Rule 10.9 (Rule B10.2 in the Bluepages) provides the formatting and rules surround short forms for cases.
For court documents:
After providing the full citation, a short form may be used in subsequent citations to the same authority, so long as:
There are several acceptable short forms for case citation. All of the forms include "at" followed by the pinpoint page number.
For examples and more information, see Bluepages Rule 10.2.
For law journal articles:
After providing a full citation, a short form citation may be used if it:
Otherwise, the full citation is required
For examples and more information, see Rule 10.9.
Rule 11 (Rule B11 in the Bluepages) provides formatting and rules about short citation forms for constitutions.
For both court documents and law journal articles, short citation should not be used, except for "id.".
Rule 12.10 (Rule B12.2 in the Bluepages) explains the short forms for statute citations.
When using a short form for a statute in the text of a law review article body or footnote, section symbols (§) should not be used, and the word "section" should be written out fully.
When using a short form for a statute in a law review citation the section symbol (§) can be used, but there are multiple ways one can short form cite to a statute. It is important to note one can only use the short form citation if the statute has already been cited (in either full or short form, including "id.") in either the same footnote or in a manner such that it can be readily found in one of the preceding five footnotes, again including "id.". Otherwise, the full citation should be implored.
For examples, see Rule 12.10 and the table found on p. 139 of The Bluebook.
Legislative Materials
Rule 13.8 provides the explanation of the short form citation for legislative materials.
The formatting of these short forms are broken into two kinds of short forms: (1) main text and footnote text; and (2) citations. Rule 13.8 has a table that shows examples of a full citation, a "text" form, and a "short" citation form.
Administrative Materials (Regulations)
Rule 14.6 provides explanations for short form citations for regulations.
The formatting of these short forms are broken into two kinds of short forms: (1) main text and footnote text; and (2) citations. Rule 14.6 has a table that shows examples of a full citation, a "text" form, and a "short" citation form.
Use "id." when citing to an essay, article or document found within a volume of collected shorter works, so long as the full citation of the work as been provided. "Id." may only be used if the work is cited to in the immediately preceding authority within the same footnote or if it is the sole authority within the immediately preceding footnote. Do not use "id." to refer to the collection as a whole when citing another shorter work within the collection.
Use "supra" to refer to the collection as a whole. This short form should contain the title of the collection, rather than the author, regardless of the amount of authors there are within the collected pieces.
"Supra" may also be used to refer to the shorter work if it was not cited in the same footnote or the sole authority in the immediately preceding footnote. If using this form of "supra," include the last name of the author(s), or the title of the work if there is no author listed.
For more information and examples, see Rule 15.10.1.
Use "id." if the work cited is the same as the immediately preceding authority in either the same footnote or the sole authority in the immediately preceding footnote. If the page number has changed, indicate that with "at" and the page number.
"Supra" form should include the author's last name, or the title of the work if there is no author. If the first citation has a "hereinafter" designation, the hereinafter form should be used in place of the author's name or title of piece in the "supra" short form. The name or title should be listed before the "supra" short form. The full citation footnote should be included in the "supra" form. Always indicate the page(s) cited except when citing to the work in its entirety.
For examples and more information, see Rule 16.9.
Rule 18.12 provides context to short form citations for electronic and nonprint materials.
Internet (Rule 18.12(a))
Use a "supra" form with the last name of the author (if any) or the title when citing to previously referenced web-based sources or digital media content.
"Id." can be used in accordance with Rule 4. See the "Id." text box to the right of this page, or refer to Rule 4 in The Bluebook.
Electronic Commercial Databases (Rule 18.12(b))
Use a unique database identifier, like WL or LEXIS, to construct a short form citation. Examples of how these short forms appear on p. 204 of The Bluebook.
Electronic Storage Media and Microform (Rule 18.12(c))
When citing a separately published document on an electronic storage media or reproduced on microform, use the short form appropriate for the original document.
Storage source does not need to be indicated once it has been stated in the full citation.
"Id." and "supra" can be used according to Rule 4.
Films, Broadcasts, Audio Recordings, and Works of Visual Arts (Rule 18.12(d))
"Id." and "supra" can be used according to Rule 4.
Social Media and Communication (Rule 18.12(e))
Use "supra" when citing to a social media post previously referenced, along with the the name (if available) and the handle of the poster. "Id." may also be used in accordance with Rule 4.
Hardware and Software (Rule 18.12(f))
A "supra" form may be used with the model name, so long as the hardware has been previously cited to. When citing to previously mentioned software, the same rule applies, but the version of the software should also be included. "Id." can also be used in accordance with Rule 4.
"Id." may be used in citation sentences and clauses of any kind of authority, except for internal cross-references (see Rule 3.5)
In legal documents:
Use "Id." when citing the immediately preceding authority, but only when the preceding citation contains only one authority.
In law review articles:
Use "Id." when citing the immediately preceding authority in the same footnote or the immediately preceding footnote, if the preceding footnote contains only one authority.
Id. and its period, are always italicized.
See Rule 4.1 for more information.
"Supra" and "hereinafter" should be used to refer to legislative hearings; court filings; books; pamphlets; reports; unpublished materials; nonprint resources; periodicals; services; treaties and international agreements; regulations; directives, and decisions of intergovernmental organizations; and internal cross-references.
"Supra" and "hereinafter" should not be used to refer to cases; statutes; constitutions; legislative materials or debates (other than hearings); restatements; model codes; or regulations, except in extraordinary circumstances discussed in Rule 4.2.
"Supra" can be used after an authority has been fully cited to previously. Its form generally consists of the author's last name, followed by a comma and the word "supra". If there is no designated author for the work being cited to, see Rule 16.7.1(b).
"Hereinafter" can be used for authority that would usually use "supra" or when the regular shortened form may confuse the reader, the author may establish a specific shortened form. To do so, after the first citation of the authority, but before any explanatory parenthetical, place "hereinafter" and the shortened form in brackets. Any citation to the authority after that should use the shortened form followed by a comma and the appropriate "supra" cross-reference.
For more information and examples, see Rule 4.2(b).
