Bluebook Layout
Navigating the Bluebook
As with any reference book, the Bluebook becomes easier to use once you know where to find the information you need. The following chart summarizes the Bluebook for new law students by showing them where the most relevant information is located.
Note: "BB" is an abbreviation for the Bluebook.
| TOPIC | DESCRIPTION | PAGE NOS. | RULE/DESCRIPTOR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Style | Typeface conventions, citation placement, signals, pinpoint citations, and other style matters. | 1-9 | Bluepages |
| Short Form Citation | Repeated citations to the same source | 13-15 |
B4.2; Rule 4; source-specific short form citation information appears at the end of the rule. |
| Local Citation Rules | How to convert BB examples to styles used in typical court documents | pp. 30-51 | BT2.1 |
| Cases | Citing federal and state cases | pp. 87-109 | Rule 10 |
| Constitutions | Citing federal and state constitutions | p. 110 | Rule 11 |
| Statutes | Citing federal and state statutes | pp. 111-125 | Rule 12 |
| Books | Citing books, reports, white papers, dictionaries, and treatises | pp. 138-146 | Rule 15 |
| Periodicals | Citing law reviews, newspapers, magazines and journals | pp. 147-158 | Rule 16 |
| Electronic Media | Citing to information found on the Internet (including Lexis, Westlaw, other electronic databases) | pp. 164-176 | Rule 18 |
| U.S. Tables | Official names of reporters and statutory compilations for all federal and state courts. | pp. 215-277 | T.1 |
| Abbreviations | Abbreviations for case names, court names, phrases, court documents, geographic places and regions, and periodicals. | pp. 430- | T.6-T.16 |
| Index | An excellent, comprehensive index to the entire BB | pp. 351-472 |
