Bluebook Citation Format
The standard legal citation style in the US. Cases, statutes, regulations, journals with distinctive small caps and signal phrases. Currently 21st edition.
The unique features of Bluebook
- Small caps for journal names, reporters, treatises (e.g., GEO. L.J., U.S.).
- Italics for case names and v. (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education).
- Signal phrases (See, See also, Cf., But see) precede citations.
- Reporter abbreviations (U.S., F.3d, S. Ct.) for case citations.
- Short forms (supra, infra, id.) for repeated references.
Citation examples
Brown v. Board of Educ., 347 U.S. 483, 487 (1954).
Brown, 347 U.S. at 487.
42 U.S.C. § 1983 (2018).
Cal. Civ. Code § 1714 (West 2019).
16 C.F.R. § 255.5 (2024).
Cass R. Sunstein, The Limits of Quantitative Cost-Benefit Analysis, 99 GEO. L.J. 1541, 1545 (2011).
RICHARD H. FALLON, JR., THE DYNAMIC CONSTITUTION 45 (2d ed. 2013).
Linda Greenhouse, The Court Left, N.Y. TIMES (May 1, 2024), https://nyti.ms/example.
Common signal phrases
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| See | Directly supports the proposition |
| See, e.g., | Supports with examples (multiple) |
| See also | Additional support |
| Cf. | Analogous support |
| Compare ... with ... | Comparison between sources |
| But see | Directly contradicts |
| But cf. | Analogous contradiction |
Short form citations
After a full citation, use one of these short forms for subsequent references:
- Id. — when citing the same source as the immediately preceding citation
- Id. at 47 — same source, different page
- Brown, 347 U.S. at 487 — return to a previously cited case after intervening citations
- Sunstein, supra note 12, at 1545 — return to a previously cited article (with footnote reference)
- Brown v. Board of Educ., supra — abbreviated form for cases (less common)
Common mistakes
- Forgetting small caps for journal names. GEO. L.J. is small caps; "Geo. L.J." is not.
- Italicizing reporter names. Reporters are small caps, not italic. Only case names are italic.
- Wrong 'v.' vs 'vs.'. Bluebook uses 'v.' (not 'vs.').
- Missing pinpoint cite. Always include the specific page after the first page (e.g., 347 U.S. 483, 487).
- Misuse of id.. Only refers to the IMMEDIATELY preceding citation. If anything intervenes, you can't use id..
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bluebook (officially 'A Uniform System of Citation') is the standard legal citation style in the United States. Used by law reviews, federal courts, lawyers, and law students. Currently in its 21st edition. Distinctive: small caps for periodicals, abbreviated case names, italic 'v.' between parties, signal phrases ('See,' 'But see,' etc.).
Case Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year). Example: Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). Italicize the case name and the v. The reporter (U.S. for U.S. Reports, F.3d for Federal Reporter) is small caps. Court info appears only when not the U.S. Supreme Court.
Title U.S.C. § Section (Year). Example: 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (2018). For Code of Federal Regulations: Title C.F.R. § Section (Year). Use § for section, §§ for multiple. Year is the year of the code, usually the year the document was published or the latest update year.
After a full citation, subsequent references use a short form: just the case name + at + page (Brown, at 487) or supra (Brown, supra note 12, at 487). Reduces clutter for repeated references. The Bluebook has detailed rules for when short forms are allowed and how to format them.
Bluebook signals indicate how the citation supports your argument. 'See' = directly supports. 'See also' = additional support. 'See, e.g.,' = supports with examples. 'Cf.' = analogous support. 'But see' = directly contradicts. 'Compare X with Y' = comparison. The signal precedes the citation in italics.
Author, Article Title, Volume Journal Page (Year). Example: Cass R. Sunstein, The Limits of Quantitative Cost-Benefit Analysis, 99 GEO. L.J. 1541 (2011). Author full name, article title in italics, journal in small caps, page is first page of article.
Bluebook is for legal writing only. Distinctive features: small caps for journal/reporter names, abbreviated case names ('v.' not 'vs.'), specific reporter abbreviations, signal phrases, complex short-form rules. APA and MLA are for academic writing in other disciplines and don't share these conventions.
Limited support. The biblatex-bluebook package provides Bluebook-style biblatex output but isn't widely tested. Most legal writers use Microsoft Word with the Bluebook citation manager (Bluebook Online). Some law reviews use proprietary citation software (Westlaw, LexisNexis tools).
The current Bluebook edition (released 2020). Subtle changes from the 20th: minor abbreviation updates, expanded online source rules, ORCID inclusion. Most existing citations from older editions are still valid; check edition notes when something looks unusual.