Each of the 50 states has between one and four district courts, and the district of columbia and puerto rico each have a district court the insular areas of guam, the northern mariana islands, and the united states virgin islands each have one territorial court. Omitting the date or currency statement in the parenthetical for a citation to a statute found on westlaw or lexis advance. Eagleton united states courthouse, which serves the eastern district of missouri. Words in case names basic legal citation cornell university.
Federal courts bluebook guide guides at georgetown law library. Secretary of commerce approved the twoletter codes for use in government documents, the united states government printing office gpo suggested its own set of abbreviations, with some states left unabbreviated. Practices among publishers vary, however, and it is not incorrect to use u. Charles carlisle, petitioner, versus the united states of america. Find out what is the most common shorthand of united states of america on abbreviations. The webs largest and most authoritative acronyms and abbreviations resource. There are also two unofficial codes for federal statutes. The correct parenthetical for a seventh circuit case is 7th cir.
Any word over eight letters may also be abbreviated if substantial space is saved and the result is clear. Law students, lawyers, scholars, judges, and other legal professionals know all too well there are complicated rules for legal citation. This page provides bluebook a uniform system of citation, 19th ed. Asked in united states of america, countries, states, and cities.
It is used in most united states law schools and court systems to properly cite and abbreviate court cases in parenthetical citation sentences of legal documents. American legal citation lii legal information institute. The united states has more pet dogs than any other country in the world. The official united states code is published every six years e. Even though the question of how to abbreviate the united states seems straightforward, as it happens, theres more than one preferred way to write it. What is the bluebook citation for a word found on page 712 of the ninth edition of blacks law dictionary, published in 2009. This style of citation of the first amendment of the constitution of the united states. A hard copy of the blue book is published several times during the year and is available on demand from the united nations publications section.
In case names, spell out states and united states only when they are the whole case name. Jul 19, 2019 united states reports is an official publication of the united states government and the preferred reporter to cite for u. Common abbreviations legal citation research guides at. However, there is generally a significant lag between when the court decides a case and when it is published in the united states.
This 1996 united states supreme court case is reported in volume 517, page 416, of united states reports. How to cite the amendments in bluebook format legal beagle. Name of the case underlined or italicized and abbreviated according to rule 10. Case name abbreviations table 6 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z. Many items sold by usabluebook require supplemental training, licenses or permits for proper use and may be harmful if not used properly. Smallcaps rule 11 lays out the citation method for constitutional sections. The bluebook citation manual abbreviation, followed by the alwd citation manual abbreviation. Assume that the authority is being cited in citation sentences in a brief to the united states supreme court unless otherwise noted. Citations are to the 20th edition of the bluebook, a uniform system of citation. Cases bluebook legal citation tarlton law library at. Usa is an abbreviation for the united states of america. In its publications, the mla uses the abbreviation us. B when the united states is a party, do not abbreviate it.
Cite title 21 of the united states code, section 331a from the official united states code in print. They all rely on the bluebooks unique system of citation in their writing. Although both the bluebook and alwd require that a date be given after a statute, many practitioners omit the date. Us tends to be the more popular way to abbreviate united states. Unfortunately, we dont have such fixed boundaries for how to abbreviate united states. A citation informs the reader where the writer obtained. Outlines the basic structure of legal citations, including cases law, statutes, and administrative rules and regulations. If you are citing a federal statute currently in force, the bluebook dictates that you cite to the united states code if it contains the current version of a statute rule 12. What is the abbreviation for united states of america. United states is the only federal court to officially report its cases. Bluebook questions possible not safe for honor code top. Seaside farm, incorporated versus the united states of america, a case decided by the united states court of appeals for the fourth circuit on december 2, 2016. However, some style guides prefer united states as the noun form and us as the adjective form. Agreements to which the united states is not a party.
United states supreme court reports, lawyers edition. Usa abbreviation stands for united states of america. The united states ambassador to the united nations is charged with representing the united states during meetings of the general assembly. Primary authorities bluebook citations libguides at. List of united states district and territorial courts. The bluebook is the resource all attorneys and legal scholars use to properly cite and format legal documents.
You found the case on lexis advance and wish to cite to that database. The mla prefers to spell out the name united states in the main text of a work, in both adjective and noun. Mar 07, 20 the bluebook brothers have fun featuring some products. Heres a questionwhen do we abbreviate united states and when do we spell it out in citations. One mistake students and attorneys alike make is assuming that research systems like westlaw and lexis advance provide properly bluebooked citations. Bluebook questions possible not safe for honor code. Usa is a noun because united states of america is a noun.
The information required to effectively cite a federal government document in a bibliography or works cited list differs slightly from other types of materials. Sources and courts tend to have official abbreviations for this purpose, which. Basic bluebook citation for cases proficientwriters. You should cite to the united state federal constitution by u. Abbreviations to federal courts legal abbreviations. Real property situated at 10 maple road, county of albemarle, commonwealth of virginia correct. Items sold by usabluebook are intended for use only by professionals in the water and wastewater treatment industry. In other words, all three of the examples below are correct, and you can choose the style that you like best. Section number preceded by the section symbol and a space. Also abbreviate states and united states when they are in the name of the author of a book, article, report, letter, speech, and so forth.
This decision affirms the 1995 decision of the sixth circuit court of appeals in this case. Bluebook rule 10 covers how cases should be cited in legal documents. Common mistakes bluebook citations libguides at william s. What is the proper way to use the united states of america as the name of a party in a case. Citation of a united states supreme court decision.
It is a composite of those contained in the bluebook and the alwd guide to legal citation. The individual cities, counties, and states within the united states have definite borders. What is the abbreviation for supreme court reporter answers. What is the bluebook abbreviation for the united states code. The law library has many copies available at law reserve, reference, and at the reference desk, via call number kf 245.
Federal courts bluebook guide guides at georgetown law. But before getting into that, lets get it out of the way first to note that if your usage of the country name is a noun, spell it out rather than abbreviating it. Many federal courthouses are named after notable judges, such as the thurgood marshall united states courthouse in new york city or the hugo l. The basics of legal citation including citation styles bluebook and alwd. Judge posner has criticized the long lists of uniform abbreviations mandated by the bluebook as a contradiction in terms.
So, for example, politicians giving formal addresses will almost always say the united states of america. List of united states district and territorial courts wikipedia. Deciding court, jurisdiction date of decision united states v. Cases bluebook legal citation tarlton law library at tarlton law.
Abbreviations for foreign countries materials are found in table 2. Bluebook citation for legal materials purdue writing lab. In informal writing, when the abbreviation is functioning as an adjective as in, u. United nations reports of international arbitration awards, t. Thus, the unofficial supreme court reporter cite for the windsor case is 3 s. Find out what is the most common shorthand of united states of america on. Appendix b twoletter state and possession abbreviations. Other words for the united states are united states of america or america, u. So it must be cited from the supreme court reporter. We also have relatively firm definitions of our geographic regions, such as the midwest and the northeast. Looking for the abbreviation of united states of america. How do you abbreviate the united states of america answers. A b c d e f gh i jk l m n o p qr s t u vwxyz show all. These tables give the various abbreviations for the u.
Find out what is the most common shorthand of american on. Jul 22, 2019 the bluebook citation manual abbreviation, followed by the alwd citation manual abbreviation. Im pretty sure that united states of fucking america city is. Dec 19, 2010 in the sentence the united states of america is located in north america the nouns are united states, america, and north america. Today, the gpo supports united states postal service standard. What is the bluebook citation for an article that appeared in volume 35 of the texas journal of business law in 2008 on page 56, that was written by james patrick cramer and donald j. The elements of the supreme court reporter cite are as follows. Generally, the bluebook and alwd are more alike than they are different. The bluebook style guide is used in the american legal profession for citation of all.
Annals of the american academy of political and social science, annals am. Use united states instead of united states of america, but otherwise omit designations of. Im just fascinated and scared shitless by this thing you refer to as bluebook. Both of these abbreviations can serve as either adjectives or nouns.
Take a look at the list below to find which common words in case names are abbreviated according to the bluebook and how you should abbreviate them. United states the doma case is not available in the u. However, there is generally a significant lag between when the court decides a case and when it is published in the united states reports. Senator, there seems to be a slight preference among native speakers and editors for the abbreviation with. You can either spell out united states or abbreviate it, with periods or without.
Federal statutes bluebook guide guides at georgetown law. Federal statutes bluebook guide guides at georgetown. United states reports is an official publication of the united states government and the preferred reporter to cite for u. The bluebook requires citation only to the official report supreme court opinions are also published in three unofficial reporters. Jul 19, 2019 a citation to a federal statute in one of the unofficial codes is essentially the same as a citation to the united states code with the addition of the publisher rule 12. Also, with the states, when do we abbreviate the state name and when do we spell it out in citations. A uniform system of citation, a style guide, prescribes the most widely used legal citation system in the united states. Constitutions bluebook legal citation tarlton law library. There are 94 active united states district and territorial courts. However, it may be abbreviated as part of another partys name, like any other word in t.
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