Bluebook Guide: Other Mechanics

The Bluebook covers some other preliminary matters before delving into citation conventions.  Be sure to review these sections in the Whitepages for a general overview.

• Subdivisions (R3, pp. 72-79):  Most subdivisions (like volumes, footnotes, sections, paragraphs, etc.) in citations are abbreviated.  Refer to T16, pp. 327-28 for a list of subdivision abbreviations.
• Quotations (R5, pp. 83-87):  Covering such topics as formatting quotations, quotations within quotations, and omissions within quotations.
• Italicization for Style and In Unique Circumstances (R7, pp. 90-91):  Provides direction on italicization for emphasis, of foreign words and phrases, and in other unique circumstances.
• Capitalization (R8, pp. 91-94):  Provides guidance for capitalizing headings and titles, Internet main pages and URLs, and text.
• Titles of Judges, Officials & Terms of Court (R9, pp. 94-95):  Direction on how to refer to justices and judges, to correctly order a list of justices and judges, and to state the term of a court (i.e., “the 1999 term”).

In citations, most subdivisions (such as volumes, sections, parts, footnotes, etc.) are abbreviated. See T16, pp. 327-28, for a list of subdivision abbreviations.

Volumes, Parts, and Supplements

• A single work often appears in separately paginated (or sectioned or paragraphed) volumes, parts, or supplements. 
• A citation to material that appears in one such volume, part, or supplement must identify the separately paginated subdivision in which the material appears.
• See R3.1, pp. 72-73 for examples.

Pages, Footnotes, Endnotes, and Graphical Materials

• Pages
  • Give the page number or numbers before the date parenthetical, without any introductory abbreviation (“p.” and “pp.” are used only in internal cross-references).
  • Use “at” if the page number may be confused with another part of the citation; use a comma to set off “at.” 
  • For examples, refer to R3.2, pp. 73-74.
• Footnotes
  • To cite a footnote, give the page on which the footnote appears, “n.,” and the footnote number, with no space between “n.” and the number.
  • Cite multiple footnotes (or endnotes) by using “nn.”
  • For more information on a footnote that spans more than one page, nonconsecutive footnotes, and other specific examples, see R3.2(b), pp. 74-75.
• Endnotes
  • To cite an endnote, give the page on which the endnote appears (not the page on which the call number appears), “n.,” and the endnote number, with no space between “n.” and the number.
  • To refer to both a page in text and an endnote that has a call appearing on that page, use an ampersand between the text page and the page on which the endnote appears.
  • For examples, see R3.2(c), p. 75.
• Graphical Materials
  • When citing tables, figures, charts, graphs, or other graphical materials, give the page number on which the graphical material appears and the designation, if any, provided in the source, with no space between the abbreviation and the number. 
  • Use the abbreviations in T16, pp. 327-28. 
  • For photographs, illustrations, and “art-type” objects, see R18.8, pp. 184-85.
  • For examples, see R3.2(d), pp. 75-76.

Sections and Paragraphs 

• For a section, use § (use §§ for multiple sections.
• For a paragraph, use ¶ (use ¶¶ for multiple paragraphs).
• Note in some instances, the abbreviations para. or paras. and sec. or secs. may be appropriate (See R6.2, p. 90 and T16, p. 328).
• Review R3.3, pp. 76-77, for other intricacies and examples related to sections and paragraphs.

Appended Material

• Indicate an appendix or appended note or comment by placing the appropriate abbreviation (see T16, pp. 327-28) after the citation to the largest full subdivision to which the item is appended.
• See R3.4, pp. 77-78 for helpful examples

Internal Cross-References

• Portions of text, footnotes, and groups of authorities within the piece may be cited using “supra” (for material that has already appeared) or “infra” (for material that appears later).
• Use a consistent naming convention for subdivisions that are numbered or otherwise designated in the piece.
• See R3.5, pp. 78-79 for a number of examples.

The Bluebook has several rules regarding the formatting of quotations, alterations and quotations within quotations, and omissions.  See R5, pp. 83-87.

• The section on Formatting of Quotations (R5.1, pp. 83-84) addresses quotations of fifty or more words and (naturally) quotations of forty-nine or fewer words, addressing the following topics.
  • Indentation and quotation marks
  • Footnote and citation placement
  • Paragraph structure
  • Punctuation (only referenced in the "quotations of forty-nine or fewer words" section)
• The section on Alterations and Quotations Within Quotations (R5.2, pp. 84-86) covers several topics.
  • Substitution of letters or words
  • Omission of letters
  • Mistakes in original
  • Changes to citations
  • Quotations within quotations
  • Internal quotation marks
• The Omission (R5.3, pp. 86-87) of a word or words is generally indicated by the insertion of an ellipsis, three periods separated by spaces and set off by a space before the first and after the last period (“...”), to take the place of the word or words omitted.  Specific instances are presented concerning the following.
  • When using quoted language as a phrase or clause
  • When using quoted language as a complete sentence
  • When omitting a footnote or citation

Emphasis:  Words and phrases may be italicized for emphasis.

Foreign words and phrases

• Italicize non-English words and phrases unless they have been incorporated into common English usage.
• Latin words and phrases that are often used in legal writing should not be italicized (for example, "e.g.," "res judicata," or "amicus curiae").
• However, very long Latin phrases and obsolete or uncommon Latin words and phrases should remain italicized (for example, expressio unius est exclusio alterius).
• Note:  Id. (or id.) is always italicized.
• When used as a signal, “e.g.” should be italicized as per R2.1(d), p. 70.
• Always italicize procedural phrases in case names (for example, “In re” or “ex rel.) (R10.2.1(b), p. 98).

Letters representing hypothetical parties, places, or things:  Italicize and capitalize individual letters when used to represent the names of hypothetical parties, places, or things (for example, "A went to bank B in state X.").

The lowercase letter “l”:  Italicize the lowercase letter “l” when used as a subdivision, as in a statute or rule, to distinguish it from the numeral “1” (for example, "§ 23 (l)" or "cmt. l").

Mathematical expressions:  Italicize mathematical formulas and variables (for example, "E = mc²" or "a > 2b").

Headings and Titles

• Capitalize words in a heading or title, including the initial word and any word that immediately follows a colon. 
• Do not capitalize articles, conjunctions, or prepositions when they are four or fewer letters, unless they begin the heading or title, or immediately follow a colon.

Internet Main Page Titles and URLs:  In both text and footnotes, capitalize URLs and words in an Internet main page title in accordance with the actual capitalization of the source.

Text

• Except for headings, titles, and internet main page titles and URLs, capitalize according to this rule. 
• When this rule does not address a particular question of capitalization, refer to a style manual (for example, The Chicago Manual of Style or the Government Printing Office Style Manual).
• Additional words that should be capitalized in legal writing include the following subject to certain exceptions.
  • Nouns that identify specific persons, officials, groups, government offices, or government bodies.
    • Some examples include:  "the Social Security Administrator," "the FDA," "Congress," and "the President."
    • For other examples, as well as noteworthy exceptions, review R8(c)(i), p. 92.
  • Exceptions
    • The following words are exceptions to the above rule and should be capitalized accordingly:  Act, Circuit, Code, Commonwealth, Constitution, Court, Federal, Judge, Justice, State, and Term.
    • Refer to The Bluebook for explanations and illustrations for the above-referenced exceptions (R8(c)(ii), pp. 92-94).
• Practitioners should refer to Bluepages for further advice on capitalization (B8, p. 10).

Justices and Judges

• Justices are referred to as “Justice Ginsburg” and “Chief Justice Roberts.” 
• Parenthetical references are to “Breyer, J.,” “Kagan, J.,” and “Breyer & Kagan, JJ.” 
• Judges are referred to as “Judge Shadur” and “Chief Judge Shaw.” 
• First names are not used for judges unless a court has two individuals with the same last name, in which case the first name should be included on the first reference. 
• Capitalize “justice,” “chief justice,” and “judge” according to R8(c)(ii), p. 94. 
• For parenthetical references, abbreviate the titles of judges and officials as set forth in T11, p. 319.

Ordering

• Etiquette dictates that judges should be listed in the order indicated at the beginning of each volume of the official reporter for the court. 
• Justices of the United States Supreme Court are always listed with the Chief Justice first and then in order of seniority.

Term of Court

• A term of court currently in progress may be referred to as “this term.” 
• The immediately preceding term, no longer in progress at the time of publication, should be referred to as “last term.” 
• Any term may be indicated by year (for example, "the 2022 term").
• The Supreme Court Term should be indicated by the year in which the Term began, not the year it ended. 
• Capitalize “term” pursuant to R8(c)(ii), p. 94.