Case citations follow Bluebook Rule 10. A standard case citation includes the case name, volume number, reporter abbreviation, first page, pinpoint page, and a parenthetical with the court and year. For example: Brown v. Bd. of Educ., 347 U.S. 483, 495 (1954).
The reporter identifies where the case is published. Federal cases appear in reporters like U.S. (Supreme Court), F.3d (courts of appeals), and F. Supp. 3d (district courts). State cases usually appear in regional reporters such as N.E.3d or S.E.2d. Always confirm the correct reporter and court abbreviation in Bluebook Table T1.
Case names must be abbreviated according to Bluebook Table T6. Proper short forms, such as using a single party name with a volume and reporter, appear after the first full citation.
Supreme Court Case
Brown v. Bd. of Educ., 347 U.S. 483, 495 (1954).
Court of Appeals
United States v. Booker, 375 F.3d 508, 512 (7th Cir. 2004).
District Court
Doe v. Smith, 312 F. Supp. 3d 120, 128 (S.D.N.Y. 2018).
State Supreme Court
Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R. Co., 162 N.E. 99, 100 (N.Y. 1928).
No. For citations to U.S. Reports, include only the year in the parenthetical because the reporter already identifies the court.
A pinpoint citation identifies a specific page in the opinion. Add it after the first page number, such as 347 U.S. 483, 495 (1954).
Use a short form after the full citation appears and the short form is clear. It should be within the same discussion, typically within five footnotes in law review format.
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Explore more Bluebook citation guides for other source types.
Master Bluebook citation format for federal statutes (U.S.C.), state codes, and session laws with proper section symbols, date parentheticals, and code abbreviations.
Cite the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions with correct article, amendment, and section formatting.
Cite books, treatises, and hornbooks with the right author, title, edition, and page format.
Cite websites, online reports, and digital sources with proper author, title, and URL format.
Cite federal and state court rules with correct rule numbers, abbreviations, and parentheticals.
Cite agency decisions, administrative opinions, and guidance documents using Bluebook Rule 14 and 15 conventions.
Format citations for law review articles, journal essays, and academic legal publications following Bluebook Rule 16 conventions.
Format citations for the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Federal Register rules, and state administrative regulations following Bluebook Rule 14.
Format citations for bilateral and multilateral treaties, international agreements, and conventions following Bluebook Rule 21.4.
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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