Parts of a Legal Citation

Abbreviations and Symbols

• The abbreviations used in legal citations are standardized so that lawyers, judges and readers of law writings can easily understand and find the information used in the citation. The abbreviations in case citations stand for where the document is published. Abbreviations stand for codes in statutory citations. These codes are related to specific documents like the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and other state and federal rulings. Statutory citations also have specific symbols used to identify addendums and other additions to the ruling.
  
  

Title

• A citation must identify the name of the document being used. It may only be a section of a document or an entire work. The title of the code assigned to the ruling is always listed in a statutory citation to identify the document. In a case citation, the name of the case is used, and it always involves two individuals. An example is Jackson Floor Covering Corp v. Steve Franks Floor Covering. It could also be Sally Fults v. Jeff Daniels or Mary's Hobby Shop v. Paula Jacobs.
  
  

Section

• Making it possible to locate the exact document used as a resource in a legal publication is the most important task of a citation. In addition to the exact title, sections and volume numbers must be noted in all statutory citations. The page number and specific court are also listed in case citations, as well as a pinpoint spot for the exact information pertaining to the case. Using the pinpoint spot tells the reader where on the page to find the information.
  
  

Important Information

• Often there will be a need for additional information included in the citation to properly identify the case or to add information otherwise pertinent to the case. This could include an addendum to the case or an author's name. The date, including the year of the publication of the document, is often pertinent in both case citations and statutory citations.