Interpreting Legal Citations

Tools

• The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, 18th ed. Reserve & Reference KF/245/U55

• Wisconsin Guide to Citation, 5th ed. Reserve & Reference KFW/2475/W57/2001

• Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations Reference KF/246/B46...

Citation Types

Primary Authority

1. Cases
Citation of a case decided by U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, later reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court, with parenthetical information about the Fourth Circuit decision:

All Wisconsin Supreme Court & Court of Appeals opinions published since January 2000 include a public domain citation.

2. Statutes
Citation of an entire statute, the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, as codified in the United States Code:

3. Public Law
Citation of an entire public law, the Health Professions Education Extension Amendment of 1992, as appears in the Statutes at Large:

4. Legislative Materials
Several citations to bills, resolutions, reports, documents, etc.:

Abbreviations used in citations to legislative materials:

5. Code of Federal Regulations
Citation of a particular provision of a regulation in the Code of Federal Regulations:

6. United Nations Materials
Citation of a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly:

Secondary Authority

1. Books - Both author and title appear in ALL CAPS
Citation of a particular section of James and Hazard's treatise on civil procedure:

Citation of a particular page within Charles Dicken's Bleak House:

2. Periodical Materials - Article titles appear in italics and journal titles appear in ALL CAPS

Citation of particular pages within a law review article with parenthetical information about what appears on those pages:

Citation of an entire magazine article:

Citation of a signed newspaper article:

Compiled by Bonnie Shucha
University of Wisconsin-Madison Law Library