Overview
This lecture introduces APA citation rules for legal resources, explaining how they modify Bluebook guidelines and providing examples for citing case law and statutory law.
APA Style and Bluebook Overview
- APA style uses modified Bluebook rules for legal citations.
- Bluebook is the standard US legal citation guide, especially in law schools.
- APA does not use numbered citations or footnotes for legal references, differing from Bluebook.
- Chapter 11 of the APA Publication Manual gives legal citation examples.
Tools and Resources
- The GW Burns Law Library has guides on Bluebook citation.
- "The Bluebook Uncovered" is a free online introduction to Bluebook basics.
- Nexis-Uni database can generate Bluebook citations, which may require manual edits.
- Refworks applies only one citation style at a time; use APA 7th edition for consistency.
Case Law Citation in APA
- Format: Plaintiff v. Defendant, Year decided (e.g., Rescuecom Corp. v. Google Inc., 2009).
- Include abbreviated party names, reporter volume, reporter abbreviation, first page, jurisdiction, and year.
- Bluebook has specific abbreviation rules; consult Bluebook for details.
Statutory Law Citation in APA
- US Code citation: Name of Act (if any), Title number, Code abbreviation, section symbol (§), section number(s).
- Unenacted bills: Cite bill name and number as introduced in House or Senate.
- Enacted legislation ("session laws"): Use law name, public law number, Statutes at Large volume and page, and year.
- To find changes to the US Code, consult the Table of Classifications for Public Laws at uscode.house.gov.
State Law Citation in APA
- General format: Abbreviated code name, § symbol if required, section number(s), year and/or publication name.
- Citation details differ by state; check Bluebook Table T1 for each jurisdiction.
- Examples: Virginia statutes organized by title, New York and California by subject matter.
Key Terms & Definitions
- APA Style — A citation format used in academic writing, modified for legal resources per Chapter 11 of the manual.
- Bluebook — US legal citation guide widely used in law schools and legal writing.
- Case Law — Court decisions cited by party names, reporter details, and year.
- Statutory Law — Written laws (statutes), cited with code, title, section, and year.
- Reporter — Published collection of court decisions.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review APA Publication Manual Chapter 11 for legal citation examples.
- Consult Bluebook and state-specific rules for accurate legal citations.
- Use the guide from the GW Burns Law Library for Bluebook help.
- Contact Himmelfarb Library staff with APA citation questions.