The Necessary Evil: Bluebooking A Survival Guide for the Formbook-Averse

The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation Or, to put that in Bluebook format: The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (Columbia Law Review Ass’n et al. eds., 20th ed. 2015). Rules 15, 15.1(c), 15.2, 15.4 Legal Citation Form Book Standard reference work: Law journals Moot Court Judiciary Online version: www.legalbluebook.com (subscription required)

Why is the Bluebook so big? Standard Abbreviations Sixteen tables Total length (20th ed.): 523 pp. Full catalogue of legal bibliography for case reporters Special handling of statutory code abbreviations (e.g., Maryland) New types of sources Microform (Rule 18) Internet (Also Rule 18) Exceptions, exceptions, exceptions Why is the Bluebook so big?

Citation Formats

Sample Formats Like all forms, these will have to be adapted to your particular source Also, virtually every rule in the Bluebook has exceptions Also also, the exceptions have exceptions

Case Citation Format Source: Rule 10 (p. 94) There are many exceptions to the Basic Citation formats – see pp 95-96 and following pages. Source: Rule 10 (p. 94)

Menish v. Polinger Co., 277 Md. 553, 356 A.2d 233 (1976). Maryland case citations: First time cites should include the full citation, including parallel citations. Menish v. Polinger Co., 277 Md. 553, 356 A.2d 233 (1976). There is support in the COA for only using the Md. Court cite: Menish v. Polinger Co., 277 Md. 553 (1976).

Short Citation Menish, 277 Md. at 556.  BB Rule 10 (p. 94)

National Reporter System (West) Contains all published federal and state cases in chronological order. Federal: S.Ct., F.3d, F. Supp.2d. 7 regional reporters A.3d, N.E.2d, N.W.2d, P.3d, S.E.2d, S.W.3d, So.2d. West’s National Reporter System is a set of reporters (Figure 1) that divides the 50 states and the District of Columbia into seven national regions: Atlantic, North Eastern, North Western, Pacific, South Eastern, South Western, and Southern. This system was started by John West, a MN farmer in the 1840’s – which accounts for some of the strange collections of states in each regional reporter. The National Reporter System covers the opinions of state courts of last resort and intermediate appellate courts (in states that have such courts). Federal reporters published by Thomson Reuters are also part of the National Reporter System. States in the Atlantic Reporter are: Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Maine Maryland New Hampshire New Jersey Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont

Statute Citation Format Source: Rule 12 (p. 120)

Maryland Code Citations Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 2-106.13 (West 2018). Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. §2-206.13 (LexisNexis 2018). * The Bluebook calls for the identification of the publisher or brand of any commercial compilation used, not prepared under direct supervision of the state – LexisNexis in the second example, West in the first. Both also call for adding the designation “Ann.” when the compilation's name includes the word “annotated.” Use abbreviations for other Maryland Code subject matter abbreviations as found in the BB on page 269.

Regulation Citation Format Source: Rule 14 (p. 143)

Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Md. Code Regs. 21.11.05.01.B ({date if needed}). COMAR 21.11.05.01.B.* ________________________________________ * Within Maryland this more economical regulation citation format is used in decisions of the state's own courts and submissions to them, often after a first reference spelling out “Code of Maryland Regulations” in full. Cornell LII

Book Citation Format Source: Rule 15 (p. 149)

Periodical Citation Format Source: Rule 16 (p. 159)

You’re Not Alone Fellow sufferers have authored a number of guides to using The Bluebook: Linda J. Barris, Understanding and Mastering The Bluebook: A Guide for Students and Practitioners (3d ed. 2015). RES KF245 .B37 2015 Dionne E. Anthon, The Bluebook Uncovered: A Practical Guide to Mastering Legal Citation (Twentieth Edition of The Bluebook) (2015). RES KF245 .A58 2015 Deborah E. Bouchoux, Cite-Checker: Your Guide to Using The Bluebook (4th ed. 2016). RES KF245 .B68 2016 UB Legal Writing Center Maryland Citations Due Diligence Georgetown’s Bluebook Guide Peter Martin, Introduction to Basic Legal Citation (LII)

Summary The Bluebook is two things: Legal citation guide Legal bibliography Using The Bluebook is an exercise in cross-referencing Abbreviation tables Multiple rules Note that the major online services may not cite in Bluebook format!

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