State Citation Guide

Arkansas Bluebook Citation Guide

Format Bluebook citations for Arkansas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions.

Overview

Arkansas cases are reported in the South Western Reporter series (S.W., S.W.2d, S.W.3d). Arkansas discontinued its official reporters — Arkansas Reports (Ark.) and Arkansas Appellate Reports (Ark. App.) — in 2009. Under Bluebook Table T1, cite Arkansas cases to the South Western Reporter.

The Arkansas court system consists of the Supreme Court of Arkansas and the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Use "Ark." in the parenthetical for Supreme Court cases and "Ark. Ct. App." for Court of Appeals decisions.

Arkansas Court Hierarchy

CourtBluebook AbbreviationReporter
Supreme Court of ArkansasArk.S.W.3d (S.W.2d)
Court of AppealsArk. Ct. App.S.W.3d

Arkansas Citation Rules

  • Cite to S.W.3d (or S.W.2d for older cases) — Arkansas discontinued its official reporters in 2009.
  • Use "Ark." for Supreme Court and "Ark. Ct. App." for Court of Appeals.
  • Do not include parallel citations to the discontinued Arkansas Reports.
  • Include the year of the decision in the parenthetical.

Example Citations

Arkansas Supreme Court

Jegley v. Picado, 80 S.W.3d 332 (Ark. 2002)

Court of Appeals

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dolph, 308 S.W.3d 603 (Ark. Ct. App. 2009)

Frequently Asked Questions

What reporter do I cite for Arkansas cases?

Cite to the South Western Reporter (S.W.3d for recent cases). Arkansas discontinued its official state reporters in 2009.

How do I abbreviate the Arkansas Court of Appeals?

Use "Ark. Ct. App." in the date parenthetical.

Are there parallel citations for Arkansas cases?

Not under Bluebook rules. Although older cases may have Ark. or Ark. App. citations, the Bluebook requires citing only to the South Western Reporter.

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Disclaimer: While this guide follows Bluebook 21st edition rules, always verify citations with official Bluebook resources or your institution's requirements. This content is for educational assistance only.

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