compliance Manual EEOC Compl. Man.

(CCH)

Employee Benefits Cases Empl. Benefits Cas. (BL)

Employee Benefits Compliance Coordinator Empl. Coordinator (RIA)

218
 H. TABLES

Service Name Abbreviation

Employment Practices Guide Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH)

⇒ bound as Employment Practices Decisions⇒ bound assee also
Labor Law Reporter

Employment Safety and Health Guide Empl. Safety & Health

Guide (CCH)

⇒ bound as Occupational Safety and Health Decisions O.S.H. Dec. (CCH)

Employment Testing: Law & Policy Reporter Empl. Testing (Univ.

Pub. Am.)

Energy Management & Federal Energy Guidelines Energy Mgmt. (CCH)

Environment Reporter Env’t Rep. (BL)

⇒ bound as Environment Reporter Cases Env’t Rep. Cas. (BL)

Environmental Law Reporter Env’t L. Rep. (Env’t Law

Inst.)

Exempt Organizations Reports Exempt Org. Rep. (CCH)

Fair Employment Practice Cases—see Labor Relations Reporter

The Family Law Reporter Fam. L. Rep. (BL)

Family Law Tax Guide Fam. L. Tax Guide (CCH)

Federal Audit Guides Fed. Audit Guide (CCH)

Federal Banking Law Reporter Fed. Banking L. Rep.

(CCH)

Federal Carriers Reports Fed. Carr. Rep. (CCH)

⇒ bound as Federal Carriers Cases Fed. Carr. Cas. (CCH)

Federal Contracts Report Fed. Cont. Rep. (BL)

Federal Election Campaign Financing Guide Fed. Election Camp. Fin.

Guide (CCH)

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Reporter Fed. Energy Reg.

Comm’n Rep. (CCH)

Federal Estate and Gift Tax Reporter Fed. Est. & Gift Tax Rep.

219
The Indigo Book

Service Name Abbreviation

(CCH)

⇒ bound as Standard Federal Tax Reporter Stand. Fed. Tax Rep.

(CCH)

Federal Excise Tax Reporter Fed. Ex. Tax Rep. (CCH)

Federal Income, Gift and Estate Taxation Fed. Inc. Gift & Est. Tax’n
(MB)

Federal Rules Service, Second Series Fed. R. Serv. 2d (West)

Federal Securities Law Reporter Fed. Sec. L. Rep. (CCH)

Federal Tax Coordinator Second Fed. Tax Coordinator 2d

(RIA)

Federal Tax Guide Reports Fed. Tax Guide Rep.

(CCH)

Fire & Casualty Cases—see Insurance Law Reports

Food Drug Cosmetic Law Reporter Food Drug Cosm. L. Rep.

(CCH)

Government Contracts Reporter Gov’t Cont. Rep. (CCH)

⇒ bound as Contracts Cases, Federal Cont. Cas. Fed. (CCH)

Government Employee Relations Report (ceased publication Gov’t Empl. Rel. Rep.
November 2017) (BL)

Housing & Development Reporter Hous. & Dev. Rep. (RIA)

Human Resources Management OSHA Compliance Guide OSHA Comp. Guide

(CCH)

Immigration Law Service Immigr. L. Serv. (West)

Insurance Law Reports Ins. L. Rep. (CCH)

⇒ bound as Personal and Commercial Liability Personal and Comm.

Liab. (CCH)

⇒ bound as Life, Health & Accident Insurance Cases 2d Life Health & Accid. Ins.
Cas. 2d (CCH)

220
 H. TABLES

Service Name Abbreviation

International Environment Reporter Int’l Env’t Rep. (BL)

International Trade Reporter Int’l Trade Rep. (BL)

IRS Positions IRS Pos. (CCH)

Labor Arbitration Awards Lab. Arb. Awards (CCH)

Labor Law Reporter Lab. L. Rep. (CCH)

⇒ bound as Labor Cases Lab. Cas. (CCH)

⇒ bound as NLRB Decisions NLRB Dec. (CCH)

see also Employment Practices Guid

Labor Relations Reporter: Lab. Rel. Rep. (BL)

⇒ bound as Fair Employment Practice Cases Fair Empl. Prac. Cas.

(BL)

⇒ bound as Labor Arbitration Reports Lab. Arb. Rep. (BL)

⇒ bound as Labor Relations Reference Manual L.R.R.M. (BL)

⇒ bound as Wage and Hour Cases Wage & Hour Cas. (BL)

ABA/Bloomberg Law Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct Laws. Man. on Prof.

Conduct (ABA/BL)

Life, Health & Accident Insurance Cases—see Insurance Law

Reports

Liquor Control Law Reporter Liquor Cont. L. Rep.

(CCH)

Media Law Reporter Media L. Rep. (BL)

Medical Devices Reporter Med. Devices Rep. (CCH)

Medicare and Medicaid Guide Medicare & Medicaid

Guide (CCH)

Mutual Funds Guide Mut. Funds Guide (CCH)

National Reporter on Legal Ethics & Professional Responsibility Nat’l Rep. Legal Ethics
(Univ. Pub. Am.)

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Service Name Abbreviation

New York Stock Exchange Guide N.Y.S.E. Guide (CCH)

NLRB Decisions—see Labor Law Reporter

Nuclear Regulation Reporter Nuclear Reg. Rep. (CCH)

Occupational Safety & Health Reporter O.S.H. Rep. (BL)

⇒ bound as Occupational Safety & Health Cases O.S.H. Cas. (BL)

OFCCP Federal Contract Compliance Manual OFCCP Fed. Cont.

Compl. Man. (CCH)

Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal Pat. Trademark &

Copyright J. (BL)

Pension & Benefits Reporter Pens. & Ben. Rep. (BL)

Pension Plan Guide Pens. Plan Guide (CCH)

Pension & Profit Sharing Second Pens. & Profit Sharing 2d

(RIA)

Product Safety & Liability Reporter Prod. Safety & Liab. Rep.
(BL)

Products Liability Reporter Prod. Liab. Rep. (CCH)

Public Utilities Reports Pub. Util. Rep. (PUR)

School Law Reporter School L. Rep. (Educ.

Law Ass’n.)

Search & Seizure Bulletin Search & Seizure Bull.

(Quinlan)

SEC Accounting Rules SEC Accounting R.

(CCH)

Secured Transactions Guide Secured Transactions

Guide (CCH)

Securities and Federal Corporate Law Report Sec. & Fed. Corp. L. Rep.
(West)

Securities Regulation & Law Report Sec. Reg. & L. Rep. (BL)

222
 H. TABLES

Service Name Abbreviation

Shipping Regulation Shipping Reg. (BL)

Social Security Reporter Soc. Sec. Rep. (CCH)

Standard Federal Tax Reporter Stand. Fed. Tax Rep.

(CCH)

⇒ bound as U.S. Tax Cases U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH)

State and Local Tax Service St. & Loc. Tax Serv. (RIA)

State and Local Taxes—see All States Tax Guide

State Inheritance, Estate, and Gift Tax Reporter St. Inher., Est. & Gift Tax
Rep. (CCH)

State Tax Guide St. Tax Guide (CCH)

State Tax Reporter St. Tax Rep. (CCH)

Tax Court Memorandum Decisions T.C.M. (RIA)

⇒ bound as Tax Court Reporter T.C.M. (CCH) [or (RIA)]

Tax Court Reported Decisions Tax Ct. Rep. Dec. (RIA)

Tax Court Reports Tax Ct. Rep. (CCH)

Trade Regulation Reporter Trade Reg. Rep. (CCH)

⇒ bound as Trade Cases Trade Cas. (CCH)

Unemployment Insurance Reporter Unempl. Ins. Rep. (CCH)

Uniform Commercial Code Reporting Service Second UCC Rep. Serv. (West)

Union Labor Report Newsletter Union Lab. Rep. Newsl.

(BL)

The United States Law Week (published by Bloomberg Law, which U.S.L.W.
need not be indicated in the service citation)

The United States Patents Quarterly bound in same name U.S.P.Q. (BL),
U.S.P.Q.2d (BL)

U.S. Tax Cases—see Federal Estate and Gift Tax Reporter and
Standard Federal Tax Reporter

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Service Name Abbreviation

U.S. Tax Reporter U.S. Tax Rep. (RIA)

U.S. Tax Treaties Reporter U.S. Tax Treaties Rep.

(CCH)

Utilities Law Reports Util. L. Rep. (CCH)

Wage and Hour Cases—see Labor Relations Reporter

T5 Required Abbreviations for Legislative Documents

Words not on this list that are more than six letters may be abbreviated for clarity and if the
chosen abbreviation is not ambiguous. All articles and prepositions should be removed from
the abbreviated title if the remaining title content still provides clear document identification.

Legislative Document Abbreviation

Annals Annals

Annual Ann.

Assembly[man, woman, member]Assemb.

Bill B.

Committee Comm.

Concurrent Con.

Conference Conf.

Congress[ional] Cong.

Debate Deb.

Delegate Del.

Document[s] Doc.

Executive Exec.

Federal Fed.

House H.

House of Delegates H.D.

House of Representatives H.R.

224
 H. TABLES

Legislative Document Abbreviation

Joint J.

Legislat[ion, ive] Legis.

Legislature Leg.

Miscellaneous Misc.

Number No.

Order Order

Record Rec.

Register Reg.

Regular Reg.

Report Rep.

Representative Rep.

Resolution Res.

Senate S.

Senator Sen.

Service Serv.

Session Sess.

Special Spec.

Subcommittee Subcomm.

T6. Required Abbreviations for Treaty Sources

Editor’s note: Refer to Table T6 in the first edition of The Indigo Book for treaty abbreviations,
checking the applicable jurisdiction(s) for updates since 2016.

T7. Required Abbreviations for Arbitral Reporters

Editor’s note: Refer to Table T7 in the first edition of The Indigo Book for abbreviations of
arbitral reporters, checking the applicable jurisdiction(s) for updates since 2016.

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T8. Required Abbreviations for Intergovernmental Organizations

Editor’s note: Refer to Table T8 in the first edition of The Indigo Book for abbreviations of
intergovernmental organizations, checking the applicable jurisdiction(s) for updates since
2016.

T9. Required Abbreviations for Court Names

Court Name Abbreviation

Administrative Court Admin. Ct.

Admiralty [Court, Division] Adm.

Aldermen’s Court Alder. Ct.

Appeals Court App. Ct.

Appellate Court App. Ct.

Appellate Department App. Dep’t

Appellate Division App. Div.

Armed Services Board of Contract ASBCA

Appeals

Bankruptcy Appellate Panel B.A.P.

Bankruptcy [Court, Judge] Bankr.

Board of Contract Appeals B.C.A.

Board of Immigration Appeals B.I.A.

Board of Patent Appeals and B.P.A.I.

Interferences

Board of Tax Appeals B.T.A.

Borough Court <Name> Bor. Ct.

Business Court Bus. Ct.

Central District C.D.

Chancery [Court, Division] Ch.

Children’s Court Child. Ct.

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 H. TABLES

Court Name Abbreviation

Circuit Court (old federal) C.C.

Circuit Court (state) Cir. Ct.

Circuit Court of Appeals (federal) Cir.

Circuit Court of Appeals (state) Cir. Ct. App.

City Court <Name> City Ct.

Civil Appeals Civ. App.

Civil Court of Record Civ. Ct. Rec.

Civil District Court Civ. Dist. Ct.

Claims Court Cl. Ct.

Commerce Court Comm. Ct.

Commission Comm’n

Common Pleas C.P. <when appropriate, name county or similar

subdivision>

Commonwealth Court Commw. Ct.

Conciliation Court Concil. Ct.

County Court <Name> Cnty. Ct.

[could also use Cty. Ct.]

County Judge’s Court Cnty. J. Ct.

[could also use Cty. J. Ct.]

Court Ct.

Court of Appeal (English) C.A.

Court of Appeals (federal) Cir.

Court of Appeal[s] (state) Ct. App.

Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces C.A.A.F.

Court of Civil Appeals Civ. App.

Court of Claims Ct. Cl.

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Court Name Abbreviation

Court of Common Pleas Ct. Com. Pl.

Court of Criminal Appeals Crim. App.

Court of Customs and Patent Appeals C.C.P.A.

Court of Customs Appeals Ct. Cust. App.

Court of Errors Ct. Err.

Court of Errors and Appeals Ct. Err. & App.

Court of Federal Claims Fed. Cl.

Court of [General, Special] Sessions Ct. <Gen. or Spec.> Sess.

Court of International Trade Ct. Int’l Trade

Court of Military Appeals C.M.A.

Court of Military Review C.M.R.

Court of Special Appeals Ct. Spec. App.

Court of Veterans Appeals Ct. Vet. App.

Criminal Appeals Crim. App.

Criminal District Court Crim. Dist. Ct.

Customs Court Cust. Ct.

District Court (federal) D.

District Court (state) Dist. Ct.

District Court of Appeal[s] Dist. Ct. App.

Division Div.

Domestic Relations Court Dom. Rel. Ct.

Eastern District E.D.

Emergency Court of Appeals Emer. Ct. App.

Equity [Court, Division] Eq.

Family Court Fam. Ct.

228
 H. TABLES

Court Name Abbreviation

High Court High Ct.

Judicial District Jud. Dist.

Judicial Division Jud. Div.

Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation J.P.M.L.

Justice of the Peace’s Court J.P. Ct.

Juvenile Court Juv. Ct.

Land Court Land Ct.

Law Court Law Ct.

Law Division Law Div.

Magistrate Division Magis. Div.

Magistrate’s Court Magis. Ct.

Middle District M.D.

Municipal Court <Name> Mun. Ct.

Northern District N.D.

Orphans’ Court Orphans’ Ct.

Parish Court <Name> Parish Ct.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board P.T.A.B.

Police Justice’s Court Police J. Ct.

Prerogative Court Prerog. Ct.

Probate Court Prob. Ct.

Public Utilities Commission P.U.C.

Real Estate Commission Real Est. Comm’n

Recorder’s Court Rec’s Ct.

Southern District S.D.

Special Court Regional Rail Reg’l Rail Reorg. Ct.

Reorganization Act

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Court Name Abbreviation

Superior Court Super. Ct.

Supreme Court (federal) U.S.

Supreme Court (other) Sup. Ct.

Supreme Court, Appellate Division App. Div.

Supreme Court, Appellate Term App. Term

Supreme Court of Errors Sup. Ct. Err.

Supreme Judicial Court Sup. Jud. Ct.

Surrogate’s Court Sur. Ct.

Tax Appeal Court Tax App. Ct.

Tax Court T.C.

Teen Court Teen Ct.

Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals Temp. Emer. Ct. App.

Territorial, Territory Terr.

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board T.T.A.B.

Traffic Court Traffic Ct.

Tribal Court <Name> Tribal Ct.

Tribunal Trib.

Water Court Water Ct.

Western District W.D.

Workmen’s Compensation Division Workmen’s Comp. Div.

Youth Court Youth Ct.

T10. Required Abbreviations for Titles of Judges and Officials

Title Abbreviation

Administrative Law Judge A.L.J.

Arbitrator Arb.

230
 H. TABLES

Title Abbreviation

Assembly[man, woman, member]Assemb.

Attorney General Att’y Gen.

Baron B.

Chancellor C.

Chief Baron C.B.

Chief Judge, Chief Justice C.J.

Commissioner Comm’r

Delegate Del.

Honorable Hon.

Judge, Justice J.

Judges, Justices JJ.

Lord Justice L.J.

Magistrate Mag.

Master of the Rolls M.R.

Mediator Med.

Referee Ref.

Representative Rep.

Senator Sen.

Vice Chancellor V.C.

T11. Required Abbreviations for Case Names in Citations, Periodical

Titles, and Institutional Authors (Common Words)
This table collects the abbreviations for various common words found in case names and
periodical titles, as well as author names for institutional authors. Note that Table T15 provides
abbreviations for specific institutional names in periodical titles. When in doubt, the specifics
in Table T15 control the periodical title control over the general common-word abbreviations
found here.

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The Indigo Book

Using the common-word abbreviations in this table, here are examples of each:

Sample case name: Smith v. Detroit Fed’n of Teachers, Local 231

Sample periodical title: Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J.

Sample institutional author: Fed. Jud. Ctr.

In case names and periodical titles, words can be pluralized by adding “s” to the abbreviation
(Dep’ts, Exchs.) Possessive words are indicated with ’s after the abbreviation when singular
(Mfr.’s ) and with ’ after the abbreviation when plural (Mfrs.’). Other words of eight letters or
more may be abbreviated to save significant space, if the abbreviation is clear.

In case names, well-known acronyms can be abbreviated as such per Rule 11.2.19.
Abbreviations already in periodical titles should be maintained as such (whether well-known or
not) such as “NALP Bulletin” (which is the title of that publication).

In periodical titles, omit the words “a,” “at,” “in,” “of,” and “the.” If a title contains a single
word after one of these short omitted words, do not abbreviate the next word. For example,
“Journal of Construction” would become “J. Construction” (despite the abbreviation “Const.”
in this table.) Omit words after a colon in a periodical title. Periodical titles have additional
institution-specific and geographical abbreviations shown in Table T12 and T15.

Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

Academic, Academy Acad.

Accountant, Accounting, Accountancy Acct.

Administrative, Administration Admin.

Administrator, Administratrix Adm’r, Adm’x

Advertising Advert.

Advocate, Advocacy Advoc.

Affair Aff.

Africa, African Afr.

Agriculture, Agricultural Agric.

Alliance All.

Alternative Alt.

232
 H. TABLES

Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

Amendment Amend.

America, American Am.

and &

Annual Ann.

Appellate App.

Arbitration, Arbitrator Arb.

Artificial Intelligence A.I.

Associate Assoc.

Association Ass’n

Atlantic Atl.

Attorney Att’y

Authority Auth.

Automobile, Automotive Auto.

Avenue Ave.

Bankruptcy Bankr.

Behavior, Behavioral Behav.

Board Bd.

Broadcaster, Broadcasting Broad.

Brotherhood Bhd.

Brothers Bros.

Building Bldg.

Business, Businesses Bus.

Capital Cap.

Casualty, Casualties Cas.

Catholic Cath.

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Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

Center, Centre Ctr.

Central Cent.

Chemical Chem.

Children Child.

Chronicle Chron.

Circuit Cir.

Coalition Coal.

College Coll.

Commentary Comment.

Commission Comm’n

Commissioner Comm’r

Committee Comm.

Communication Commc’n

Community Cmty.

Company Co.

Comparative Compar.

Compensation Comp.

Computer, Computing, Computational Comput.

Condominium Condo.

Conference Conf.

Congress, Congressional Cong.

Consolidated Consol.

Construction Constr.

Contemporary Contemp.

Continental Cont’l

234
 H. TABLES

Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

Contract Cont.

Conveyance, Conveyancer Conv.

Cooperation, Cooperative Coop.

Corporate, Corporation Corp.

Corrections, Correctional Corr.

Cosmetic Cosm.

Counselor, Counselors, Counselor’s, Counseling Couns.

County Cnty.

(Note: the traditional and, we submit, recommended abbreviation is Cty.)

Defend, Defender, Defense, Defensive Def.

Delinquent, Delinquency Delinq.

Department Dep’t

Detention Det.

Developer, Development Dev.

Digest Dig.

Digital Digit.

Diplomacy Dipl.

(Optional: may also use with variations Diplomat and Diplomatic.)

Director Dir.

Discount Disc.

Dispute Disp.

Distributor, Distributing, Distribution Distrib.

District Dist.

Division Div.

Doctor Dr.

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Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

East, Eastern E.

Economic, Economical, Economics, Economy Econ.

Editor, Editorial Ed.

Educate, Education, Educating, Educational, Educator Educ.

Electric, Electrical, Electricity, Electronic Elec.

Employee, Employer, Employment Emp.

Enforcement Enf’t

Engineer Eng’r

Engineering Eng’g

English Eng.

Enterprise Enter.

Entertainment Ent.

Environment, Environmental Env’t

Equality Equal.

Equipment Equip.

Estate Est.

Examiner Exam’r

Exchange Exch.

Executive Exec.

Executor, Executrix Ex’[r, x]

Exploration, Exploratory Expl.

Exporter, Exportation Exp.

Faculty Fac.

Federal Fed.

Federation Fed’n

236
 H. TABLES

Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

Fidelity Fid.

Finance, Financial, Financing Fin.

Fortnightly Fort.

Forum F.

Foundation Found.

General Gen.

Global Glob.

Government Gov’t

Group Grp.

Guaranty, Guarantor Guar.

Hispanic Hisp.

Historical, History Hist.

Hospital Hosp.

Hospitality Hosp.

Housing Hous.

Human Hum.

Import, Importer, Importation Imp.

Incorporated Inc.

Indemnity Indem.

Independence, Independent Indep.

Industry, Industries, Industrial Indus.

Inequality Ineq.

Information Info.

Institute, Institution Inst.

Insurance Ins.

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Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

Intellectual Intell.

Intelligence Intel.

(But use A.I. for Artificial Intelligence.)

Interdisciplinary Interdisc.

Interest Int.

International Int’l

Investment, Investor Inv.

Journal, Journals J.

Judicial Jud.

Juridicial Jurid.

Jurisprudence Juris.

Justice Just.

Juvenile Juv.

Labor Lab.

Laboratory Lab’y

(Note: the traditional and, we submit, recommended abbreviation is Lab.) Lab.

Law (unless it is the the first word, in which case do not abbreviate) L.

Lawyer Law.

Legislate, Legislation, Legislative Legis.

Liability Liab.

Library, Librarian Libr.

Limited Ltd.

Litigation Litig.

Local Loc.

Machine, Machinery Mach.

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 H. TABLES

Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

Magazine Mag.

Maintenance Maint.

Management Mgmt.

Manufacturer Mfr.

Manufacturing Mfg.

Maritime Mar.

Market Mkt.

Marketing Mktg.

Matrimonial Matrim.

Mechanic, Mechanical Mech.

Medical, Medicinal, Medicine Med.

Memorial Mem’l

Merchant, Merchandise, Merchandising Merch.

Metropolitan Metro.

Military Mil.

Mineral Min.

Modern Mod.

Mortgage Mortg.

Municipal, Municipality Mun.

Mutual Mut.

National Nat’l

Nationality Nat’y

Natural Nat.

Negligence Negl.

Negotiation, Negotiator Negot.

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Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

Newsletter Newsl.

North, Northern N.

Northeast, Northeastern Ne.

Northwest, Northwestern Nw.

Number No.

Office, Official Off.

Opinion Op.

Order Ord.

Organization, Organizing Org.

Pacific Pac.

Parish Par.

Partnership P’ship

Patent Pat.

Person, Personal, Personnel Pers.

Perspective Persp.

Pharmaceutic, Pharmaceutical Pharm.

Philosophical, Philosophy Phil.

Planning Plan.

Policy Pol’y

Politic, Political, Politics Pol.

Practical, Practice, Practitioner Prac.

Preserve, Preservation Pres.

Privacy, Private Priv.

Probate, Probation Prob.

Problems Probs.

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Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

Proceedings, Procedure Proc.

Product, Production Prod.

Profession, Professional Pro.

(Note: Consider maintaining the more traditional “Prof.” or “Prof’l” rather than
“Pro.” in context.) See Table T15, which prioritizes “Prof.” for specific periodical
titles.)

Property Prop.

Protection Prot.

Psychological, Psychologist, Psychology Psych.

Public Pub.

Publication Publ’n

Publishing Publ’g

Quarterly Q.

Railroad R.R.

Railway Ry.

Record Rec.

Referee Ref.

Refining, Refinement Refin.

Regional Reg’l

Register Reg.

Regulation, Regulator, Regulatory Regul.

Rehabilitation, Rehabilitative Rehab.

Relation Rel.

Report, Reporter Rep.

(Optional: disregard and do not abbreviate Reporter, as traditionally it has not

been abbreviated. See, e.g., Reporters Comm. for Freedom of the Press)

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Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

Reproduction, Reproductive Reprod.

Research Rsch.

Reservation, Reserve Rsrv.

Resolution Resol.

Resource, Resources Res.

Responsibility Resp.

Restaurant Rest.

Retirement Ret.

Review, Revista Rev.

Rights Rts.

Road Rd.

Savings Sav.

School Sch.

Science, Scientific Sci.

Scottish Scot.

Secretary Sec’y

Security, Securities Sec.

Sentencing Sent’g

Service Serv.

Shareholder, Stockholder S’holder

Social Soc.

Society Soc’y

Sociological, Sociology Socio.

Solicitor Solic.

Solution Sol.

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Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

South, Southern S.

Southeast, Southeastern Se.

Southwest, Southwestern Sw.

Statistic, Statistics, Statistical Stat.

Steamship, Steamships S.S.

Street St.

Studies Stud.

Subcommittee Subcomm.

Supreme Court Sup. Ct.

Surety Sur.

System, Systems Sys.

Taxation Tax’n

Teacher Tchr.

Technical, Technique, Technological, Technology Tech.

Telecommunication Telecomm.

Telephone, Telegraph Tel.

Temporary Temp.

Township Twp.

Transcontinental Transcon.

Transnational Transnat’l

Transport, Transportation Transp.

Tribune Trib.

Trust, Trustee Tr.

Turnpike Tpk.

Uniform Unif.

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Common Word in a Case Name, Periodical Title, Institutional Abbreviation

Author Name

United States U.S.

University Univ.

(case names)

University U.

(periodical
titles)

Urban Urb.

Utility Util.

Village Vill.

Week Wk.

Weekly Wkly.

West, Western W.

Yearbook, Year Book Y.B.

T12. Required Abbreviations for Geographical Terms

T12.1. U.S. States, Cities and Territories

Abbreviations for states, cities, and territories are provided below. Note that abbreviations for
city names may also be composed from state name abbreviations. For example, “Kansas City”
should be shortened to “Kan. City.”

Place Abbreviation

States

Alabama Ala.

Alaska Alaska

Arizona Ariz.

Arkansas Ark.

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 H. TABLES

Place Abbreviation

California Cal.

Colorado Colo.

Connecticut Conn.

Delaware Del.

Florida Fla.

Georgia Ga.

Hawaii Haw.

Idaho Idaho

Illinois Ill.

Indiana Ind.

Iowa Iowa

Kansas Kan.

Kentucky Ky.

Louisiana La.

Maine Me.

Maryland Md.

Massachusetts Mass.

Michigan Mich.

Minnesota Minn.

Mississippi Miss.

Missouri Mo.

Montana Mont.

Nebraska Neb.

Nevada Nev.

New Hampshire N.H.

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Place Abbreviation

New Jersey N.J.

New Mexico N.M.

New York N.Y.

North Carolina N.C.

North Dakota N.D.

Ohio Ohio

Oklahoma Okla.

Oregon Or.

Pennsylvania Pa.

Rhode Island R.I.

South Carolina S.C.

South Dakota S.D.

Tennessee Tenn.

Texas Tex.

Utah Utah

Vermont Vt.

Virginia Va.

Washington Wash.

West Virginia W. Va.

Wisconsin Wis.

Wyoming Wyo.

Cities

Baltimore Balt.

Boston Bos.

Chicago Chi.

246
 H. TABLES

Place Abbreviation

Dallas Dall.

District of Columbia D.C.

Houston Hous.

Los Angeles L.A.

Miami Mia.

New York N.Y.C.

Philadelphia Phila.

Phoenix Phx.

San Francisco S.F.

Territories

American Samoa Am. Sam.

Guam Guam

Northern Mariana IslandsN. Mar. I.

Puerto Rico P.R.

Virgin Islands V.I.

T12.2 Australian States and Canadian Provinces and Territories

Place Abbreviation

Australia

Australian Capital TerritoryAustl. Cap. Terr.

New South Wales N.S.W.

Northern Territory N. Terr.

Queensland Queensl.

South Australia S. Austl.

Tasmania Tas.

Victoria Vict.

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Place Abbreviation

Western Australia W. Austl.

Canada

Alberta Alta.

British Columbia B.C.

Manitoba Man.

New Brunswick N.B.

Newfoundland & Labrador Nfld.

Northwest Territories N.W.T.

Nova Scotia N.S.

Nunavut Nun.

Ontario Ont.

Prince Edward Island P.E.I.

Quebec Que.

Saskatchewan Sask.

Yukon Yukon

T12.3 Countries and Regions

Place Abbreviation

Afghanistan Afg.

Africa Afr.

Albania Alb.

Algeria Alg.

Andorra Andorra

Angola Angl.

Anguilla Anguilla

Antarctica Antarctica

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 H. TABLES

Place Abbreviation

Antigua & Barbuda Ant. & Barb.

Argentina Arg.

Armenia Arm.

Asia Asia

Australia Austl.

Austria Austria

Azerbaijan Azer.

Bahamas Bah.

Bahrain Bahr.

Bangladesh Bangl.

Barbados Barb.

Belarus Belr.

Belgium Belg.

Belize Belize

Benin Benin

Bermuda Berm.

Bhutan Bhutan

Bolivia Bol.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosn. & Herz.

Botswana Bots.

Brazil Braz.

Brunei Brunei

Bulgaria Bulg.

Burkina Faso Burk. Faso

Burundi Burundi

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Place Abbreviation

Cambodia Cambodia

Cameroon Cameroon

Canada Can.

Cape Verde Cape Verde

Cayman Islands Cayman Is.

Central African Republic Cent. Afr. Rep.

Chad Chad

Chile Chile

China, People’s Republic of China

Colombia Colom.

Comoros Comoros

Congo, Democratic Republic of theDem. Rep. Congo

Congo, Republic of the Congo

Costa Rica Costa Rica

Côte d'Ivoire Côte d'Ivoire

Croatia Croat.

Cuba Cuba

Cyprus Cyprus

Czech Republic Czech

Denmark Den.

Djibouti Djib.

Dominica Dominica

Dominican Republic Dom. Rep.

Ecuador Ecuador

Egypt Egypt

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 H. TABLES

Place Abbreviation

El Salvador El Sal.

England Eng.

Equatorial Guinea Eq. Guinea

Eritrea Eri.

Estonia Est.

Ethiopia Eth.

Europe Eur.

Falkland Islands Falkland Is.

Fiji Fiji

Finland Fin.

France Fr.

Gabon Gabon

Gambia Gam.

Georgia Geor.

Germany Ger.

Ghana Ghana

Gibraltar Gib.

Great Britain Gr. Brit.

Greece Greece

Greenland Green.

Grenada Gren.

Guadeloupe Guad.

Guatemala Guat.

Guinea Guinea

Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau

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Place Abbreviation

Guyana Guy.

Haiti Haiti

Honduras Hond.

Hong Kong H.K.

Hungary Hung.

Iceland Ice.

India India

Indonesia Indon.

Iran Iran

Iraq Iraq

Ireland Ir.

Israel Isr.

Italy It.

Jamaica Jam.

Japan Japan

Jordan Jordan

Kazakhstan Kaz.

Kenya Kenya

Kiribati Kiribati

Korea, North N. Kor.

Korea, South S. Kor.

Kosovo Kos.

Kuwait Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan Kyrg.

Laos Laos

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Place Abbreviation

Latvia Lat.

Lebanon Leb.

Lesotho Lesotho

Liberia Liber.

Libya Libya

Liechtenstein Liech.

Lithuania Lith.

Luxembourg Lux.

Macau Mac.

Macedonia Maced.

Madagascar Madag.

Malawi Malawi

Malaysia Malay.

Maldives Maldives

Mali Mali

Malta Malta

Marshall Islands Marsh. Is.

Martinique Mart.

Mauritania Mauritania

Mauritius Mauritius

Mexico Mex.

Micronesia Micr.

Moldova Mold.

Monaco Monaco

Mongolia Mong.

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Place Abbreviation

Montenegro Montenegro

Montserrat Montserrat

Morocco Morocco

Mozambique Mozam.

Myanmar Myan.

Namibia Namib.

Nauru Nauru

Nepal Nepal

Netherlands Neth.

New Zealand N.Z.

Nicaragua Nicar.

Niger Niger

Nigeria Nigeria

North America N. Am.

Northern Ireland N. Ir.

Norway Nor.

Oman Oman

Pakistan Pak.

Palau Palau

Panama Pan.

Papua New Guinea Papua N.G.

Paraguay Para.

Peru Peru

Philippines Phil.

Pitcairn Island Pitcairn Is.

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 H. TABLES

Place Abbreviation

Poland Pol.

Portugal Port.

Qatar Qatar

Réunion Réunion

Romania Rom.

Russia Russ.

Rwanda Rwanda

Saint Helena St. Helena

Saint Kitts & Nevis St. Kitts & Nevis

Saint Lucia St. Lucia

Saint Vincent & the Grenadines St. Vincent

Samoa Samoa

San Marino San Marino

São Tomé & Príncipe São Tomé & Príncipe

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia

Scotland Scot.

Senegal Sen.

Serbia Serb.

Seychelles Sey.

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone

Singapore Sing.

Slovakia Slovk.

Slovenia Slovn.

Solomon Islands Solom. Is.

Somalia Som.

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Place Abbreviation

South Africa S. Afr.

South America S. Am.

Spain Spain

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka

Sudan Sudan

Suriname Surin.

Swaziland Swaz.

Sweden Swed.

Switzerland Switz.

Syria Syria

Taiwan Taiwan

Tajikistan Taj.

Tanzania Tanz.

Thailand Thai.

Timor-Leste (East Timor) Timor-Leste

Togo Togo

Tonga Tonga

Trinidad & Tobago Trin. & Tobago

Tunisia Tunis.

Turkey Turk.

Turkmenistan Turkm.

Turks & Caicos Islands Turks & Caicos Is.

Tuvalu Tuvalu

Uganda Uganda

Ukraine Ukr.

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 H. TABLES

Place Abbreviation

United Arab Emirates U.A.E.

United Kingdom U.K.

United States of America U.S.

Uruguay Uru.

Uzbekistan Uzb.

Vanuatu Vanuatu

Vatican City Vatican

Venezuela Venez.

Vietnam Viet.

Virgin Islands, British Virgin Is.

Wales Wales

Yemen Yemen

Zambia Zam.

Zimbabwe Zim.

T13. Required Abbreviations for Document Subdivisions

Document Subdivision Abbreviation

addendum add.

amendment amend.

annotation annot.

appendi[x, ces] app., apps.

article art.

bibliography bibliog.

book bk.

chapter ch.

clause cl.

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Document Subdivision Abbreviation

column col.

comment[ary] cmt.

decision dec.

department dept.

division div.

example ex.

figure fig.

folio fol.

footnote[s] in cross-references note, notes

footnote[s] in other references2 n., nn.

historical note[s]3 hist. n., hist. nn.

hypothetical hypo.

illustration[s] illus.

introduction intro.

line[s] l., ll.

number no.

page[s] in cross-references p., pp.

page[s] in other references [at]

paragraph[s] ¶, ¶¶

paragraph[s] if symbol appears in sourcepara., paras.

part pt.

preamble pmbl.

principle princ.

publication pub.

rule r.

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 H. TABLES

Document Subdivision Abbreviation

schedule sched.

section[s] in amending act sec., secs.

section[s] in all other contexts §, §§

series, serial ser.

subdivision subdiv.

subsection subsec.

supplement supp.

table tbl.

title tit.

volume vol.

T14. Required Abbreviations for Explanatory Phrases

If a phrase is followed a case name as the direct object, such as reversing <x>, the comma
should be omitted.

Abbreviated Phrase

acq.

acq. in result

aff’d,

aff’d by an equally divided court,

aff’d mem.,

aff’d on other grounds,

aff’d on reh’g,

aff’g

amended by

appeal denied,

appeal dismissed,

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Abbreviated Phrase

appeal docketed,

appeal filed,

argued,

cert. denied,

cert. dismissed,

cert. granted,

certifying questions to

denying cert. to

dismissing appeal from

enforced,

enforcing

invalidated by

mandamus denied,

modified,

modifying

nonacq.

overruled by

perm. app. denied,

perm. app. granted,

petition for cert. filed,

prob. Juris. noted,

reh’g granted [denied],

rev’d,

rev’d on other grounds,

rev’d per curiam,

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 H. TABLES

Abbreviated Phrase

rev’g

vacated,

vacating as moot

withdrawn,

T15. Required Abbreviations for Institutional Names in Periodical

Titles
These abbreviations are required, but may be replaced by a periodical’s own preferred
abbreviated title.

Related tables are Table T11 with common words and Table T12 with geographical
abbreviations.

Institution Name Abbreviation

Adelaide Adel.

Air Force A.F.

Albany Alb.

American Bar Association (ABA) A.B.A.

American Intellectual Property Law Association AIPLA

American Law Institute A.L.I.

American Medical Association AMA

(see also Journal of the American Medical Association, infra)

American Society of Composers, Authors, & Publishers ASCAP

American University Am. U.

Boston College B.C.

Boston University B.U.

Brigham Young University BYU

Brooklyn Brook.

Buffalo Buff.

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Institution Name Abbreviation

California (California Law Review only) Calif.

Capital Cap.

Chapman Chap.

Chartered Life Underwriters C.L.U.

Cincinnati Cin.

City University of New York CUNY

Cleveland Clev.

Columbia Colum.

Cumberland Cumb.

Denver Denv.

Detroit Det.

Dickinson Dick.

Duquesne Duq.

East, Eastern E.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service F.B.I.S.

George Mason Geo. Mason

George Washington Geo. Wash.

Georgetown Geo.

Gonzaga Gonz.

Harvard Harv.

Howard How.

John Marshall J. Marshall

Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA

(see also American Medical Association, supra)

Judge Advocate General, Judge Advocate General’s JAG

262
 H. TABLES

Institution Name Abbreviation

Las Vegas L.V.

Lawyer's Reports Annotated L.R.A.

Loyola Loy.

Marquette Marq.

Melbourne Melb.

Memphis Mem.

New England New Eng.

New York University, New York University School of Law N.Y.U.

North, Northern N.

Northeast, Northeastern Ne.

Northwest, Northwestern Nw.

Pepperdine Pepp.

Pittsburgh Pitt.

Richmond Rich.

Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute Rocky Mtn. Min. L. Inst.

Saint Louis St. Louis

San Fernando Valley San Fern. V.

Southeast, Southeastern Se.

South, Southern S.

Southern Methodist University SMU

Southwest, Southwestern Sw.

Stanford Stan.

Temple Temp.

Thomas Jefferson T. Jefferson

Thomas M. Cooley T.M. Cooley

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Institution Name Abbreviation

Thurgood Marshall T. Marshall

Toledo Tol.

Tulane Tul.

Universidad de Puerto Rico U. P.R.

University of California U.C.

University of California - Los Angeles UCLA

University of Missouri Kansas City UMKC

University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of LawUDC/DCSL

University of West Los Angeles UWLA

Valparaiso Val.

Vanderbilt Vand.

Villanova Vill.

Washington & Lee Wash. & Lee

West, Western W.

William & Mary Wm. & Mary

William Mitchell Wm. Mitchell

T16. Required Abbreviations for Publishing Terms

Publishing Term Abbreviation

abridge[d, ment] abr.

annotated ann.

anonymous anon.

circa c.

compil[ation, ed] comp.

copyright copy.

draft drft.

264
 H. TABLES

Publishing Term Abbreviation

edit[ion, or] ed.

manuscript ms.

mimeograph mimeo.

new series n.s.

no date n.d.

no place n.p.

no publisher n. pub.

offprint offprt.

old series o.s.

permanent perm.

photoduplicated reprintphoto. reprint

printing prtg.

replacement repl.

reprint reprt.

revis[ed, ion] rev.

special spec.

temporary temp.

tentative tent.

translat[ion, or] trans.

unabridged unabr.

volume vol.

T17. Required Abbreviations for Month Names

Month NameAbbreviation

January Jan.

February Feb.

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Month NameAbbreviation

March Mar.

April Apr.

May May

June June

July July

August Aug.

September Sept.

October Oct.

November Nov.

December Dec.

T18. Abbreviations for Litigation Documents

This table provides abbreviations that may be used (or modified to fit local rules or custom).
This table also notates words that should not be abbreviated when used in the title of a
litigation document. Add “s” to make a plural.

Word Abbreviation

Admission Admis.

Affirm Affirm

Amended Am.

Answer Answer

Appeal Appeal

Appellant Appellant

Appellee Appellee

Appendix App.

Application Appl.

Argument Arg.

266
 H. TABLES

Attachment Attach.

Attorney Att’y

Brief Br.

Certiorari Cert.

Civil Civ.

Compel Compel

Counterclaim Countercl.

Court Ct.

Cross-claim Cross-cl.

Declaration Decl.

Defendant, Defendant’s Def., Def.’s

Defendants, Defendants’ Defs., Defs.’

Demurrer Dem.

Deny, Denying Den.

Deposition Dep.

Discovery Disc.

Dismiss Dismiss

Docket Docket

Evidence Evid.

Exhibit Ex.

Grant Grant

Hearing Hr’g

Injunction Inj.

Instruction Instr.

Interrogatory Interrog.

Joint Appendix J.A.

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Judgment J.

Limine Lim.

Memorandum Mem.

Minute Min.

Motion Mot.

Objection Obj.

Opinion Op.

Opposition Opp’n

Order Order

Petition Pet.

Petitioner, Petitioner’s Pet’r, Pet’r’s

Petitioners, Petitioners’ Pet’rs, Pet’rs’

Plaintiff, Plaintiff’s Pl., Pl.’s

Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs’ Pls., Pls.’

Points and Authorities P. & A.

Preliminary Prelim.

Produce, Production Produc.

Quash Quash

Reconsideration Recons.

Record R.

Rehearing Reh’g

Reply Reply

Report and Recommendation R. & R.

Reporter Rep.

Request Req.

Respondent Resp’t

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 H. TABLES

Response Resp.

Stay Stay

Subpoena Subpoena

Summary Summ.

Supplement, Supplemental Supp.

Suppress Suppress

Temporary Restraining OrderTRO

Testimony Test.

Transcript Tr.

Verified Statement V.S.

T19 Cross-References for Academic Legal Documents

As noted in Rule R1, The Indigo Book provides citation formats for standard legal documents.
This table provides examples of converting these citations to the general format used for
academic legal documents. Academic legal documents generally place citation in footnotes.
Standard legal documents more often use in-text citations but may be formatted with
footnotes; either way, the citation format for standard legal documents is recommended. This
chart is intended as a helpful illustration of key differences. A full treatment of citations in
academic legal documents is beyond the scope of The Indigo Book.

Type of Standard Legal Document Academic Legal Document

Citation

Federal U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 8. U.S. CONST. art. I, § 8, cl. 8.

constitution

State Ga. Const. art VIII, § IV. GA. CONST. art VIII, § IV.
constitution

Federal statute 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

Session laws FASTER Act of 2021, Pub. L. No. FASTER Act of 2021, Pub. L. No.
117-11, 135 Stat. 262 (2021). 117-11, 135 Stat. 262 (2021).

Bill (not H.R. 3054, 117th Cong. (2021). H.R. 3054, 117th Cong. (2021).
enacted)

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Hearing Protecting Federal Judiciary Protecting Federal Judiciary

Employees from Sexual Harassment, Employees from Sexual Harassment,
Discrimination, and Other Workplace Discrimination, and Other Workplace
Misconduct: Hearing Before the H. Misconduct: Hearing Before the H.
Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual
Property, and the Internet, 116th Property, and the Internet, 116th
Cong. (2020), Cong. (2020),
https://www.congress.gov/event/ https://www.congress.gov/event/
116th-congress/house-event/110505. 116th-congress/house-event/110505.

Report H.R. Rep. 117-27, at 5 (2021). H.R. REP. 117-27, at 5 (2021).

S. Rep. No. 99-146, at 363, as S. REP. NO. 99-146, at 363, as

reprinted in 1986 U.S.C.C.A.N. 42, reprinted in 1986 U.S.C.C.A.N. 42,
412. 412.

State statute Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-90-107 (2021). COLO. REV. STAT. § 13-90-107 (2021).

State statute N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 349 (McKinney N.Y. GEN. BUS. LAW § 349 (McKinney
with topic 2021). 2021).
convention

Rules, Fed. R. App. P. 32(a). FED. R. APP. P. 32(a).

restatements,
Restatement (Third) of Agency § 2.01 RESTATEMENT (THIRD) OF AGENCY §
model rules,
(Am. L. Inst. 2006). 2.01 (AM. L. INST. 2006).
and uniform
acts Unif. Trade Secrets Act §1(4) (Unif. L. UNIF. TRADE SECRETS ACT §1(4) (UNIF.
Comm’n 1985) (as amended). L. COMM’N 1985) (as amended).

Federal and South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., 138 S. If used in the main text, the case name
state cases Ct. 2080 (2018). is italicized.

Pincheira v. Allstate Ins. Co., 190 P.3d If cited in a footnote, the case name is
322 (N.M. 2008). in regular roman type (not italicized):

South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., 138 S.

Ct. 2080 (2018).

Pincheira v. Allstate Ins. Co., 190 P.3d

322 (N.M. 2008).

Pending or Facteau v. Clinton Cnty. Bd. of If used in the main text, the case name
unreported case Elections, No. 533784, 2021 WL is italicized.

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 H. TABLES

3684296, at *2 (N.Y. App. Div. Aug. If cited in a footnote:

19, 2021) (per curiam).
Facteau v. Clinton Cnty. Bd. of
Elections, No. 533784, 2021 WL
3684296, at *2 (N.Y. App. Div. Aug.
19, 2021) (per curiam).

Pending case Sportswear, Inc. v. Savannah Coll. of If used in the main text, the case name
(petition for Art & Design, 983 F.3d 1273 (11th Cir. is italicized.
certiorari filed) 2020), petition for cert. filed 89
If cited in a footnote:
U.S.L.W. 3344 (U.S. March 31, 2021)
(No. 20-1391). Sportswear, Inc. v. Savannah Coll. of
Art & Design, 983 F.3d 1273 (11th Cir.
Or:
2020), petition for cert. filed, 89
Sportswear, Inc. v. Savannah Coll. of U.S.L.W. 3344 (U.S. March 31, 2021)
Art & Design, 983 F.3d 1273 (11th Cir. (No. 20-1391).
2020), petition for cert. filed (No.
20-1391),
https://www.scotusblog.com/case-
files/cases/sportswear-inc-v-
savannah-college-of-art-and-design-
inc-2/.

State case with State v. Blagg, 2021-NCSC-66, ¶ 15, If used in the main text, the case name
public-domain 858 S.E.2d 268, 274. is italicized.
parallel citation
If cited in a footnote:
and year
embedded in State v. Blagg, 2021-NCSC-66, ¶ 15,
citation 858 S.E.2d 268, 274.

Book Anjali Vats, The Color of Creatorship: ANJALI VATS, THE COLOR OF
Intellectual Property, Race, and the CREATORSHIP: INTELLECTUAL
Making of Americans (2020). PROPERTY, RACE, AND THE MAKING OF
AMERICANS(2020).

Note that editor, translator, and

edition information is in regular caps,
not small caps like the author and title.

Chapter in a Sung Hui Kim, The Ethics of In-House Sung Hui Kim, The Ethics of In-House
collected work Practice, in Lawyers in Practice: Practice, in LAWYERS IN PRACTICE:

271
The Indigo Book

Ethical Decision Making in Context ETHICAL DECISION MAKING IN CONTEXT

(Leslie C. Levin & Lynn Mather eds., (Leslie C. Levin & Lynn Mather eds.,
2012). 2012).

Journal article Elizabeth G. Porter & Kathryn A. Elizabeth G. Porter & Kathryn A.
Watts, Visual Rulemaking, 91 N.Y.U. Watts, Visual Rulemaking, 91 N.Y.U.
(with
L. Rev. 1183 (2016). L. REV. 1183 (2016).
consecutive
pagination, as
common with
law reviews)

Journal or Elizabeth Kolbert, The Lost Canyon, Elizabeth Kolbert, The Lost Canyon,
magazine article New Yorker, Aug. 16, 2021, at 40, 42. NEW YORKER, Aug. 16, 2021, at 40, 42.
(nonconsecutive
pages)

Newspaper Adam Liptak, Supreme Court Rules Adam Liptak, Supreme Court Rules
for Cheerleader Punished for Vulgar for Cheerleader Punished for Vulgar
Snapchat Message, N.Y. Times, June Snapchat Message, N.Y. TIMES, June
23, 2021, at A1. 23, 2021, at A1.

Internet Farhad Manjoo, Why You Should Farhad Manjoo, Why You Should
Never, Ever Use Two Spaces After a Never, Ever Use Two Spaces After a
Period, Slate (Jan. 11, 2011, 6:00 AM), Period, SLATE (Jan. 11, 2011, 6:00
https://slate.com/technology/2011/ AM), https://slate.com/technology/
01/two-spaces-after-a-period-why- 2011/01/two-spaces-after-a-period-
you-should-never-ever-do-it.html why-you-should-never-ever-do-it.html

T20 Table of Citation Guides

Attempting to comprehensively capture every single rule and practice of U.S. and international
legal citation is simply not possible. We attempt in this table to direct the reader to a series of
other citation guides that are readily available online, providing further guidance.

T20.1 General Legal Citation Guides (Online)

1. Dionne Anthon, The Bluebook Uncovered: A Practical Guide to Mastering Legal

Citation (Twenty-First Edition of The Bluebook)(2020).
2. Cardiff University, Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations (2011).
3. University of Chicago Law Review, The Maroonbook: The University of Chicago

272
 H. TABLES

Manual of Legal Citation (2016).

4. Peter W. Martin, Introduction to Basic Legal Citation (online ed. 2020).
5. Washington University in St. Louis Global Studies Law Review, International Citation
Manual.

T20.2 Country-Specific Citation Guides

1. New Zealand Law Foundation, New Zealand Law Style Guide, 2nd Edition, (2011).
2. Faulty of Law, University of Oxford, Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal
Authorities (2006).
3. SILC, Standard Indian Legal Citation (Working Draft).
4. University of Melbourne, Australian Guide to Legal Citation (4th ed. 2018).

273
The Indigo Book

I. CODICIL
Editor’s Note (2021): The Codicil will be updated with additional information about the Second
Edition. This is the Codicil from the First Edition.

The Indigo Book: A Manual of Legal Citation is distributed as a single document coded with
the HTML 5 and Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) standards.

Each rule and section of the file have a unique ID, making them individually addressable.
Examples are:

• Each Rule has an ID starting with the letter R and then the rule number. For example,
Rule 1.1 can be addressed by adding #R1.1 to the URL.
• Each Section has an ID starting with the letter S and then the rule letter. For example,
the Codicil can be addressed by adding #SK to the URL.
• Each Table has an ID starting with the letter T and then the table number. For example,
Table T1.1 can be addressed by adding #T1.1 to the URL.

The header of the file calls two open source Google fonts. If those fonts are not available, the
CSS style sheet falls back to Georgia, which is present on most computers, and then to the
generic serif font. The fonts we use are:

• For the cover, Alice, which was designed by Ksenia Erulevich and inspired by Lewis
Carrol's novel.
• For the body of the document, Libre Baskerville, based on the 1941 American Type
Founder's Baskerville, but optimized for web use.

To clearly distinguish our work from other citation manuals, we have forgone the use of the
color Royal Blue in favor of Indigo, in solidarity with the ryots of Bengal who were oppressed
by the insatiable British demand for blue and the profits that flowed from it, leading to the
Nilbridroha (Indigo revolt) and the beginning of the road that led to independence.

The CSS has been coded with support for printing on US Letter size paper. We use Prince XML
to convert the HTML document to PDF format.

It is also possible to dynamically change the styles to perform tasks such as making all text in
italics “pop” by turning it crimson or back to normal.

To create a file for use in Microsoft Word, an easy method is to comment out the calls to Google
fonts, upload the document to Google Docs, and then downloading it in Word format.

274
 J. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

J. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Second Edition of The Indigo Book: A Manual of Legal Citation (2021) was edited by
Professor Jennifer Murphy Romig. Professor Romig was assisted by Emory University School
of Law students Annabelle Bichler, Nancy Jin, and Akhil Morissetti, as well as Daniel Kaltman.
Professor Romig would also like to thank Mindy Goldstein, Mark T. Gray, Mike Lissner, Amber
Madole, Olivia Marbutt, Sue Payne, Robin Pederson, Blake Reid, Heather Simmons, Allison
Thornton, and David Ziff for valuable comments and feedback, as well as Christopher
Sprigman for his insightful feedback, wise counsel, and steadfast support of The Indigo Book.
Professor Romig thanks Jeannette Livingston for exploring the ins and outs of Microsoft Word
to assist this project. Professor Romig is grateful to Ben Chapman and Zach Stevenson for
technical advice, and of course Frank Bennett and Carl Malamud. Professor Romig is also
grateful to her daughter Laura Romig for proofreading assistance and helpful feedback.

275