Legal Citations
Note: When briefs and memoranda were prepared on typewriters, emphasized text was underlined. While older citation reference works may still call for underlining, that format has largely been replaced by the use of italics, made possible by word-processing software and modern printers.
A citation is a reference to a legal authority. It is essential that citations to legal materials follow a standard format so that anyone using a law library may find the resources cited. Citation formats exist for many different types of legal sources including cases, statutes and secondary legal materials. Understanding the basic format for each of these different types of sources will enable the researcher to more independently locate materials in the law library.
Cases are published in reporters. A case citation is generally made up of the following parts:
the names of the parties involved in the lawsuit
the volume number of the reporter containing the full text of the case
the abbreviated name of that case reporter
the page number on which the case begins the year the case was decided; and sometimes
the name of the court deciding the case.
Below is an example of a case citation:
Hebb v. Severson, 201 P.2d 156 (Wash. 1948).
For more information, please visit Brigham Young University Law Library's website.
The basic form:
Another example:
Definitions
Statute: a law that has been voted upon and passed by legislative bodies. There are federal, state, and municipal statutes.
Citation: a reference to a legal authority. It is essential that citations to legal materials follow a standard format so that anyone using a law library may find the resources cited. Citation formats exist for many different types of legal sources including cases, statutes and secondary legal materials. Understanding the basic format for each of these different types of sources will enable the researcher to more independently locate materials in the law library. EXAMPLE: Hebb v. Severson, 201 P.2d 156 (Wash. 1948).
Parallel Citation: used when the same case is printed in two or more different reporters. In other words, a parallel citation references location information for more that one source of a case.
Let's Practice!
Open 3 tabs in your browser (for LegalTrac, Nexis Uni, and Google Scholar) and search for the following cases:
Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer
Wallace v. Jaffree
United States v. Lopez
How do these databases differ?
Which one gives the most information?
Which one is more user-friendly?
For more information on law resources and legal citations, visit one of these great websites:
Brigham Young University's Law Library
Cornell University's Legal Information Institute
FAMU Libraries' Bluebook Citation
Georgetown Law Library's Tutorials
Purdue University's OWL: Bluebook Citations for Legal Materials