Bluebook Guide: Statutes

The exact format for statutory citations depends on various factors.  A review of this section on citing statutes and the pertinent rules in The Bluebook should provide guidance in creating proper citations for statutes.  See R12, pp. 120-34.  There are additional examples in The Bluebook, at 121.  Pay particular attention to the typeface.

Importantly, The Bluebook's table on States and the District of Columbia provides citation information for statutes.  See T1.3, pp. 242-94.  Also, there are some examples on The Bluebook's Quick Style Guide.

As always, there are slight variations for statute citations in Illinois. 

Additionally, there is information included on special citation forms for certain "statutory" materials.

For a full citation of a federal statute, the Bluepages add the official name of the act for the citation (this format is similar to the approach in the Whitepages).  See B12.1.1, p. 18.

For state statutes, the Bluepages indicate to cite an official code if available, referencing T1.3, pp. 242-94.  The citation form for individual state codes will vary.  Citations of an unofficial state code must also include the name of the publisher in the date parenthetical.

• Wash. Rev. Code § 28B.20.020 (2014).
• Cal. Penal Code § 181 (West 2011).
• N.Y. Bus. Corp. Law § 717 (McKinney 2000).

Notably, the Bluepages list local court rules and other authorities governing legal citations for federal courts and state courts.  See BT2.2, pp. 30-60.

For court documents, use ILCS as the abbreviation for all forms of the Illinois Compiled Statutes. The Style Manual, at 59-79 provides an overview of and citation guidance for the Illinois Compiled Statutes, as well as the United States Code and other legislative materials.

United States Code 

The Style Manual provides "[p]ursuant to the Bluebook, Table T1, cite the United States Code (U.S.C.) and the appropriate date of publication, for federal statutes contained therein."  The following example is given in the Style Manual:  19 U.S.C. § 1485 (2012).

Illinois Compiled Statutes

Citation of the Illinois Compiled Statutes is under section 5.04 of the Legislative Reference Bureau Act, 25 ILCS 135/5.04 (West 2010).  The Style Manual directs that the ILCS compilations are only a source for the pertinent public acts, and the publisher and date information are vitally important for a correct citation of the relevant public act.  The publisher's name and the year of publication are given parenthetically after the ILCS citation. ILCS editions are published every two years and citation to an "off year" is to the supplement.

• 720 ILCS 5/7-1 (West 2010).
• 720 ILCS 5/7-1 (West Supp. 2013).

The Style Manual guides for multiple sections when more than one provision is cited; in such a case, the citation may given as 735 ILCS 5/2-615, 2-619 (West 2010).  The Style Manual also permits the use of et seq. to denote an entire act is allowed, e.g., 720 ILCS 5/1-1 et seq. (West 2010).
Ultimately, Illinois practitioners should regularly consult the Style Manual when preparing and submitting documents to Illinois courts.

Illinois Revised Statutes

In accordance with The Bluebook, follow the following examples when citing to the previous version of the Illinois code, Illinois Revised Statutes, which was used before the  recodification resulting in the Illinois Compiled Statutes.

• Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 120, ¶ 799 (1991).
• Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 3, §§ 193-205 (1939).

The Style Manual provides that the statutory law is generally determined by public acts in effect at the time of the occurrence or transaction at issue in a case, thus, many cases will have arisen under statutes found in the Illinois Revised Statutes (Ill. Rev. Stat.).  These cases will require a citation to the applicable Ill. Rev. Stat. volume. In such instances, use one of the following forms:

• Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, ¶ 7-5.
• Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, ¶ 7-5(a)(2), (3).
• Ill. Rev. Stat., 19xx Supp., ch. 38, ¶¶ 7-5, 7-7.

Note:  Although Illinois Revised Statute citations are usually shown with a paragraph (¶) symbol, the older versions may use section (§) symbols, which should be incorporated into the citation (for example, Ill. Rev. Stat. 1939, ch. 3, §§ 193-205.  Unless relevant to the discussion, do not indicate the current ILCS citation.

The Bluebook provides direction and examples on other codes, local legislation, court rules, and other material in its section on statutes. 

• Internal Revenue Code (R12.9.1, p. 130)

26 U.S.C. § 61. > I.R.C. § 61.

• Ordinances (R12.9.2, p. 130)

Montgomery, Ala., Code § 3A-11 (1971). • Chi., Ill., Ordinances, § 4-8-065 (2022).

• Rules of Evidence & Procedure (R12.9.3, pp. 130-31)

Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). • Fed. R. Evid. 410. • Sup. Ct. R. 17.

• Model Codes, Principles, Restatements, Standards, Sentencing Guidelines & Uniform Acts (R12.9.4, pp. 131-33)
  • Restatement (Third) of Unfair Competition § 3 (Am. L. Inst. 1995).
  • U.C.C. § 2-314 (Am. L. Inst. & Unif. L. Comm'n 1977).
  • U.S. Sent’g Guidelines Manual § 2D1.1(c) (U.S. Sent’g Comm’n 2004).
• ABA Code of Professional Responsibility & Opinions on Ethics (R12.9.5, p. 133)
  • Model Code of Pro. Resp. Canon 2 (Am. Bar Ass’n 1980).
  • ABA Comm. on Pro. Ethics & Grievances, Formal Op. 35 (1931).