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Bluebook Citation

Statute Citing 101

Both state and federal statutes are published in books called codes, usually having the statutes compiled by title or subject matter.

There are two types of statutes you will cite:

  1. Federal Statutes (United States Code, Code of Federal Regulations, or the Federal Register):  these conventions can be found in T1.1 of the Bluebook.
  2. State Statutes (state supreme court, appeals courts, trial courts, or state's statutory compilation):  these conventions can be found in T1.3 of the Bluebook.

Additionally, when citing a statute it is very important to make sure you are citing the most current information.  This is found in the form of a pocket part.  Cite the statue using the prescribed elements (discussed on both the Federal and State Statute pages of this guide), but modify the date to show you are citing a supplement section.

Bluebook Quick Reference

B5 (p. 15): Sources & Authorities for statutes, rules, and regulations.

Rule 12 (p. 111):  Rules for citing statutes.

Citation Breakdown

Citation:

Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-1105 (2010).

Breakdown:

  • Abbreviated name of code (Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann.): See rule B12.1.2 and table T1.3.
  • Cited section numbers (§ 13-1105): See table T1.3 for format.
  • Year of the cited code edition (2010): See rule B12.1.2 and R12.3.2. Note that you must provide the year of the cited code edition, NOT the year the act was passed.
    • To obtain the correct year information, look at the statute in print.  Please note that this date is not available in databases such as Westlaw or Lexis. To cite a statute in an electronic database such as Westlaw or Lexis, refer to rule R12.5.

Helpful Hints

  • See rule B12.1.1 for citation of federal statutes.
  • See rule B12.1.3 for citation of procedural rules, restatements, and uniform acts.
  • See rule B12.1.4 for citation to federal tax materials.
  • See rules B12.1.5 and R12.10 for options for short citing a statute.
  • See rule R12.5 for citation to a statute in an electronic database.
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