The Open Memo Outline Common Errors Citation Exercises

Outline Common Errors Driver v. Office Depot

The Leader Board- Section F w Mondays41 w Layson26 w Mayhem in the a.m.17 w Johnson and Assoc.17 w Jackie Childs15 w Too earlies15 w Maples14 w Marshall6

The Leader Board- Section E w Lucas, McTear, Paulk and Rumanek34 w Liles and Nix27 w Citators, L.L. P.24 w Free Lunch25 w MaGarry and Nail21 w Bluebook15 w Bluebook Beasts7 w Miller and Powell 19

The Last Day of the Bluebook

Quotations; Rule 5.1 w Heavy reliance on quotations is often a sign of inadequate analysis. You may be able to put the idea in your own words more effectively and efficiently. w You should not quote a court’s description of the facts.

Longer Quotations w Quotations of fifty or more words should be indented left and right without quotation marks. w Important statutes or restatement sections should also be “block quoted.”

Quotations w The citation for the block quote should not be indented but should begin at the left margin of the line immediately following the quotation (see page 44 of the bluebook). w Quotations of forty-nine or fewer words should be enclosed in quotation marks but not set off from the text. Use single marks for a quotation within a quotation.

Punctuation in Quotations w Always place commas and periods inside the quotation marks. w Place other punctuation marks inside the quotation marks only if they are part of the matter quoted. Semicolons and colons otherwise go outside quotation marks.

Alterations in the Text; Rule 5.2

w When a letter must be changed from upper to lower case, or vice versa, enclose it in [brackets]. Substituted words or letters should also be bracketed. w “[P]ublic confidence in the [adversary] system depends upon disclosure.”

Alterations in the Text; Rule 5.2 wSwSignificant mistakes in the original should be followed by “[sic]” and otherwise left as they appear in the original. w“w“This list of statutes are [sic] necessarily incomplete.”

w Indicate in a parenthetical clause after the citation any change of emphasis or omission of citations. w “The section applies to non consumers as well.” Fuller v. Jones, 99 So. 2d 74, 88 (Ala. 1988) (emphasis added).

Omissions in Text; Rule 5.3

w When using quoted language as a phrase or clause, don’t indicate the omission. w Extreme and outrageous conduct is “utterly intolerable in a civilized society.” (Citation omitted).

Omissions in Text; Rule 5.3 w When quoting language as a full sentence, omission of words is indicated by the insertion of an ellipsis, three periods separated by spaces and set off by a space before and after. w “Liability in such a case as this one depends upon... getting caught.” Seymour v. Butts, 106 So. 2d 175, 178 (Ala. 1980).

Omissions in Text; Rule 5.3 w When quoting language as a full sentence, ellipses should never be used to begin a quotation. Capitalize and bracket the first letter if it is not already capitalized. w “[T]here is no duty to protect another person from the violent propensities of a third person.” (Citation omitted).

Omissions in Text; Rule 5.3 w When quoting language as a full sentence, omission of the language at the end of a quoted sentence should be indicated by an ellipsis between the last word quoted and the final punctuation of the sentence quoted. w “Never count your chickens....”

Citation Exercises