Speed Bluebooking

1. Speed Bluebooking Presented by University of Baltimore Law Review & Office of Academic Support

2. The Bluebook • Four Major Parts: • Bluepages • Rules of Citation & Style • Tables • Index

3. Basic Tips • Remember the function of a citation • Look up every rule, every time • When in doubt, start with the Index • Read the entire rule at least once • Tables contain rules • DON’T COPY A DATABASE CITATION!

4. The Bluepages • Use the Bluepages for typeface & style issues particular to memos • B1 for typeface • B2 for citation placement

5. The Rules (White Pages) • Use the BB Rules for formatting citations (punctuation, how to order citations, etc.) • Rule 1 – Signals • Rule 4 – Short Citation Form • Rule 10 – Cases • Rule 12 – Statutes • Rule 18 – Internet Sources

6. Common Errors: Rule 10 – Cases • Improper Abbreviations • Use Table 6 & Table 10 • Different in citation vs text • B4.1.1/Rule 10.2 • Similar abbreviations for different words • Employee and Employment (Emp. and Emp’t) • Associate and Association (Assoc. and Ass’n) • Center and Central (Ctr. and Cent.)

7. Common Errors: Rule 10 – Cases • Maryland cases must contain parallel cites • Rule 10.3.1(a) • Boy v. Girl, 379 Md. 58, 59, 458 A.3d 38, 41 (2009). • Reporter spacing • Rule 6.1(a): • N.W.2d (no spaces) • F. Supp. 2d (spaces) • Use the short form! • Rule 10.9

8. Common Errors: Rule 10 – Cases • Parenthetical information • Weight of Authority • Rule 10.6.1 • Boy v. Girl, 123 U.S. 456 (2012) (Stevens, J., dissenting) • Quoting vs not quoting • Rule 1.5(a) • (“The arsonist had oddly shaped feet.”). • (stating that the arsonist had “oddly shaped feet”). • Citation within a citation • Rule 10.6.2  Rule 1.6(c); Rule 2.2(b)(iii) • Parenthetical containing a case citation

9. Simplifying Signals: Rule 1.2 • Supportive Signals • [no signal] • E.g., • Accord • See • See also • Cf. • Comparative Signals • Compare … with … • Contradictory Signals • Contra • But see • But cf. • Background Signals • See generally

10. Simplifying Signals: Rule 1.2 • [No signal] = assertion comes directly from this cited source • Contradictory signal = Contra • E.g., = assertion comes directly from multiple sources, one of which is this cited source • Accord = text quotes/refers to another source, but assertion is also stated in/supported by this cited source • See = assertion is not directly from this source, but is clearly supported by this cited source • Contradictory signal = But see • See also = assertion comes directly from previous source, but it is also supported by this cited source • See generally = general background material for assertion can be found in cited source • Cf. = a proposition different than but analogous to assertion is supported by this cited source • Contradictory signal = But cf.

11. Simplifying Signals: Rule 1.2 • String Cites • Multiple sources linked to the same signal or same TYPE of signal (supportive, comparative, contradictory, or background) are separated by a semi-colon • See UB Law Review v. UMD Law Review, 459 U.S. 268, 271 (2010);Lande v. Breyer, 458 U.S. 11, 12 (2009). • Be sure to place sources in correct order • Based on signal  Rule 1.3 and B3.5 • Based on authority  Rule 1.4

12. Common Errors: Rule 4 – Short Form • Id. Rule 4.1 • Italicize the “.” in Id. • Only add page numbers after “id.”if the pincite is different • Id. or Id. at 3. • Id. § 5. Not: Id. at § 5. • Do not use id. if you cited more than one authority in previous cite.

13. Common Errors: Rule 4 – Short Form • Short Citation Form for Cases – Rule 10.9 • B4.2 tells you when you can use the short form • Pick one party’s name and stick with it; make sure the reader can figure out which case you are referring to. • Rule 10.9(b)(ii) for parallel citations with “Id.” • Id. at 356, 233 A.2d at 563. • See B4.2 for parallel citations with short forms • Jones, 435 Md. at 25, 245 A.3d at 38.

14. Common Errors: Rule 18 – Internet Sources • Direct citations vs. parallel citations • Citing CNN.com vs. The Baltimore Sun • Use “available at” for the latter, never for the former. • See Rules 18.2.2, 18.2.3 & 16.6(f) • If the Web site does not list a publication date, use a “last visited” parenthetical when no date provided; update this every time you view the webpage • Rule 18.2.2(c).

15. Other Helpful Rules • Citing a Restatement?  Rule 12.9.5 • Uniform Code?  Rule 12.9.4 • Capitalizing the word “court”B7.3.1 • Only capitalized when referring to SCOTUS or the court that will receive the document. • Case names in memos  B1 • Underscore or italicize case names in the text of your memo • Multiple sections  Rule 3.3(b) • Use §§ when referring to multiple sections • Citing a footnote?  Rule 3.2(b)

16. Other Helpful Rules • Quotations  Rule 5 • Pay attention to long quotes and alterations • Do not indicate emphasis in original • Numbers and Symbols  Rule 6.2 • The first word of any sentence must be spelled out • Foreign phrases  Rule 7 • Italicizing foreign phrases such as certiorari, res judicata, etc. • Don’t italicize the common phrases • Unreported Opinions B4.1.4; Rules 10.8.1 & 18.3.1 • Court documents/Case record B7 • No bluebook rule for source? Use analogous source

17. Final Tips & Things to Remember • When in doubt, use the Index • Always check the tables for abbreviations • Check the inside back cover for examples of commonly used citation forms used in court documents / legal memos (Bluepages) • Check the inside front cover for examples of commonly used citation forms used in journals (White Pages)