Malcolm Rivera
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the standard reference for legal citation styles and is used by APA for legal materials. The U.S. Constitution is abbreviated to U.S. Const. in reference lists and parenthetical citations, followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals, while section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals. If a part of the Constitution has been repealed or amended, the year is included in parentheses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Start with | U.S. Const. |
| Article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers | Use Roman numerals for article and amendment numbers, Arabic numerals for section and clause numbers |
| Abbreviations | art., amend., §, and cl. |
| Preamble abbreviation | pmbl. |
| Date | Include the year in parentheses if referring to a repealed or amended part of the Constitution |
| State constitutions | Use legal state abbreviations, e.g. Md. Const. for the Maryland Constitution |
| In the narrative | Spell out U.S. or United States for the U.S. Constitution; spell out state names for state constitutions, e.g. the Wisconsin Constitution |
| State constitution article numbers | Roman numerals |
| State constitution amendment numbers | Arabic numerals |
| URLs | Not necessary for the reference |
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What You'll Learn
Citing the US Constitution in APA Style
When citing the US Constitution in APA style, there are a few key guidelines to follow. Firstly, all citations should begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The terms "article" and "amendment" are abbreviated as "art." and "amend." respectively, and are written using Roman numerals (I, II, III). On the other hand, "section" and "clause" are abbreviated as "§" and "cl." respectively, and are written using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
For example, a citation for Article VI, Clause 2, Section 1 of the US Constitution would look like this:
> U.S. Const. art. VI, § 1, cl. 2
It is important to note that no date is included if the cited part of the Constitution is currently in force. However, if you are referring to a repealed or amended section, include the year of the change in parentheses.
Additionally, when referring to the US Constitution in the narrative of your text, use either "U.S." or the full name "United States." For state constitutions, use the full name of the state, for example, "the Maryland Constitution."
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is a valuable resource for further guidance on legal citations, as the APA Publication Manual does not include specific instructions for citing constitutions.
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Using the Bluebook for legal citations
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the go-to guide for legal citation and has been trusted by legal professionals since 1926. It sets the standard for all legal citations, and the style for legal citations that you see in the Publication Manual comes directly from the Bluebook.
The Bluebook contains all the necessary abbreviations and symbols. It also includes rules on typeface and punctuation conventions for different types of sources. The Bluebook recommends, for example, shortening any procedural phrases to abbreviations such as "In re" or "Ex parte".
When citing the constitution of a governmental entity, use the abbreviated title of the constitution, then specify the relevant subdivision of the document. Some helpful abbreviations for those subdivisions include the use of "art." for "article", "amend." for "amendment", "§" for "section", and "cl." for "clause". Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals, while section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals.
The Bluebook also provides guidance on citing court cases. A case citation requires the following components: case name, source page number, and court year. The citation may be followed by other parenthetical information, such as a brief explanation of the case's relevance or a quotation from that case. If there are multiple plaintiffs or defendants, only list the first party in each category. The names of individuals within the case name are shortened to surnames only.
In addition, the Bluebook offers a Quick Style Guide online for common citation types used in law reviews. It is important to note that the Bluebook is primarily focused on US legal citations, and legal conventions may differ outside the US.
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Referencing the US Constitution in text
When referencing the US Constitution in text, you should generally avoid citing the whole document. Instead, cite the specific pieces that you are using. Indicate the constitution in the narrative by name, such as "US Constitution" or "U.S. Const." in brackets.
When referencing a specific part of the US Constitution, include the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. The terms "article" and "amendment" are abbreviated to "art." and "amend." respectively, and are written using Roman numerals (I, II, III). "Section" and "clause" are abbreviated to "§" and "cl." respectively, and are written using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII, § 2".
If you are referencing a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses, for example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)".
Note that the Bluebook is the standard legal citation style used in all disciplines, and APA defers to Bluebook style for legal materials.
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Citing a repealed or amended part
When citing a repealed or amended part of the US Constitution in APA style, you should include the year the part in question was repealed or amended in parentheses. For example:
> During prohibition, the sale of liquor was made illegal ("U.S. Const. amend. XVIII, repealed 1933").
Here, the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, which established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages, is cited with the year it was repealed (1933) in parentheses.
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the standard reference for legal citations, including the US Constitution. The specific rules for citing the US Constitution in APA style are outlined in Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions.
All citations of the US Constitution in APA style should begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The terms "article" and "amendment" are abbreviated as "art." and "amend." respectively, and are written in Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.). Section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.).
For example, a citation for Article I, Section 3 of the US Constitution would appear as follows: "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3". If this article had been repealed or amended, you would include the year in parentheses at the end of the citation, as follows: "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3 (repealed 1800s)".
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Citing a state constitution
When citing a state constitution in APA style, you should follow the Bluebook style, which is the standard legal citation style used across all disciplines.
Firstly, you do not need to create a citation for an entire state constitution. Simply reference it in the text by name. For example, Indiana's Constitution would be abbreviated to 'In. Const.' in reference lists and parentheticals. In the narrative, spell out the place name, for example, 'Indiana'.
Secondly, when citing particular articles and amendments, create reference list entries and in-text citations as normal. The numbering pattern for state constitutions is as follows:
- Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (I, II, III)
- Section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3)
For example, a citation for Indiana's Constitution, Article IX, Part IV, would look like this:
> In. Const. art. IX, pt. IV.
Note that some states use chapter or article numbers rather than sections, so be sure to check the Bluebook for state statutes.
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Frequently asked questions
In the reference list and in parenthetical citations, abbreviate US Constitution to "U.S. Const.". In the narrative, use either "U.S." or "United States" for the US Constitution.
After "U.S. Const.", include the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
The Bluebook states that for parts of the Constitution currently in force, do not include a date. However, if you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year that the part in question was repealed or amended in parentheses.
