How to cite a court filing / record
Bluebook (22d ed.) citation format · B17 / R10.8.3 · Cases & decisions
Briefs, motions, orders, transcripts and the record. A document in your own case abbreviates per BT1 (B17); one from another case is cited under R10.8.3 — full title, “at” pincite, then the case and its docket number.
Example
Pet’r’s Br. 6.
More examples
Each of these is checked against the rules on every change to the tool.
- Def.’s Mot. Summ. J. 2, Dkt. No. 15.
- Clark Dep. 15:21–16:4.
- R. at 9.
- Perryman Dep. 34:15–18, Aug. 7, 2002.
- Pls.’ Am. Answer to Def.’s Countercl. 3–4.
What the citation needs
Required
- Document title — BT1 abbreviations; B17.1.1 abbreviates “Record” to “R.”
When they apply
- Case name (a document from another case) — The case’s name.
- Court — The deciding court, abbreviated per T1 and T7, in the parenthetical with the date (R10.4). Leave out what the reporter already makes clear.
- Date — The date the rule for this source calls for, with the month abbreviated per T12 (“Nov. 24, 1978”).
- Docket number — The docket number as it appears on the court’s papers (R10.8.1(a)).
- Court-record document number — B17.1.2: the ECF/docket entry number, given as “Dkt. No. 15”.
- Pincite — The exact page (or section, or paragraph) your point is on — not the first page. R1.2(f): pincites are required except after “see generally”.
- Reporter citation of the case — Where the case you filed in is reported, its reporter citation: “531 U.S. 98”.
- Database parallel (another case) — A commercial-database citation, where the source is cited to one — “2010 WL 12345”.
- URL — The web address, where you cite the source online (R18.2).
In a brief and in a law review
The Bluebook sets citations two ways: the Bluepages for court documents and legal memoranda, the Whitepages for law review footnotes. Here is the first example above as each one prints it, in its typeface.
Court documents (Bluepages)
Pet’r’s Br. 6.
Law review footnotes (Whitepages)
Pet’r’s Br. 6.
For this source the two are set the same way.
Common mistakes
Each of these is a citation the checker refuses, with what it says is wrong and the corrected form.
Wrong
Petitioner’s Brief 6.
Why
Could not classify (case, statute, regulation, uniform/model act, article, book, or website).
Right
Pet’r’s Br. 6.
Wrong
Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment 2, Dkt. No. 15.
Why
BT1: abbreviate “Defendant's” as “Def.’s” in a court-document title (B17.1.1).
BT1: abbreviate “Motion” as “Mot.” in a court-document title (B17.1.1).
Right
Def.’s Mot. Summ. J. 2, Dkt. No. 15.
Wrong
Clark Deposition p. 15:21–16:4.
Why
Could not classify (case, statute, regulation, uniform/model act, article, book, or website).
Right
Clark Dep. 15:21–16:4.
Wrong
Record on Appeal 9.
Why
BT1: abbreviate “Record” as “R.” in a court-document title (B17.1.1).
B17.1.1: always abbreviate “Record” to “R.”
Right
R. at 9.
Governing rules
B17 / R10.8.3
- B17.1 — Bluepages B17.1 — full citation of a court document filed in the same case.
- B17.1.2 — Bluepages B17.1.2 — pinpoint citations (no “p.”; page:line by colon).
- BT1 — BT1 — court-document words (source-derived from the Bluepages tables).
Build this citation with the generator, check one you have already written, or paste a whole list of footnotes to check them in order.
Related source types
Cases & decisions: