Bluebook Basics

A short primer on Bluebook citation formats for federal and state cases and statutes, as well as books, journals, and other secondary sources. N.B. Citation examples use non-academic citation format (i.e., the format for briefs and legal memoranda).

• Introduction to Bluebooking
• Case Law
• Statutes
• Secondary Sources

Citing Virginia Statutes

Rule B12.1.2 (page 19) & Rule 12 (page 120) & Table T1 for Virginia on p. 291

Table 1: cite to Va. Code Ann. (published by LexisNexis)

• Va. Code Ann. § 13.1-697 (2011).

The date used when citing the Virginia Code, or any state code, follows the following pattern when using a print source: the date on the spine of the volume or the date on the title page or the date on the verso of the title page. For on online source, use the currency statement of the online platform.

Use table T1 to find rules for other US jurisdictions. For example, to cite a North Carolina statute, find North Carolina in Table T1 and follow the requirements.

For additional examples, see the Basic Bluebooking--Statutes in Legal Documents tipsheet, provided courtesy of the Law Library at the Pace Law School.

Citing Federal Statutes

Rule B12 (page 19) & Rule 12 (page 120) & Table T1 (Federal Judicial and Legislative Materials) (page 227)

• 18 U.S.C. § 231

• 18 U.S.C.A. § 231 (West).
• 18 U.S.C.S. § 231 (LexisNexis).

According to Rule 12.3.2 (page 125) citations to the official or unofficial federal code do not require a date.

For additional examples, see the Basic Bluebooking--Statutes in Legal Documents tipsheet, provided courtesy of the Law Library at the Pace Law School.

Citing Constitutions

Rule B11 (page 18) & Rule 11 (page 119) & Table T16 (Subdivisions) (page 328)

Consult table T16 for abbreviations of document subdivisions. Current constitutional provisions are cited without a date.

Federal Constitution

• U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2.
• U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2.
• U.S. Const. pmbl.

State Constitution

• La. Const. art. X, pt. IV.
• N.M. Const. art. IV, § 7.
• Va. Const. art. I, § 10.

For additional examples, see the Basic Bluebooking--Statutes in Legal Documents tipsheet, provided courtesy of the Law Library at the Pace Law School .

Rules of Evidence and Procedure

Rule 12.9.3 on p. 130

Consult Rule 12.9.3 for citation of rules of evidence and procedure. Follow Rule 12.9.3 in abbreviating such rules, and cite current rules without a date:

• Fed. R. Civ. P. 11.
• 1st Cir. R. 6(a).
• Va . R . Evid. 2:403.

What Date Do I Cite for a Statute?

Bluebook rule 12.3.2 (page 125) does not require a date when citing to either official or unofficial FEDERAL CODE.

When citing to a STATE CODE in the print edition, use the date in the following order of preference:

• Date on spine, or
• Year that appears on the title page, or
• Latest copyright year of the book in which the statute appears

When citing to a STATE CODE using the online format follow the instructions in Rule 12.5 (page 127):

• Give parenthetically the name of the database and the information regarding currency provided by the database itself.
  • I.e. - Va. Code Ann. § 54.245 (Lexis current through 2024 Reg. Sess. & 2024 Sp. Sess. I).

  Short Form Citation for Statutes and Constitutions

  Rules B12.2 (page 21) & 12.10 (page 133) address short form citation of statutes (federal and state). Look at the examples listed in the Bluebook.

  Rule 4 (page 79) addresses the use of id . and supra .

  N.B.: Do not use a short citation form other than id . for constitutions.