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Bluebook Guide: Bluepage Directions

This guide introduces the Bluebook's uniform system of legal citation. This guide is best used in conjunction with the Bluebook.

General Rules

The Bluepages generally follow the standards set forth in the Whitepages for citation of books and other nonperiodic materials.  Of course, a different typeface is used, as large and small caps are not used for Bluepages citations.  See B15, pp. 22-23.  As always, refer to the Whitepages for further guidance on citing books and other nonperiodic material.  See R15, pp. 147-56.

Bluepage Examples

The following examples are outlined in the Bluepages:

  • Matthew Butterick, Typography for Lawyers 54 (2010).
  • J.R. McNeill & William H. McNeill, The Human Web: A Bird's-Eye View of World History 319 (2003).
  • David Hunter et al., International Environmental Law and Policy 555 (3d ed. 2006).
  • A Bentham Reader 101 (Mary Peter Mack ed., 1969).
  • 21 Charles Alan Wright & Arthur R. Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure § 1006 (3d ed. 1998).

Concerning special citation forms, the Bluepages provide the following examples:

  • Good-Faith Bargaining, Black's Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014).
  • 17 Am. Jur. 2d Contracts § 74 (1964).
  • 88 C.J.S. Trial § 192 (1955).

Short Form Citation

The Bluepages provide a similar method for short form citation as the Whitepages.  Notably, the Bluepages provide a helpful table to illustrate short form citation.  See B15.2, p. 23. Some examples of the use of supra were also provided in the Bluepages:

  • Posner, supra, at 204-05.
  • See Dunnewold et al., supra, at 80.
  • James & Hazard, supra, § 1.7.