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This guide will help you understand how to properly cite sources in Bluebook format, the predominant legal citation style used in American law schools, courts, and journals, ensuring that your legal writing meets the standards outlined in The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.
The Official Source
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, 22nd Edition (2025) is compiled by the editors of the Columbia Law Review, Harvard Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and Yale Law Journal. The 21st edition (2020) remains widely used.
Purchase print or online access at legalbluebook.com.
Quick Overview
The Bluebook has two main sections:
- Bluepages — Simplified rules for legal practitioners (court documents, briefs)
- Whitepages — Full rules for academic legal writing (law review articles)
This guide covers fundamentals applicable to both contexts.
Cases
Cases are the foundation of legal citation. Format varies by court level.
U.S. Supreme Court
Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
Federal Court of Appeals
United States v. Jones, 565 F.3d 1234 (9th Cir. 2009).
Federal District Court
Smith v. ABC Corp., 123 F. Supp. 2d 456 (S.D.N.Y. 2020).
State Court
People v. Garcia, 123 Cal. App. 4th 456 (2004).
Case Citation Elements
- Case name (italicized)
- Volume number
- Reporter abbreviation
- First page
- Court and year (in parentheses)
Statutes
Federal Statutes (U.S. Code)
42 U.S.C. § 1983.
For current code, no year is required (21st edition change). For historical versions, include the year.
State Statutes
Cal. Penal Code § 187 (West 2024).
Constitutions
U.S. Constitution
U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 3.
U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 1.
State Constitutions
Cal. Const. art. I, § 7.
Secondary Sources
Law Review Articles
Sarah Chen, The Future of Privacy Law, 120 Yale L.J. 456 (2023).
Books
Richard A. Posner, Economic Analysis of Law 15 (9th ed. 2014).
Restatements
Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 90 (Am. L. Inst. 1981).
Short Forms
After the first full citation, use short forms for subsequent references.
Cases
Full: Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). Short: Brown, 347 U.S. at 495.
Statutes
Full: 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Short: § 1983.
Id.
Use "Id." when citing the same source as the immediately preceding citation.
¹ Brown, 347 U.S. at 495. ² Id. at 497.
Signals
Signals indicate the relationship between your citation and your proposition.
- No signal — Source directly supports the proposition
- See — Source supports but doesn't directly state the proposition
- See also — Additional support
- Cf. — Source supports by analogy
- Compare... with... — Comparison of authorities
- See generally — Background material
- But see — Source contradicts the proposition
Key Bluebook Conventions
- Typeface — In court documents (Bluepages), case names are not italicized. In academic work (Whitepages), they are.
- Abbreviations — Use Tables T6, T10, and T13 for proper abbreviations of words, jurisdictions, and case names.
- Pinpoint citations — Always cite to the specific page: 347 U.S. at 495.
- Parallel citations — Some state courts require parallel citations to official and regional reporters.
- Signals order — When using multiple signals, follow the prescribed order (Rule 1.3).
- String citations — Order authorities within a signal by jurisdiction and court hierarchy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Wrong reporter — Use the correct reporter for each court level (U.S., F.3d, F. Supp. 3d, etc.).
- Missing pinpoints — Always include the specific page number you're citing.
- Incorrect abbreviations — Always check the tables; "California" becomes "Cal." not "CA."
- Forgetting court information — Include court abbreviation in parentheses unless obvious from the reporter.
- Wrong typeface — Academic citations italicize case names; practitioner citations typically don't.
- Id. misuse — Use "Id." only when citing the exact same source as the immediately preceding citation.
Who Uses Bluebook?
The Bluebook is required or preferred for:
- U.S. law school papers and exams
- Law review and journal articles
- Federal court filings
- Most state court filings
- Legal memoranda
- Briefs and motions
Some jurisdictions have their own citation rules (California, Texas) that supplement or modify Bluebook rules.
Bluebook vs. ALWD
The ALWD Guide to Legal Citation is an alternative used by some law schools:
| Element | Bluebook | ALWD |
|---|---|---|
| Complexity | More complex | Simplified |
| Primary use | Law reviews, courts | Law schools |
| Format | Similar | Similar |
| Tables | Extensive | Streamlined |
Most legal employers expect Bluebook proficiency regardless of which system your school taught.
Further Resources
- Bluebook Online — Searchable subscription version
- Cornell Legal Information Institute — Free introduction to legal citation
- Your law library — Reference librarians specialize in Bluebook assistance
