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An Introduction to Legal Citation Fall 2004

An Introduction to Legal Citation Fall 2004. Learning How to Use the Bluebook. The Open Memo Assignment. Your outlines and source lists are due in class on Thursday. Please use your anonymous numbers. The Research Path The Outline (3 pages double-spaced) - Review the sample.

JasminFlorian
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An Introduction to Legal Citation Fall 2004

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  1. An Introduction to Legal CitationFall 2004 Learning How to Use the Bluebook

  2. The Open Memo Assignment • Your outlines and source lists are due in class on Thursday. Please use your anonymous numbers. • The Research Path • The Outline (3 pages double-spaced) • - Review the sample. • The source list must be divided by issue (1 page)

  3. Beating the Bluebook Blues • The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citationis your resource for drafting legal citations. • *Note A.L.W.D. Manual

  4. Parts of the bluebook • 1) The introduction- gives you some sample citations and identifies the parts. • 2) Practitioner’s notes adapt some law review examples to the simpler style used in legal memoranda. See P.1. • 3) The Rules 1-21. • 4) Tables (1-17) T.1- Jurisdictions T.6-Abbreviations etc. • 5) Index- to locate rules • 6) Back Cover Quick Reference

  5. Getting Familiar with the Bluebook • Rules 1 to 9 sets forth general standards and style to be used throughout legal writing. • Rules 10 to 21 present specific rules for cases, statutes, books, periodicals and so forth. • Rule 10 deals with citing cases • Rule 12 deals with citing statutes.

  6. A case citation includes: • The case name,the source where case may be found, and parenthetical information including the court, jurisdiction, the date. • Coblyn^v.^Kennedy’s^Inc.,^268^N.E.2d^ 860^(Mass.^1971).

  7. Pinpoint Cites • When citing to a specific passage within a decision, cite to the specific page orpages on which the passageappears. • For Example:Owen v. Hampson, 202 So. 2d 245, 247 (Ala. 1952)

  8. When to and not touse pinpoint citations • Pin cite rules of law. • Pin cite any of the court’s reasoning. • Pin cite direct quotes. • When NOT to • Do not pin cite or even cite the facts of a case. • Provide a full cite but not a pinpoint cite the fist time you introduce a case.

  9. Coblyn^v.^Kennedy’s^Inc.,^268^N.E.2d^ 860,862^(Mass.^1971). • Purpose and Use of Citations : • The purpose of a citation is to tell the reader where to find the source of information cited; • To provide information about the weight and persuasiveness of the source; • To convey the type and degree of support; • And to demonstrate that a position is well supported and researched.

  10. Rule 6.1Line Spacing • In general close up all adjacent single capitals: • N.W. • S.D.N.Y. • Do not close up single capitals with longer abbreviations: • D.^Mass • S.^Ct.

  11. Rule 6.1; Line Spacing • Individual numbersincluding both numeralsand ordinals, are treated as single capitals: • P.2d • N.E.2d. • BUT • So.^2d • F.^Supp.^2d

  12. Where to Cite • In legal memorandum and appellate briefs, you cite legal authority within the text rather than in footnotes. • In other forms of writing such as law review articles, you cite legal authority in footnotes.

  13. Citation Ciphering • For the next several classes, we will cover how to properly cite cases and statutes.BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!You also “get” to playCitation Ciphering. • When you see either ofthese images, your teamshould agree on acite for points (5,4, 3…)

  14. Rule 10: How to Cite Case Law • 1) Citing Cases Generally • 2) Abbreviations of Case Names • 3) Citing State Cases • 4) Citing Federal Cases • 5) Short Form Citations

  15. Rule 10: How to Cite Case Law • 1) Citing Cases Generally • 2) Abbreviations of Case Names • 3) Citing State Cases • 4) Citing Federal Cases • 5) Short Form Citations

  16. Case Citations Generally; Rule 10.2 Case names are cited . . . in the text of a document (Rule 10.2.1.) Or in a citation clause or sentence (Rule 10.2.2).

  17. Citations in the Text; Rule 10.2.1 • Example of a citation within a textual sentence: • In Coblyn^v.^Kennedy’s^Inc.,^268^N.E.2d^ 860^(Mass.^1971) the plaintiff went into a store to buy a sport coat.

  18. The Citation Sentence; Rule 10.2.2 • A citation sentence is separated from text just as any other sentence would be. It begins with a a capital letter and ends with a period. Example of a a citation sentence: • The owner or keeper of an animal will be charged with the knowledge of the propensities of the breed of the animal that he or she owns. Humphries v. Rice, 600 So. 2d 975, 976 (Ala. 1992).

  19. Rules for Citing Cases:Rule 10.2.1 (a)-(j)/10.2.2 • Although Rule 10.2.1 covers textual cites, Rule 10.2.2 explains that the rule in 10.2.1 (a-j) apply to citation sentences also. • Use the last name of the party for each side. If one side has more than one party, use only the name of the first party (not et al.) Rule 10.2.1 (a) • Generally you may omit “The” as the first word of a party’s name. 10.2.1(d)

  20. General Rules for Citing Cases;Rule 10.2.1 (a)-(j) • Also omit geographical terms such as “State of” or “Commonwealth of” except when citing decisions of the court of that state in which case only use the geographical term but omit the “of”. 10.2.1(f) • For example: • State v. Davis • Omit “City of” and like expressions unless the expression begins a party name: • Mayor of Tuscaloosa v. Warner • BUTHale v. City of Tuscaloosa

  21. General Rules for Citing Cases; Rule 10.2.1 (a)-(j) • Omit “Inc.,” “Ltd.””L.L.C.,” “F.S.B.” and similar terms if the name also contains a word such as “Co.,” “Corp..” or “Ass’n,” clearly indicating that the party is a business firm. Rule 10.2.1(h) • Jacques v. Childs Dining Hall Co., • Rather than • Jacques v. Childs Dining Hall Co., Inc.

  22. Citation Ciphering: Case Names • What is the correct case name (the first part of the cite which identifies the parties, not the full cite) where Billy Bob Thorton and Angela Joly sue The Miami Herald. • Thorton v. Miami Herald • 10.2.1(a) and (d)

  23. Citation Ciphering: Case Names • What is the correct case name of a memo you are writing for a Massachusetts law firm, where Miller Drug Co., L.L.C. sues the State of Massachusetts. • Miller Drug Co. v. State, • 10.2.1(b) and (f)

  24. Rule 10: How to Cite Case Law • 1) Citing Cases Generally • 2) Abbreviations of Case Names • 3) Citing State Cases • 4) Citing Federal Cases • 5) Short Form Citations

  25. Abbreviating Case Names • Abbreviating varies somewhat depending upon whether you are using a textual sentence or a citation sentence. • If the case names appear in the text, you may only abbreviate certain widely recognized acronyms in Rule 6.1(b) (CBS, CIA, FCC, FDA, NAACP and NLRB) and eight words listed in Rule 10.2.1(c) (Ass’n, Bros. Co., Corp., Inc., Ltd. and No.)

  26. Abbreviating Case Names • However, if the case name appears in a citation, Rule 10.2.2 tells you that you must also use the abbreviations listed in Table 6 (common abbreviations) and in Table 11 (abbreviations for geographical terms). • Never abbreviate the United States. United States v. Langley

  27. Citation Ciphering: Abbreviating • What is the correct case name in a textual sentence, where the Bates Association sues the Central Intelligence Agency? • Bates Ass’n v. CIA • 10.2.1 (c) and 6.1(b)

  28. Citation Ciphering: Abbreviating • What is the correct case name in a citation sentence, where the Grimes sues Liberty National Life Insurance Company? • Grimes v. Liberty Nat’l Life Ins. Co., • 10.2.2 (a) and T. 6

  29. Rule 10: How to Cite Case Law • 1) Citing Cases Generally • 2) Abbreviations of Case Names • 3) Citing State Cases • 4) Citing Federal Cases • 5) Short Form Citations

  30. Citing State Courts (Rule 10.4(b)/T.1) • In general , your cite should indicate the state and the court of decision in the parenthetical. • Smith v. State, 745 N.E.2d 922 (Mass. App. Ct. 1972). • BUT, do not include the name of the court, if the decision is the highest court of the state. • Britton v. Doehring, 242 N.E.2d 665 (Mass. 1988).

  31. Citing State Courts(Rule 10.4/T.1) • However, if the name of the state appears in the REPORTER TITLE then you should leave it out of the parenthetical. • Tomcsik v. Kramer, 499 Mass. 376 (1868).

  32. Citing State CourtsRule 10.4(b) • Check Table T.1 for each jurisdiction. • Massachusetts • For the Supreme Judicial Court (Mass.), cite to N.E. or N.E.2d. If therein otherwise cite to. . . • Foley v. Polaroid Corp., 508 N.E.2d 72 (Mass. 1987) • For the Appeals Court (Mass. App Ct.) cite to N.E.2d if therein otherwise . . . • Smith v. State, 745 N.E.2d 922 (Mass. App. Ct. 1999).

  33. Citation Ciphering: State Courts • What is correct cite in a citation sentence for a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court case decided in 1995 where Williams sues Hill reported at 658 N.E.2d 381? • Williams v. Hill, 658 N.E.2d 381 (Mass. 1995).

  34. Citation Ciphering: State Courts • How about specific material in the Massachusetts Appeals Court case on page 743, of a case reported at 671 N.E.2d 741 and decided in 1995 where Scott sues Donkel? • Scott v. Donkel, 671 N.E.2d 741, 743 (Mass. App. Ct. 1995).

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