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HowtoCiteLegalMaterials

Follow the Bluebook style, as closely as you can. Below are examples based on the 18thedition of the Bluebook.

For more help and explanations, consult the latest edition of The Bluebook: A uniform system of citation, kept at

the Reference Desk [ KF 245. B88 ], or ask your professor.

For an APA style reference list, treat legal citations as works with no authors. Order them alphabetically

according to the first significant word or abbreviation in the entry.

COURT CASES

Example 1. Text citation TheSupremeCourtfirstappliedtheexclusionaryruletoastatecaseinMappv.

Ohio.

Reference list entry Mappv.Ohio,367U.S.643(1961)

That is, the case was published in volume 367 of the U.S. reporter, starting on page 643.

If you are citing a particular page of a case, give the page number, e.g to indicate page 670 of this case:

Mappv.Ohio,367U.S.643,670(1961)

Example 2. Text citation AsfederalJudgeBueassertedinSierraClubv.Froehlke(1987),

Reference list entry SierraClubv.Froehlke,816F.2d205(5thCir.1987)

Example 3. Text citation TheSupremeCourtrecognizedinDurflingerv.Artiles(1981/1984)adutyofcare

toprotectthirdpartiesfromthedangerspresentedbyaninvoluntarymental

patientinstatecustody.

Reference list entry

Durflinger

V.

Artiles,

563

F.Supp.

322

(D.Kan.

1981),

affd,

727

F.2d

888

(10th

Cir.1984).

Example 4. Reference list entry for aninternational law case available on the internet

TheProsecutorv.ClmentKayishemaandObedRuzindana(TrialJudgement),ICTR951T,International

CriminalTribunalforRwanda(ICTR),21May1999,availableat:

http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/48abd5760.html

STATUTES

In your text, give the popular or official name of the act and the year it was passed. Each word of the statute is

capitalized but not italicized.

Text citation Topreventpeoplewithdisabilitiesfrombeingdiscriminatedagainstinthe

workplace,CongresspassedtheAmericanswithDisabilitiesActof1990.

Reference list entry for the 1990 statute (session law)AmericanswithDisabilitiesActof1990,Pub.L.No.101336,2,104Stat328(1991)

Reference list entry for the current unofficial code, as published by commercial publisher

EqualOpportunityforIndividualswithDisabilities,42U.S.C.A.12101etseq.(West,2005).

Reference list entry for the current official code 42 U.S.C. 12101(2006)

CONSTITUTIONS

E.g. for section 2 of the 14thamendment to the U.S. constitution: U.S.Const.amend.XIV,2.

E.g. for section 12 of article 1 of a state constitution: S.C.Const.art.1,12.

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TESTIMONY AND HEARINGS

Text citation OneofthemostconstructivestepsthatWashingtoncouldtaketohelpfamilies(Urban

AmericasNeed,1992)wouldbeto

Reference list entry

UrbanAmericasNeedforSocialServicestoStrengthenFamilies:HearingbeforetheSubcommitteeonHuman

ResourcesoftheCommitteeonWaysandMeans,HouseofRepresentatives,102dCong.,1(1992).

BILLS AND RESOLUTIONSThe number of a bill or resolution should be preceded byH.R. (House of Representatives) or S. (Senate).

Text citations SenateBill5936(1992)mightbethemostimportantforproviding

fundingtoassistlowincomehousing.

Oneofthebills(S.5936,1992)wouldprovidedesperatelyneededoperatingfundingto

supportlowincomehousing.

Reference list entry S.5936,102dCong.4(1992)

EXECUTIVE ORDER

Text citation UndertheauthorityofExecutiveOrder11609(1994),theinformationshouldbe

provided

Reference list entry

Exec.Order

No.

11,609,

3C.F.R.

586

(1971

1975),

reprinted

as

amended

in3U.S.C.

301

app.

at

404

07

(1994).

FEDERAL REGULATION

Text citation ThisprovisionofFTCCreditPracticesRule(1999)affectsonly

Reference list entry FTCCreditPracticesRule,16C.F.R.444(1999)

LAW REVIEW ARTICLE (note: Bluebook style differs from APA style)

Harriman,Edward,ConfiscationofEnemyPrivateProperty,3B.U.L.Rev.156(1923).

TREATIES

Between3orfewercountries TreatyofFriendship,CommerceandNavigationU.S.Japan,

Apr.

2,

1953,

4

U.S.T.

2063.

Multilateral GenevaConventionRelativetotheTreatmentofPrisonersofWar,Aug.12,1949,6U.S.T.3316,

75U.N.T.S.135.

DOCUMENTS ON THE INTERNET

Cite as usual, followed by the URL if the item is only available on the internet:Citation to a slip opinion available on the internet

GraniteRockCo.v.Teamsters,No.081214,slipop.(U.S.June24,2010),

http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/081214.pdf

Put availableat in italics before the URL if the document is in print, but a parallel citation to an online

source would improve access for your reader:GenevaConventionRelativetotheTreatmentofPrisonersofWar,Aug.12,1949,6U.S.T.3316,75U.N.T.S.135,

availableathttp://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/FULL/375?OpenDocument

[ES 8/2010. based on MK 2002]