Bluebook Citation: Short Citation Forms

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:

1. It is clear to the reader which authority is referenced;
2. The full citation falls in the same general discussion; 
3. The reader will have little trouble locating the full citation

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:

1. is already cited in the same footnote; or 
2. is cited (in either full or short form, including "id." in one of the preceding five footnotes

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. 

"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).