Citing legal statutes accurately is crucial for any research paper, especially in the fields of law and social sciences. The Bluebook citation style provides a standardized format to ensure consistency and clarity. Here are three practical examples of how to cite a statute in Bluebook format, tailored for different contexts.
This example illustrates how to cite a federal statute, which is commonly encountered in legal writing. Federal statutes can be found in the United States Code (U.S.C.).
To cite the Americans with Disabilities Act, you would format it as follows:
Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (2018).
In this citation, ‘42’ refers to the title number of the U.S. Code, ‘U.S.C.’ stands for United States Code, ‘§ 12101 et seq.’ indicates the specific section and subsequent sections, and ‘(2018)’ represents the year of the code edition used. This format is useful for legal essays, research papers, or any academic work involving federal law.
State statutes have their own citation formats, which can vary slightly from federal statutes. Here, we’ll cite a statute from California concerning marriage.
Cal. Fam. Code § 300 (West 2022).
In this citation, ‘Cal.’ stands for California, ‘Fam. Code’ indicates the Family Code, ‘§ 300’ specifies the section, and ‘West 2022’ refers to the publisher and the year. Knowing how to cite state statutes is essential for students or professionals working with local laws, ensuring they adhere to the correct legal standards.
Local ordinances are another important type of statute that might be referenced in research. This example shows how to cite a city ordinance from Chicago.
Chicago, Ill., Municipal Code § 10-4-010 (2021).
In this case, ‘Chicago, Ill.’ indicates the municipality, ‘Municipal Code’ refers to the governing code of the city, ‘§ 10-4-010’ specifies the section of the code, and ‘(2021)’ denotes the year of the code edition. Citing local ordinances is particularly relevant for community studies, urban planning papers, or local government research.
When citing statutes, remember that the format may vary slightly depending on the source and jurisdiction. Always refer to the latest edition of the Bluebook for any updates or changes in citation rules. These examples of how to cite a statute in Bluebook format should help clarify the process and ensure your citations are accurate and professional.