This guide provides materials to help users learn legal citation using The Bluebook, A Uniform System of Citation. The Bluebook is utilized by law students as well as law practitioners. The Bluebook is now in the revised 20th edition which has made locating and citing resources easier than ever before!
If you cannot find the answer to a question in this LibGuide or any of the sources listed, email your questions to: [email protected]
Also many questions that have been asked by others are already answered on The Bluebook's website on the Blue Tips Page.
The Bluebook sets the standard for legal citation across the counrty. It is the Bluebook's uniformity that makes it unique. Lawyers and law students on the other side of the country will cite the same way as you and vice versa so that there is never any confusion about the citation, regardless of your locale.
Anything from any other sources that you use. This includes case, statutes, facts, periodicals, etc.
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Begin learning about The Bluebook by first becoming familiar with its general structure. If you do not know the structure of the Bluebook it will be very difficult to ascertain the correct citation forms for whatever you are researching or writing about. For an overview of the structure see the "Overview" tab on this LibGuide or page 1 of The Bluebook.
There are numerous CALI lessons available for legal research and writing. CALI even has Bluebook specific lessons that are an excellent resource to begin exploring the Bluebook. If you have not set up an account on CALI or you do not have the school's log-in info just stop by the circulation desk in the library and ask someone for the CALI log-in information! You can find the CALI site under the Law Library Database page under the "C" section or you can simply click this link.
