Case Law Citations: Quick Reference

Case citations begin with the volume number, followed by the abbreviation for the reporter and page
number, and finally the date in parentheses. The deciding court is sometimes indicated in parentheses
(see Bluebook Rule 10.4). Citation for cases is generally controlled by Rule 10 of the Bluebook and
Rule 9.800 of the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure.*
Federal Reporter Citations
Abbreviation Reporter Court(s) Example
U.S. United States Reports Supreme Court (official) 384 U.S. 436 (1966)
L. Ed.
L. Ed. 2d
Lawyers' Edition First and
Second Series
Supreme Court (Lexis, unofficial)

16 L. Ed. 2d
694 (1966)
S. Ct. Supreme Court Reporter Supreme Court (West, unofficial) 86 S. Ct. 1602 (1966)
F.
F.2d
F.3d

Federal Reporter 1st, 2d,
and 3d Series
First: Federal district and appellate
courts (to 1925)
Second: Federal appellate courts
(1925-1993)
Third: Federal appellate courts
(1993- )
(all official)
489 F.3d 528
(2d Cir. 2007)
F. Supp.
F. Supp. 2d
Federal Supplement First
and Second Series
First: Federal district courts (1931-
1998)
Second: Federal district courts
(1998- )(all official)
763 F. Supp. 1110
(M.D. Fla. 1989)
F. Appx.

Federal Appendix Federal appellate court opinions
that are not reported in F.3d
(2001- )(official )
176 Fed. Appx. 143
(2d Cir. 2006)

Florida Reporter Citations
Abbreviation Reporter Court(s) Example
So.
So. 2d
So. 3d
Southern Reporter First,
Second, and Third Series
Florida Supreme Court (official) 137 So. 161
(Fla. 1931)
So.
So. 2d
So. 3d
Southern Reporter First,
Second, and Third Series
Florida District Courts of Appeal
(official)

468 So. 2d 360 (Fla.
3d DCA 1985)
Fla. Supp.
Fla. Supp. 2d
Florida Supplement First
and Second Series
Florida Circuit Courts, County
Courts, and Public Service
Commission (1950-1991) (official)
27 Fla. Supp. 80 (Fla.
11th Cir. Ct. 1966)

Fla. L. Weekly Florida Law Weekly Florida Supreme Court (1978-
current) and District Courts of
Appeal (1978-current)
(generally unofficial except for
recent opinions not yet published
in the Southern Reporter)
17 Fla. L. Weekly S42
(Fla. Jan. 16, 1992)

Fla. L. Weekly
Supp.
Florida Law Weekly
Supplement
Florida Circuit Courts, County
Courts, and Public Service
Commission (1992-current)
(official)
42 Fla. Supp. 83 (Fla.
Dade Cty. Ct. 1975)

Statutory Citations: Quick Reference

U.S. Code citations begin with the title number, followed by the abbreviation for that version of the
code and the section, and finally the year in parentheses. The publisher is sometimes indicated in
parentheses (see Bluebook Rule 12.3.1 (d)).
Florida code citations begin with the section number, followed by the abbreviation for the code, and
then the year in parentheses.
Citation for statutes is generally controlled by Rule 12 of the Bluebook and Rule 9.800 of the Florida
Rules of Appellate Procedure.*
Federal Statutory Citations
Abbreviation Publication Example
U.S.C. United States Code (Government Printing Office,
Official)
42 U.S.C. 2000bb-1 (2006)
U.S.C.A. United States Code Annotated (West, Unofficial) 42 U.S.C.A. 2000bb-1 (West
2012)
U.S.C.S United States Code Service (Lexis, Unofficial) 42 U.S.C.S. 2000bb-1 (LexisNexis
2008)
Stat. Statutes at Large (Government Printing Office, Official) Religious Freedom Restoration Act
of 1993, Pub. L. No. 103-441, 107
Stat. 1488 (1993)

Florida Statutory Citations
Abbreviation Publication Example
Fla. Stat. Florida Statutes (Florida Legislature, Official) 761.01, Fla. Stat. (2013)
Laws of Fla. Laws of Florida (Florida Legislature, Official) Ch. 98-412, Laws of Fla.





*Note that there are discrepancies between the Bluebook rules and Rule 9.800. When they conflict,
we will follow Rule 9.800. This applies to this handout as well as the exam.