Citing Multiple Amendments: Bluebook Footnote Style

how to cite multiple constitutional amednments bluebook footnote

When citing multiple constitutional amendments using Bluebook footnotes, it is important to adhere to specific guidelines. Firstly, always cite the specific sections of the constitution that you are referring to, rather than the entire document. The standard format for citing the United States Constitution is U.S. Const. followed by the amendment, article, section, and clause numbers. For example, U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2 refers to the 14th Amendment, Section 2. State constitutions follow a similar format, using the abbreviated state name, such as Tex. Const. or Haw. Const. When citing provisions that have been amended or repealed, indicate the year or the amending provision in parentheses, such as U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933). It is worth noting that when using Bluebook style, you should not use a short form citation for constitutions other than Id.

Characteristics Values
How to cite the United States Constitution U.S. Const. amend. [Amendment number in Roman numerals]
How to cite a state constitution [Abbreviated state name] Const. amend. [Amendment number in Roman numerals]
How to cite a specific section of the United States Constitution U.S. Const. amend. [Amendment number in Roman numerals], § [Section number in Arabic numerals]
How to cite a specific clause of a state constitution [Abbreviated state name] Const. art. [Article number in Roman numerals], § [Section number in Arabic numerals], cl. [Clause number in Arabic numerals]
How to indicate a repealed or amended provision (year and action) or cite the repealing/amending provision in full

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Citing specific pieces of the constitution

When citing specific pieces of the US Constitution using the Bluebook style, the format is as follows:

> U.S. Const. amend. [Amendment Number], § [Section Number], cl. [Clause Number]

For example, to cite the 14th Amendment, Section 2, the citation would be:

> U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2

If you are citing a state constitution, the format is similar but with the abbreviated state name in place of "U.S.":

> [Abbreviated State Name] Const. art. [Article Number], § [Section Number], cl. [Clause Number]

For example, to cite Article 9, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Hawaii Constitution, the citation would be:

> Haw. Const. art. IX, § 1, cl. 2

Note that when citing constitutional provisions, you should not use a short cite other than "Id." and you should only abbreviate words in Tables 10 and 16 when the citation is used in a footnote. If you are referring to a constitution in a textual sentence, the citation must be written out in full, or the provision should be referred to by name.

For repealed or amended provisions, indicate parenthetically either the year and action 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

These examples and rules are based on the 20th edition of The Bluebook, A Uniform System of Citation.

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Using Roman and Arabic numerals

When citing multiple constitutional amendments using Bluebook format, it is important to follow the specific style guidelines for Roman and Arabic numerals. Here is an in-depth guide on how to do this:

Firstly, according to Bluebook Rule 11, all citations of the US Constitution should begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The terms article, amendment, section, and clause are abbreviated as "art.," "amend.," "§," and "cl.," respectively.

When using Roman and Arabic numerals specifically, article and amendment numbers are written in Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.). For example, to cite the 14th Amendment, Section 2 of the US Constitution, the correct citation would be: "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2."

If you are referring to a state constitution, the format is similar. You would use the abbreviated name of the state followed by "Const." For instance, for the Hawaii Constitution, Article 9, Section 1, Clause 2, the citation would be: "Haw. Const. art. IX, § 1, cl. 2."

It is important to note that when citing a provision that has been amended, you should include the date it was amended in parentheses, such as "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)."

Additionally, the Bluebook specifies that for parts of the Constitution currently in force, you do not need to include a date. However, if you are referencing a repealed or amended section, include the year in parentheses.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure your citations for multiple constitutional amendments are correctly formatted using Bluebook style with Roman and Arabic numerals.

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Referencing foreign constitutions

When referencing foreign constitutions, there are several guidelines and rules outlined in the Bluebook that should be followed to ensure accurate and consistent citations. Here are some detailed instructions and examples to help with referencing foreign constitutions:

Basic Structure and Rules:

Firstly, it is important to note that the Bluebook provides specific guidelines for citing foreign materials, including constitutions. Jurisdiction plays a crucial role in these citations. Unless the jurisdiction is clear from the context, it should be included in the citation. Additionally, only the term "Id." is acceptable as a short form for constitutions; other abbreviations should be avoided.

Full and Abbreviated Forms:

When citing a foreign constitution for the first time, it is customary to provide the full form of the citation. Subsequently, you can use the abbreviation consistently throughout your work. For example, the first citation of the Indian constitution could be:

> Indian Const. art. 14, § 1

And subsequent citations can use the abbreviated form:

> Indian Const. art. 15, § 2

Language Considerations:

When dealing with foreign constitutions in languages that do not use the Roman alphabet, always transliterate using a standard transliteration system, such as the ALA-LC Romanization tables. This helps ensure consistency and accuracy in your citations.

Parallel Citations and Translations:

If the original source of a foreign constitution is not widely available to researchers in the United States, it is recommended to cite a translation. However, always remember to cite the original source first and then provide a parallel citation to its translation. For example:

> Indian Const. art. 14, § 1, translated in The Constitution of India: A Contextual Review 215 (S. Mukherjee ed., 2020).

Specific Examples:

The Bluebook provides extensive tables and guides for citing foreign materials, including constitutions. For example, Table 2 offers select examples of citing foreign materials, and it covers specific jurisdictions like Canada, India, Germany, and China. Additionally, guides such as the "Guide to Foreign and International Legal Citations" and the "International Citation Manual" provide comprehensive overviews of citation formats for constitutions, statutes, and cases from various countries.

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Repealed or amended provisions

When citing repealed or amended provisions, indicate either the year and action or cite the full repealing/amending provision. For example:

> U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).

>

> U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII, repealed by U.S. CONST. amend. XXI.

>

> U.S. CONST. art. I, § 3, cl. 1 (amended 1913).

>

> U.S. CONST. art. I, § 3, cl. 1, amended by U.S. CONST. amend. XVII.

Note that for state constitutions, the format is similar but uses the abbreviated state name instead of "U.S.":

> Tex. Const. art. 1, § 9, cl. 9.

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). When citing a provision that has been amended, add the date it was amended in parentheses. For example:

> U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).

If you are using the APA or MLA style, this would be the reference entry, while for Chicago style, it would be the footnote.

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Short form citations

When citing multiple constitutional amendments using Bluebook footnotes, there are specific guidelines to follow. Firstly, it is important to note that according to Rule 11 of the Bluebook, you should not use a short form citation for constitutions other than "Id." where appropriate. This means that when citing a specific constitutional amendment, you should generally cite the full provision.

For example, to cite the United States Constitution, 14th Amendment, Section 2, the correct citation would be: "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2". Here, "U.S. Const." refers to the United States Constitution, "amend. XIV" indicates the 14th Amendment, and "§ 2" denotes Section 2. This format ensures that the citation specifically references the relevant portion of the Constitution.

Similarly, when citing state constitutions, you should use the abbreviated state name followed by "Const." For instance, the citation for the Hawaii Constitution, Article 9, Section 1, Clause 2 would be: "Haw. Const. art. IX, § 1, cl. 2". In this case, "Haw. Const." represents the Hawaii Constitution, "art. IX" denotes Article 9, "§ 1" refers to Section 1, and "cl. 2" indicates Clause 2.

It is worth noting that when citing a provision that has been amended or repealed, you should indicate the year and action parenthetically. For example, "U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)" or "U.S. CONST. art. I, § 3, cl. 1 (amended 1913)". Additionally, if a constitution is referred to in a textual sentence, you must write out the citation in full or refer to the provision by name.

In summary, when citing multiple constitutional amendments in Bluebook footnotes, it is essential to follow the specific format of "U.S. Const." or "[abbreviated state name] Const." followed by the amendment, article, section, and clause numbers. This ensures precise referencing of the relevant constitutional provisions.

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