Overview
This lecture covers how to properly cite legal resources using APA style, highlighting key differences from Bluebook format and providing citation guidelines for federal and state statutes and case law.
APA vs. Bluebook Legal Citations
- APA style follows modified Bluebook guidelines for legal references, not the full Bluebook rules.
- APA in-text legal citations are not numbered and do not require footnotes.
- Chapter 11 of the APA Publication Manual provides legal citation examples.
- Bluebook is primarily required for law review journals and law students.
Using Citation Tools and Resources
- Nexis-Uni database offers an Export Citation feature with Bluebook style, but manual editing for APA format is needed.
- Bibliographic managers like Refworks cannot apply multiple citation styles at once; use APA 7th edition for consistency.
- Consult the Bluebook and guides (e.g., "The Bluebook Uncovered") for correct formatting, especially for abbreviations.
Case Law Citation in APA
- Format: Plaintiff v. Defendant, Year case was decided (e.g., Rescuecom Corp. v. Google Inc., 2009).
- Elements: Names of parties, volume number, abbreviated reporter name, first page, jurisdiction, year.
- Abbreviations must follow Bluebook rules.
Statutory Law Citation in APA
- Federal law: [Act name (if available)], title number, code abbreviation, section symbol (§), section number(s).
- Example: Title 28 U.S.C. § 1332.
- For named laws: Give act name, title/chapter/section, and public law number if it spans multiple titles or chapters.
- Refer to Table of Classifications for amendments.
State Statutory Law Citation
- Format varies by jurisdiction; generally, code abbreviation, section symbol (§), section number(s), year, and sometimes publication name.
- Virginia: Organized by title (e.g., Code of Virginia Annotated, Title 42 § 32, 2018).
- New York & California: Organized by subject matter (e.g., McKinney’s Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated, 2015).
Key Terms & Definitions
- APA Style — Guidelines for scholarly writing and citation by the American Psychological Association.
- Bluebook — Comprehensive US legal citation system primarily used in law journals.
- Case Law — Published court opinions (judgments).
- Statutory Law — Written laws passed by legislative bodies.
- Reporter — Published collection of court decisions.
- Section Symbol (§) — Indicates a specific section in statutes and codes.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Consult APA Publication Manual (Chapter 11) and Bluebook for citation examples.
- Use Nexis-Uni for draft citations and edit for APA compliance.
- Seek guidance at the Burns Law Library for Bluebook questions.
- Contact Himmelfarb Library with APA citation inquiries.
- Review related slides and video library for further learning.