1. Citing Cases
Federal and State

2. Official v. Unofficial
Official—Government or under contract with government
Unofficial—everything else
Unofficial is still primary law, but must cite official to courts

3. Federal Case Reporters United States Supreme Court Cases
United States Reports (U.S.)
Official Reporter
Supreme Court Reporter (S. Ct.)
Lawyers Edition (L. Ed.)
Miscellaneous sources
© 2000 by Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

4. Other Federal Reporters (All Unofficial)
Federal Reporter (F.)
Appellate cases
Older volumes may have trial court decisions
Federal Supplement (F. Supp.)
Trial Court Decisions (not stare decisis)
Miscellaneous Reporters
Fed Rules Decision
Bankruptcy Reporter
© 2000 by Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

5. State Case Law Regional Reporters Official Reporters
California—Pacific Reporter
Official Reporters
Unofficial Reporters
© 2000 by Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

6. California Case Reporters
Official:
California Reports (Cal.)
California Supreme Court Cases
California Appellate Reports (Cal. App.)
California Appellate Court Cases
Unofficial:
California Reporter (Cal. Rptr.)
California supreme and appellate decision after 1959
Pacific Reporter (P.)
California Supreme Court cases
California Appellate court cases before 1959
D.A.R.

7. Case Citation http://www.sdap.org/
Blue book v. California Style Manual
Official v. Parallel Citations
Formula (California)
Case Name, Vol. Book Series Page, Date
Smith v. Jones, 7 Cal. 4th 34 (2000)

8. Basic Bluebook Formula
Official:
Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1983)
Official + Parallel
Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 83 S. Ct. 792, 9 L. Ed. 2d 799 (1963)

9. Basic Formula—California Style Manual
Official:
Gideon v. Wainwright (1983) 372 U.S. 335
Official + Parallel
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) 372 U.S. 335, 83 S.Ct. 792, 9 L.Ed.2d 799

10. Basic Formula for California
Bluebook:
Li v. Yellow Cab, 13 Cal. 3d 804, 532 P.2d 1226, 119 Cal. Rptr. 858 (1975)
California
Li v. Yellow Cab (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804 [119 Cal. Rptr. 858, 532 P.2d 1226]

11. John Jones and Tom Smith v. John Doe et al = Jones v. Doe
Names
Individuals: last name only; italicize
John Jones and Tom Smith v. John Doe et al = Jones v. Doe
Organizations: Check table of abbreviations (Cornell site)

12. Spacing--Bluebook
F.2d
F. Supp
U.S.
S. Ct.
L. Ed
Cal. 3d
Cal. App. 4th

13. Spacing--California
F.2d
F.Supp.
Cal.App.4th
Cal.Rptr.3d
Cal.3d

14. Parallel Cites Bluebook—separate by comma
California—put parallel in brackets

15. Federal Cases—other requirements
Federal Reporter—Must include circuit
Edmond v. Goldsmith, 183 F.3d 659 (7th Cir. 1999)
Federal Supplement—Must include District
(N.D. Cal. 1998)

16. Names Omit "the" when used as the first word of a party name
Omit all parties after the first one listed on each side
Omit terms like "trustee," "executor," or "administrator" that described a named party
Omit "State of" or its equivalents
Omit first and middle names or initials of individuals

17. FEDERAL CITATIONS Examples
Brown v. Helvering, 291 U.S. 193, 111 S. Ct. 2123, 117 L. Ed. 2d (1934).
Cong. Fin. v. Commercial Tech., Inc., 74 F.3d 1253 (11th Cir. 1995).
Glen Holly Entm't, Inc. v. Tektronix, Inc., 100 F. Supp. 2d 1073 (C.D. Cal. 1999).

18. CALIFORNIA CASE CITATIONS
Cal. Educ. Facilities Auth. v. Priest, 12 Cal. 3d 593, 526 P.2d 513, 116 Cal. Rptr. 361 (1974).*
Cal. Educ. Facilities Auth. v. Priest (1974) 12 Cal.3d 593 [116 Cal.Rptr. 361]
Sakotas v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd., 80 Cal. App. 4th 262, 95 Cal. Rptr. 2d 153 (2000).*
* Bluebook

19. Abbreviate:
EASTERN ASSOCIATED COAL CORP. v. UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA, DISTRICT 17, et al.
THE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS et al. v. EDMOND et al.
LUJAN, LABOR COMMISSIONER OF CALIFORNIA, et al. v. G & G FIRE SPRINKLERS, INC.

20. SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
Cite:
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
_________________
No. 01–7574
DAVID ALLEN SATTAZAHN, PETITIONER v.
PENNSYLVANIA
ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME COURT OF
PENNSYLVANIA, EASTERN DISTRICT
[January 14, 2003]

21. SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
Cite:
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
Syllabus
HOWSAM, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS TRUSTEE FOR THE E.
RICHARD HOWSAM, JR., IRREVOCABLE LIFE
INSURANCE TRUST DATED MAY 14, 1982
v. DEAN WITTER REYNOLDS, INC.
CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR
THE TENTH CIRCUIT
No. 01–800. Argued October 9, 2002—Decided December 10, 2002