Published February 12, 2021. Updated August 10, 2021.

To cite in Bluebook style, it is helpful to know basic information about your source, including author name(s), the title of the source and/or article, date published, and page numbers (if applicable).

This guide will show you in-text citations and full citations in footnotes in Bluebook for the following source types:

• Book

• Law journal article

• Cases

• Statutes

If you wish to easily cite in Bluebook, check out the Chegg Writing citation generator.

Formatting citations in Bluebook style

The Bluebook citation style has two parts:

1. In-text citation notes.

2. Notes.

In-text citation notes

When you cite information from a source in your work, place a superscript note number at the end of the sentence or phrase. In the text of the article, place the note number after any punctuation, including periods, commas, quotations marks, etc:

• Colons: Example sentence:¹

• Commas: Example sentence,¹

• Periods: Example sentence.¹

• Semicolons: Example sentence;¹

You can also cite more than one source at a time:

• Example sentence.^1,2­

• Example sentence.^2-4

• Example sentence.^1,2-3

The note number corresponds to the source’s number in the note list.

Notes

Reference details are listed in the order the sources are mentioned in your paper.

Example:

Notes:

¹LCB Gower, Pollock on Partnership xi (Stevens & Sons Limited 1952).

²Lisa L Turner, Developing Client-Ready Practitioners: Learning How to Practice National Security Law at Military Law Schools, 7 J. Nat’l Sec. L. & Pol’y 1 (2014).

³Danann Realty Corp. v. Harris, (1959) 5 N.Y.2d 317.

⁴Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act, 2007, § 28, No. 1, Acts of the Scottish Parliament, 2007 (Scotland).

Citing a book in Bluebook style

In-text citation basic format and example:

Example sentence­.^#

Despite repeated and comprehensive efforts by the researchers,¹

Notes list basic format and example:

Notes:

^#Author First Name Surname, Book Title First Page Number or Page Range (Publisher Publication Year).
¹LCB Gower, Pollock on Partnership xi (Stevens & Sons Limited 1952).

(The author’s name should be written as it appears on the title page of the book).

Citing a law journal article in Bluebook style

In-text citation basic format and example:

Example sentence,^# …

Despite repeated and comprehensive efforts by the researchers,^1 …

Notes list basic format and example:

Notes:

^#Author First Name Last Name, Article Title: Subtitle, Volume Number Abbreviated Journal Title Caps/Small Caps First Page (Publication Date).
¹Lisa L Turner, Developing Client-Ready Practitioners: Learning How to Practice National Security Law at Military Law Schools, 7 J. Nat’l Sec. L. & Pol’y 1 (2014).

(The author’s name should be written as it appears in the article).

Citing a case in Bluebook style

In-text citation basic format and example:

Example sentence,^# …

Despite repeated and comprehensive efforts by the parties,^1 …

Notes list basic format and example:

Notes:

^#Name of first party v. Name of the other party (Year of the decision) Citation of the case and the first page number of the case report.

¹Danann Realty Corp. v. Harris, (1959) 5 N.Y.2d 317.

(If there are multiple plaintiffs, only list the first party in each category).

Citing a statute in Bluebook style

In-text citation basic format and example:

Example sentence.^#

The act covers all stages.¹

Notes list basic format and example:

Notes:

^#Title of the Act, § section or chapter number, No. act number, Acts of Parliament, Year of the Act (country name).
¹Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act, 2007, § 28, No. 1, Acts of the Scottish Parliament, 2007 (Scotland).

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