The citation format ormat is relatively consistant for the various levels of courts (state, appeals, federal, US Supreme).
Introduction
A legal citation consists of a format, including abbreviations and special terms, that enable the identification and referral to cases, statutes, and regulations in a compact and accurate manner. These are vital when searching printed "reporters" or online legal databases.Specifically, a citation:
- Uniquely identifies specific legal documents and sections of a document. identify the document and document part to which the author is referring
- Facilitates the location of the legal documents.
- May also provide supplementary information as well as references to other documents that provide supporting or related information.
There are usually official citations, but there are also multiple, commercial formats for most citations. These multiple formats are generally called "parallel" citations.
Note: An Excellent Online Citation Reference
There is a continuously updated version of an excellent book on legal citation, Introduction to Basic Legal Citation (LII 2003 ed.) by Peter W. Martin, that is available online on the Legal Information Institute Web site of the Cornell University Law School at http://www.law.cornell.edu/citation/index.htm.You can also download a personal copy fof the book from the LII Downloadable Titles page at: http://www.law.cornell.edu/disk_titles.html
Standard Format for a Legal Citation
Most legal citations adhere to this general format:
Volume Number
of the source,
usually a "reporter."Resource Name or Abbreviation Page Number
of the source
Example - Court Case
This is a US Suprement Court case in which the appellant (Bell) asked the court to overturn a decision made by the Court of Appeals of Maryland in favor of the State of Maryland.The citation format ormat is relatively consistant for the various levels of courts (state, appeals, federal, US Supreme).
Standards for Legal Citation
There is no one universal standard for legal citation, but the most widely used ones are:
- The Bluebook - This is probably still the most widely used standard.
- ALWD Citation Manual: A Professional System of Citation - A more recent development, ALWD formats are very much like those in the Bluebook.
An Excellent Online Resource on Legal Citation
Peter Martin of the Cornell University Law School has an excellent "Introduction to Basic Legal Citation" at: http://www.law.cornell.edu/citation/.