what is a citation in writing from an attorney

by Demarcus Schmidt 6 min read

Citations in legal documents convey information about the cited authority, such as the degree of influence it has over subsequent cases. But many law students receive insufficient instruction in how to read these important components, as citation sentences tend to be excised from all but a small part of their first-year writing courses.

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How to write legal citations?

Jun 06, 2017 · Basic Legal Citation also includes a description of the significant changes in The Bluebook and cross-reference tables to The Bluebook and ALWD Guide, as well as links to The Indigo Book. The benefits of Introduction to Basic Legal Citation are that it is free and viewable in many different formats. It focuses on what practitioners need to know to cite the most …

How to read a legal citation?

Aug 09, 2021 · The primary authority for legal citation, and abbreviations, in the United States is the Bluebook. The Bluebook is a collaborative project by a handful of elite law schools. It is used for all federal court documents and legal scholarship. ... Building on that understanding and an explanation of the "process" of using citations in legal writing ...

How to type legal citations?

Mar 25, 2022 · Citations in legal documents convey information about the cited authority, such as the degree of influence it has over subsequent cases. But many law students receive insufficient instruction in how to read these important components, as citation sentences tend to be excised from all but a small part of their first-year writing courses.

How do you cite a law?

ALWD Citation Manual; eBook. PDF; WHAT AND WHY? Introduction; Purposes of Legal Citation; Types of Citation Principles; Levels of Mastery; Citation in Transition; Who Sets Citation Norms; HOW TO CITE ... Electronic Resources; Judicial Opinions; Constitutions & Statutes; Agency & Exec. Material; Arbitrations; Court Rules; Books; Law Journal Writing

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What is a lawyer citation?

A citation (or cite) in legal terminology is a reference to a specific legal source, such as a constitution, a statute, a reported case, a treatise, or a law review article. A standard citation includes first the volume number, then the title of the source, (usually abbreviated) and lastly, a page or section number.Oct 20, 2021

What does the word citation mean in legal terms?

(a) Definition. – A citation is a directive, issued by a law enforcement officer or other person authorized by statute, that a person appear in court and answer a misdemeanor or infraction charge or charges.

What is a legal citation used for?

Legal citations, in general, are used to identify the source of information supporting a particular point in a legal document (such as a motion, a brief, or a decision).Apr 4, 2022

What does it mean to write a citation?

A “citation” is the way you tell your readers that certain material in your work came from another source. It also gives your readers the information necessary to find the location details of that source on the reference or Works Cited page. A citation must include a set of parentheses.

What does being issued a citation mean?

A citation is a written or electronic order issued by a law enforcement officer or other authorized official. Instead of an arrest or continued detention, the citation releases the person on the promise to appear in court (or another government office) or pay a fine.

What is citation of a case?

A Legal Citation refers to a specific legal source, such as a constitution, a statute, reported cases, a regulation, a treatise, or a law review article. The basic format includes the volume number, abbreviated titles of the source, and beginning page or section numbers(s).

Why do lawyers cite cases?

Case citation is a system used by legal professionals to identify past court case decisions, either in series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a neutral style that identifies a decision regardless of where it is reported.

What are the 4 purposes of citation?

Citations have several important purposes: to uphold intellectual honesty (or avoiding plagiarism), to attribute prior or unoriginal work and ideas to the correct sources, to allow the reader to determine independently whether the referenced material supports the author's argument in the claimed way, and to help the ...

What are citations examples?

Using In-text Citation

APA in-text citation style uses the author's last name and the year of publication, for example: (Field, 2005). For direct quotations, include the page number as well, for example: (Field, 2005, p. 14).
Feb 17, 2022

Are citations important?

It allows those who are reading your work to locate your sources, in order to learn more about the ideas that you include in your paper. Citing your sources consistently and accurately helps you avoid committing plagiarism in your writing.Jun 9, 2020

What is APA citation?

The American Psychological Association (“APA”) style of formatting and citation is most commonly used in the publication of papers and reports in the social sciences. APA citation makes use of in-text citation, as well as endnotes and footnotes.

What is reference citation?

Reference citations generally provide the source of the material, a description of how it helps the writer’s argument, and other relevant information. To explore this concept, consider the following citation definition.

What are legal terms?

Related Legal Terms and Issues 1 Bibliography – A list of books referred to in a scholarly work, usually printed at the end of the work in an appendix. 2 Case Law – Law that is based on decisions made by judges in past cases. 3 Endnote – A note, containing comments or citing a reference, placed at the end of a chapter or article. 4 Footnote – A note containing a reference or comments placed below the text on the same page. 5 Precedent – A rule or principle established by a court, which other courts are obligated to follow. 6 Statutory Law – A written law passed by a legislature on the state or federal level.

What is citation of authority?

Whenever case precedent is referred to, the source of the information must be provided. This listing of source information is called “citation of authority.”. There are a number of methods and formatting for writing citations of authority, though the basic elements that must be included are the same.

What is the MLA style of citation?

Legal writing is not the only type of writing that requires citation of sources. Citation is necessary when referring to, or quoting from, the works of other people or entities. Many people publishing articles, academic journals, book and film reviews, technical and research papers, and a host of other writings rely on the Modern Language Association (“MLA”) style of citation. MLA citation makes use of “parenthetical citation,” which places source information in parentheses directly after the quote or reference to which it applies. Specific information on the format of MLA citation can be found on the MLA website.

When is citation necessary?

Citation is necessary when referring to, or quoting from, the works of other people or entities. Many people publishing articles, academic journals, book and film reviews, technical and research papers, and a host of other writings rely on the Modern Language Association (“MLA”) style of citation.

What is parenthetical citation?

MLA citation makes use of “parenthetical citation,” which places source information in parentheses directly after the quote or reference to which it applies. Specific information on the format of MLA citation can be found on the MLA website.

What is the Florida style manual?

The Florida Style Manual also includes capitalization and abbreviation rules, together with the five abbreviation tables and explanations of what the various types of Florida documents are and how they are prepared, which are useful additions to Rule 9.800.

What is Bluebook rule 1.2?

Bluebook rule 1.2 on introductory signals explains what each signal means and should be tabbed for easy access. The Bluebook’s index includes numerous entries to quickly locate the rules for explanatory parentheticals, parenthetical indications, and how to do pinpoint cites for just about any source.

What is the ALWD guide?

Like The Bluebook, the ALWD Guide has chapters on abbreviations, spelling, and capitalization, numbers, page numbers, sections and paragraphs, footnotes and endnotes, graphs and appendices, and full and short citations.

What is the Indigo book?

The Indigo Book. The latest word on citation is The Indigo Book: An Open and Compatible Implementation of a Uniform System of Citation. While indigo is a shade of blue, the WPA poster cover on The Indigo Book and its cover statement that it is not affiliated with The Bluebook clearly signal it is not The Bluebook.

Guide to the Bluebook

This guide provides an introduction to selected citation rules in The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (21st ed.), and citation examples for students working on academic law journals. These examples are provided for instructional purposes only.

How To Read A Legal Citation

The primary authority for legal citation, and abbreviations, in the United States is the Bluebook. The Bluebook is a collaborative project by a handful of elite law schools. It is used for all federal court documents and legal scholarship. California has its own style manual for its state courts.

Legal Abbreviations

Use this dictionary for North American legal materials. It will have the approved abbreviation for nearly all legal journals along with abbreviations for government documents, secondary sources, pleadings, etc.

What is the Bluebook?

The Bluebook , formally titled The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, is the style manual for citing to legal documents within the United States. The Bluebook is compiled by the editors of the Columbia Law Review, the Harvard Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and The Yale Law Journal.

Books

ALWD Guide to Legal Citation (Carolyn V. Williams, 2021)#N#This resource from a legal writing professor and the Association of Legal Writing Directors, an association of legal writing instructors, focuses its attention on legal citation for legal practice, codifying the most common legal citation rules.

Citation Software & Websites

Below are resources designed to help you understand and format Bluebook citations. However, keep in mind that the Bluebook can confuse even the most sophisticated software. For information on PowerNotes, the ASU-licensed citation-management and note-taking software, please see the PowerNotes LibGuide.

What is a citation in law?

A citation (or cite) in legal terminology is a reference to a specific legal source, such as a constitution, a statute, a reported case, a treatise, or a law review article. A standard citation includes first the volume number, then the title of the source, (usually abbreviated) and lastly, a page or section number.

What is an official reporter?

The official reporter is the one with whose publisher the court has contracted to publish the reports; any other citation is called “unofficial.” (Sometimes a case will have only an unofficial citation, such as in the Federal Reporter; then the “unofficial” cite will be listed alone.)

Why is citation important in legal writing?

First, it must be possible for the reader to accurately and efficiently locate and verify the information that is offered in support of legal arguments and theories. Second, a citation system provides visual clues to the reader as to ...

Who created the citation law?

Citing Legally, created and authored by Peter W. Martin , Professor of Law, Emeritus, Cornell University Law School , is a blog concerning the citation of legal authorities by lawyers and judges.

Why is it important to have a consistent citation system?

First, it must be possible for the reader to accurately and efficiently locate and verify the information that is offered in support of legal arguments and theories. Second, a citation system provides visual clues to the reader as to the authority ...

What is a citation system?

Second, a citation system provides visual clues to the reader as to the authority of the referenced legal material. The two most often used citation systems in ...

Who is the editor of the Bluebook?

The Coordinating Editor of The Bluebook is Mary Miles Prince, Associate Director, Vanderbilt Law School Library, with special editorial assistance on the citations of foreign jurisdictions from the Directorate ...

What is ALWD citation?

The ALWD Guide to Legal Citation was developed by the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD) as an alternative to The Bluebook . Now in the 5th edition, The Guide to Legal Citation seeks to provide a less complex alternative to the The Bluebook citation system. The Guide to Legal Citation provides one system for all legal documents.

Who created the introduction to basic legal citation?

Peter W. Martin created the free online resource Introduction to Basic Legal Citation. This resource is indexed to the fourth edition of the ALWD Guide to Legal Citation and the 19th edition of The Bluebook . Martin's introduction notes that the resource "also documents the many respects in which contemporary legal writing, very often following guidelines set out in court rules, diverges from the citation formats specified by those academic texts." Short tutorials and other examples are provided to help the user understand and apply the citation systems.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

This is a great essay and it perfectly illustrates what you've called the "tyranny of the inconsequential." But looking at the other side of the issue, though, the lesson here is that legal employers have high standards for substance and form.

Role of citations in legal writing--responses

This is a great essay and it perfectly illustrates what you've called the "tyranny of the inconsequential." But looking at the other side of the issue, though, the lesson here is that legal employers have high standards for substance and form.

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Definition of Citation

  • Noun 1. A document containing a summons to appear in court. 2. The act of quoting a reference to an authoritative writing, or a legal precedent. Origin 1250-1300 Middle English citacio
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What Is Citation of Authority

  • The legal system is a vast, complex institution, comprised of both statutory laws, which are those created by legislative bodies, as well as case law, which is the body of previously made decisions and rulings on a wide variety of legal issues. The purpose of case law, often referred to “case precedent,” is to preserve a uniform enforcement of the laws, and of the resolution of similar civi…
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Citation Generator

  • Writers in any specific field generally use one type of citation consistently in their writings. Students writing papers as assignments in various classes may receive instructions to use different styles, making it more difficult to properly format their citations. There are a number of websites providing automated citation creation, referred to as “citation generators.” When using …
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Judicial Citation

  • Many people are issued citations every day in the form of traffic tickets. These citations are issued when someone violates a traffic law, and each specifies a date and time for that person to appear at court to face the charges. Citations may be issued for circumstances other than traffic violations. They may be issued directly by the court, or by a police officer, or other individual wit…
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Citation Example with Mandatory Court Appearance

  • While most traffic citations do not require the recipient to appear at court, allowing instead payment of the fine by a certain date, other violations are considered serious enough to have a mandatory court appearance. Just which types of civil citation require a personal appearance before the judge varies by state. Many states consider these offenses serious enough to require …
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Related Legal Terms and Issues

  1. Bibliography– A list of books referred to in a scholarly work, usually printed at the end of the work in an appendix.
  2. Case Law– Law that is based on decisions made by judges in past cases.
  3. Endnote– A note, containing comments or citing a reference, placed at the end of a chapter or article.
  1. Bibliography– A list of books referred to in a scholarly work, usually printed at the end of the work in an appendix.
  2. Case Law– Law that is based on decisions made by judges in past cases.
  3. Endnote– A note, containing comments or citing a reference, placed at the end of a chapter or article.
  4. Footnote– A note containing a reference or comments placed below the text on the same page.