Omar Bennett
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation provides a set of rules for citing legal documents, including the US Constitution. The 20th edition of The Bluebook outlines that when citing the US Constitution, one should use the abbreviation U.S. before the word Const. For example, to cite section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment, the correct format is: U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2. Additionally, The Bluebook specifies that only words from Table 10 and Table 16 should be abbreviated when citing in a footnote. If the citation is used in a textual sentence, it must be written out in full, or the provision should be referred to by name.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Edition | 20th |
| Format | U.S. Const. amend. [amendment number], § [section number], cl. [clause number] |
| Abbreviation | U.S. |
| Article | Article [article number] |
| Section | Section [section number] |
| Clause | Clause [clause number] |
| Short Form | Id. |
| State Constitution | Abbreviated geographic region from Table 10 + CONST. in small caps typeface |
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What You'll Learn
Citing an article of the US Constitution
When citing an article of the US Constitution according to the Bluebook style guide, there are a few key rules to follow. Firstly, the Bluebook style guide specifies that the citation should be formatted as follows: "U.S. Const." followed by the specific article, amendment, section, and clause, if applicable. For example, the correct citation for the United States Constitution, 14th Amendment, Section 2, is: "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2".
It is important to note that when citing a constitutional provision that is still in force, no date is needed. However, if the provision has been repealed or amended, you should indicate this parenthetically by providing the year and action or by citing the repealing/amending provision in full. For example, "U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)" or "U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII, repealed by U.S. CONST. amend. XXI".
Additionally, when citing a state constitution, you should use the abbreviated state name followed by "Const." For example, "Tex. Const." for the Texas Constitution. If you are citing a foreign constitution, simply cite it by name.
It is worth noting that if you are referring to a constitution in a textual sentence, the citation must be written out in full, or the provision referred to by name. For example, "Article I, Section 9, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution". Finally, according to Rule 11 of the Bluebook, you cannot use a short cite for constitutions other than "Id.".
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Citing a provision that has been repealed
When citing a provision of the US Constitution that has been repealed, you should follow the guidelines outlined in the Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. The Bluebook recommends using specific abbreviations and formats for citing legal materials, including the US Constitution.
Firstly, it is important to note that the citation structure for a repealed provision differs slightly from that of a current provision. For a provision that has been repealed, you should indicate either the year of repeal or cite the repealing provision in full. Here is an example of how to cite a repealed provision:
> U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).
In this example, "U.S. Const." is the abbreviated form of "United States Constitution," followed by "amend.," indicating an amendment. "XVIII" refers to the specific amendment number. The year of repeal, 1933, is indicated in parentheses.
Alternatively, instead of providing the year, you can cite the repealing provision in full. Here is an example:
> U.S. Const. amend. XVIII, repealed by U.S. Const. amend. XXI.
In this example, "U.S. Const. amend. XXI" refers to the repealing amendment.
It is worth noting that the Bluebook recommends writing out the citation in full if it is referred to in a textual sentence, rather than using an abbreviated form. Additionally, you should only abbreviate words and phrases when citing in footnotes, as per Tables 10 and 16 of the Bluebook. For example, when referring to a specific amendment, you would use "Amendment" in full in the text but abbreviate it as "amend." in a footnote.
Remember that the Bluebook style guide is comprehensive, and these are the basic guidelines for citing a repealed provision of the US Constitution.
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Citing a provision that has been amended
When citing a provision that has been amended in the US Constitution, follow these guidelines:
Abbreviations and Capitalization
Use "U.S. CONST." to refer to the United States Constitution. Always capitalize the first letter of subdivisions (e.g., Article, Section, Clause) and write them in regular typeface. Article and amendment numbers should be in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers should be in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
Indicating Amendments
To indicate that a provision has been amended, add the date of amendment in parentheses. For example:
> U.S. CONST. art. I, § 3, cl. 1 (amended 1913)
Alternatively, you can cite the amending provision in full:
> U.S. CONST. art. I, § 3, cl. 1, amended by U.S. CONST. amend. XVII
Short Form
Do not use a short form for citing the US Constitution, other than "id." where appropriate.
Online Databases
When citing constitutions or statutes in an online database, provide the name of the database and information about its currency parenthetically.
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Citing the US Constitution in footnotes
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation outlines how to cite the US Constitution in footnotes. The standard format for citing the US Constitution in footnotes is as follows:
> U.S. Const. amend. [Amendment Number], § [Section Number], cl. [Clause Number]
For example, to cite section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment, the footnote would read:
> U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2.
If the constitutional provision is still in force, no date is needed. However, for repealed or amended provisions, indicate the year and action in parentheses or cite the repealing/amending provision in full. For example:
> U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).
> U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII, repealed by U.S. CONST. amend. XXI.
When citing a specific article of the Constitution, include the article number, section, and clause. For example:
> Article 1, Section 9, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution prohibits Congress from legislating in certain areas. Clause 2 refers to the privilege of habeas corpus.
Additionally, only abbreviate words in Tables 10 and 16 when the citation is used in a footnote. If the constitution is referred to in a textual sentence, write out the citation in full or refer to the provision by name.
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Citing the US Constitution in a textual sentence
The Bluebook contains rules that prescribe how to cite a variety of legal documents, including the US Constitution. When citing the US Constitution in a textual sentence, there are specific guidelines to follow.
Firstly, the basic format for citing the US Constitution in a textual sentence is as follows: U.S. [abbreviation of geographic region] CONST. [constitution] [article, amendment, section, and clause, in Roman numerals and Arabic numerals, respectively].
For example, if you are citing the provision of the US Constitution that states that each state shall have two senators, the citation would look like this: U.S. Const. art. I, § 3, cl. 1. Here, "art." refers to article, "§" refers to section, and "cl." refers to clause.
Additionally, when citing a specific amendment to the Constitution, use the word amend. followed by the amendment number in Roman numerals. For example, to cite the Fourteenth Amendment, you would write: U.S. CONST. amend. XIV, § 2.
If the constitutional provision you are citing is still in force, there is no need to include a date in your citation. However, if you are citing a repealed or amended provision, you should indicate the year and action in parentheses or cite the repealing/amending provision in full. For example, if you are citing the Eighteenth Amendment, which was repealed in 1933, your citation would look like this: U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933). Alternatively, you can cite it as: U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII, repealed by U.S. CONST. amend. XXI.
It is important to note that when citing the US Constitution in a textual sentence, you should always use small caps typeface for "CONST." and abbreviate geographic regions according to Table 10 of The Bluebook.
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Frequently asked questions
Cite constitutions by combining the abbreviated geographic region from Table 10 and the word "CONST." in small caps typeface. Abbreviate subdivisions according to Table 16. For example: U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2.
If the constitutional provision has been amended or repealed, indicate parenthetically either the year and action, or cite the amending provision in full. For example: U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).
Do not use a short form other than "id."
