Basic BluebookingStatutes in Legal Documents

The following chart covers citation of federal and New York State statutes. For other states, use the jurisdictional table
T.1 in the Bluebook to find the proper source to cite and its format. Note that the Bluebook requires the year of the
cited code editioneither the year on the spine or the copyright year. The current (19th) edition of the Bluebook was
published in May 2010.
Relevant
Example (includes proper
Source
Bluebook
Basic citation
typeface)
rules
United States
B6 (p19)
U.S. Const. article or amendment,
U.S. Const. art. I, 9, cl. 2.
Constitution
11 (p110)
section, cl. clause.
U.S. Const. amend. XIV, 2.
42 U.S.C. 1983 (2006).
B5.1.1 (p15-16)
Title number Abbreviated name of
Federal
12 U.S.C.A. 1426 (West 2001).
12 (p111+)
code section (publisher if not official
statutescodes
12 U.S.C.S. 1426 (LexisNexis
T.1.1 (p218)
U.S.C. year)
2002).
Federal
42 U.S.C. 17282 (Supp. 2007).
statutescodes
Title number Abbreviated name of
12 U.S.C.A. 1423 (West Supp.
12.3.1(e) (p115)
(citing pocket
code section (publisher if not official
2010).
T.1.1 (p218)
part or
U.S.C. Supp. year of supplement)
12 U.S.C.S. 1423 (LexisNexis Supp.
supplement)
2010).
Federal
42 U.S.C. 1983 (2006 & Supp.
statutescodes
Title number Abbreviated name of
2007).
(citing both
12.3.1(e) (p115)
code section (Publisher if not official
12 U.S.C.A. 1426 (West 2001 &
main volume
T.1.1 (p218)
U.S.C. year & Supp. year of
Supp. 2010).
and pocket part
supplement)
12 U.S.C.S. 1426 (LexisNexis 2002
or supplement)
& Supp. 2010).
Federal
B5.1.1(p15-16)
Name of law, Public law no., Statutes at Health Professions Education
statutes
12.4 (p116-17)
Large citation (year) [omit year if year
Extension Amendments of 1992,
session laws
T.1.1 (p218)
is part of the name of the law]
Pub. L. No. 102-408, 106 Stat. 1992.
B5.1.2 (p17)
N.Y. statutes
N.Y. subject Law section (Publisher
N.Y. Penal Law 120.05 (McKinney
12 (p111+)
codes
year)
2009).
T.1.3 (p255+)
N.Y. statutes
12 (p111+)
codes (citing
N.Y. subject Law section (Publisher
N.Y. Real Prop. Law 227-c
12.3.1(e) (p115)
pocket part or
Supp. year)
(McKinney Supp. 2010).
T.1.3 (p255+)
supplement)
N.Y. statutes
codes (citing
12 (p111+)
both main
N.Y. subject Law section (Publisher
N.Y. Penal Law 120.05 (McKinney
12.3.1(e) (p105)
volume and
year & Supp. year)
2004 & Supp. 2007).
T.1.3 (p255+)
pocket part or
supplement)
New York
12.4 (p116-17)
Name of law, Year Abbreviated name
Geriatric Mental Health Act, 2005
statutes
T.1.3 (p257)
of session law compilation Page no.
N.Y. Laws 3349.
session laws
McKinneys
Siegel, Practice Commentaries,
practice
Rule 3.1(c)*
McKinney's Cons Laws of NY, Book
commentaries*
7B, CPLR C3219:1.
* Practice commentaries are cited according to the New York Official Reports Style Manual, available at
http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/New_Styman.htm

2013 Pace Law Library

CP

Basic BluebookingShort Forms for Statutes

When citing the immediately preceding citation citing only one source: Id.
If citing a different section within the same title: Id. section.
When you cant use id.:

Source
United States
Constitution
Federal
statutescodes
Federal
statutescodes
(citing pocket
part or
supplement)
Federal
statutescodes
(citing both
main volume
and pocket part
or supplement)
Federal
statutes
session laws
N.Y. statutes
codes
N.Y. statutes
codes (citing
pocket part or
supplement)
N.Y. statutes
codes (citing
both main
volume and
pocket part or
supplement)
New York
statutes
session laws

Relevant
Bluebook
rules
B6 (p19)
11 (p110)
B5.2 (p18+)
12.10 (p124+)
T.1.1 (p218)

Basic citation*
U.S. Const. article or amendment,
section, cl. clause.
Title number Abbreviated name of
code section

Example (includes proper

typeface)
U.S. Const. art. I, 9, cl. 2.
U.S. Const. amend. XIV, 2.
42 U.S.C. 1983.
12 U.S.C.A. 1426.
12 U.S.C.S. 1426.

12.10 (p124+)
T.1.1 (p218)

Title number Abbreviated name of

code section

42 U.S.C. 17282.
12 U.S.C.A. 1423.
12 U.S.C.S. 1423.

12.10 (p124+)
T.1.1 (p218)

Title number Abbreviated name of

code section

42 U.S.C. 1983.
12 U.S.C.A. 1426.
12 U.S.C.S. 1426.

12.10 (p124+)
T.1.1 (p218)

Health Professions Education

Name of law, Public law no., Statutes at
Extension Amendments of 1992,
Large citation at page
106 Stat. at 1998-99.

12.10 (p124+)
T.1.3 (p255+)

Subject section

Penal 120.05.

12.10 (p124+)
T.1.3 (p255+)

Subject section

Real Prop. 227-c.

12.10 (p124+)
T.1.3 (p255+)

Subject section

Penal 120.05.

12.10 (p124+)
T.1.3 (p257)

Name of law, Year Abbreviated name

of session law compilation at page

Geriatric Mental Health Act, 2005

N.Y. Laws at 3350.

* For statutes, it is acceptable to just use the section as the short citation as long as it doesnt confuse your reader. For
instance, rather than 42 U.S.C. 1983, you can just use 1983. For New York, you can use 120.05 rather than Penal
120.05. Consult the table on page 124-25 of the Bluebook for acceptable short forms for statutes.

2013 Pace Law Library

CP