Isabella Carter
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation provides a standard method for citing legal documents, including the U.S. Constitution. When referencing the U.S. Constitution in Bluebook format, the abbreviation U.S. is used before Const., followed by the specific article, amendment, section, and clause numbers. For example, to cite the Supremacy Clause of Article VI, one would use U.S. Const. art. VI, § 2, cl. 2. State constitutions are cited similarly, using the abbreviated state name before Const.. It is important to note that when citing a specific provision of the Constitution, such as the Supremacy Clause, it is essential to provide the relevant article, section, and clause numbers for accurate referencing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Federal Constitution | U.S. Const. |
| State Constitution | [State Abbreviation] Const. |
| Article | art. |
| Section | § |
| Clause | cl. |
| Amendment | amend. |
| Repealed Provision | (repealed [year]) |
| Amended Provision | (amended [year]) |
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What You'll Learn
Citing the US Constitution as a whole
When citing the US Constitution as a whole, the following guidelines should be observed:
According to Rule 11, which outlines the citation method for constitutional sections, the United States federal constitution should be cited as "U.S. Const." This citation format applies specifically to the US Constitution in its entirety. It is important to note that when citing state constitutions, the format differs slightly and follows the structure of " [abbreviated state name] Const." as in "Tex. Const."
When referring to specific sections within the US Constitution, such as amendments, articles, or clauses, the citation structure becomes more detailed. For example, to cite the 14th Amendment, Section 2 of the US Constitution, the correct citation would be "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2". This format ensures specificity and clarity when referencing particular provisions within the Constitution.
It is worth noting that when citing repealed or amended provisions, additional information is required. You should indicate either the year and action or cite the repealing/amending provision in full. For instance, "U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)" or "U.S. CONST. art. I, § 3, cl. 1 (amended 1913)". This format helps to provide context and a historical understanding of the Constitution's evolution.
Additionally, it is important to abide by the guidelines regarding short forms. According to the Bluebook, the only acceptable short form for constitutions is "id." This rule ensures consistency and avoids potential ambiguity in citations. If a citation is used in a footnote, only words listed in Tables 10 and 16 should be abbreviated, adhering to the specific guidelines outlined in those tables.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your citations of the US Constitution as a whole are accurate, clear, and conform to the standards set by the Bluebook.
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Citing a specific article of the US Constitution
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the style guide for legal citations, including the US Constitution. The citation style for the US Constitution is "U.S. Const." followed by 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). 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 part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year that the part in question was repealed or amended in parentheses. For example:
> U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).
> U.S. Const. art. I, § 3, cl. 1 (amended 1913).
State constitutions are cited using the abbreviated state name, followed by "Const." For example, the citation for the Hawaii Constitution, Article 9, Section 1, Clause 2 would be:
> Haw. Const. art. IX, § 1, cl. 2.
It is important to note that The Bluebook does not allow for a short cite of constitutions, except for "Id." when appropriate. Additionally, if you are simply making a passing reference to the US Constitution, you can mention it in text without a reference list entry.
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Citing a specific amendment to the US Constitution
To cite a specific amendment to the US Constitution, follow these guidelines:
When citing the United States Constitution, use the abbreviation "U.S. Const." followed by the amendment number in Roman numerals and the section number in Arabic numerals. For example, to cite the Supremacy Clause of the US Constitution, which is contained in Article VI, Clause 2, the citation would be: "U.S. Const. art. VI, cl. 2".
If you are citing a specific section within an amendment, include the amendment number, followed by the section number. For example, when citing Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment, the citation would be: "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2".
It is important to note that when citing constitutional provisions, you should not use a short form other than "id." This is specified in Rule 11 of the Bluebook, which standardises citation formats for legal documents. Additionally, if a provision has been repealed or amended, this should be indicated in the citation 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. art. I, § 3, cl. 1 (amended 1913)".
When referring to a specific constitutional provision in a textual sentence, the citation must be written out in full, or the provision should be referred to by name. For example, "The Full Faith and Credit Clause, U.S. CONST. art. IV, § 1".
These guidelines are based on the 20th edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, which is the standardised reference guide for legal citations.
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Citing a state constitution
When citing a state constitution using the Bluebook style, there are a few key rules to follow. Firstly, according to Rule 11 of the Bluebook, the citation should begin with the abbreviated name of the state, followed by "Const.". For example, the correct citation for the Hawaii Constitution, Article 9, Section 1, Clause 2, would be: "Haw. Const. art. IX, § 1, cl. 2".
It is important to note that when citing a state constitution, the subdivisions and names are not capitalized, unlike when citing the United States Constitution. For example, the correct citation for the United States Constitution, 14th Amendment, Section 2, is: "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2".
If you are citing a provision that 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, if a provision was repealed in 1933, the citation would look like this: "State Const. art. X, § 1 (repealed 1933)". Alternatively, if the repealing provision is also part of the state constitution, you can cite it in full: "State Const. art. X, § 1, repealed by State Const. amend. V".
Additionally, when using a short cite for a state constitution, the only acceptable abbreviation is "Id." Do not use other short forms. For example, if you are citing Article 9, Section 2 of the state constitution directly after citing Article 9, Section 1, the short cite would be: "Id. at § 2".
Finally, if you are referring to a state constitution in a textual sentence, the citation must be written out in full, or you can refer to the specific provision by name. For example, "The State Constitution grants this right under Article X, Section 1, also known as the 'Full Faith and Credit Clause.'"
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Citing a repealed or amended provision of the US Constitution
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation sets the standard for all legal citations. If you are citing a repealed or amended provision of the US Constitution, the following guidelines should be followed:
Citing the US Constitution
All citations of the US Constitution should begin with "U.S. Const.", followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. The terms article, amendment, section, and clause are abbreviated as "art.", "amend.", "§", and "cl.", respectively. 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).
Citing a Repealed or Amended Provision
If you are referring to a part of the US Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year that the part in question was repealed or amended in parentheses. For example:
> U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).
> U.S. CONST. art. I, § 3, cl. 1 (amended 1913).
Alternatively, you can cite the repealing/amending provision in full:
> U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII, repealed by U.S. CONST. amend. XXI.
> U.S. CONST. art. I, § 3, cl. 1, amended by U.S. CONST. amend. XVII.
Short Form and Full Citations
Do not use a short form other than "id." where appropriate for constitutions. Only abbreviate words in Tables 10 and 16 when the citation is used in a footnote. If a constitution is referred to in a textual sentence, the citation must be written out in full, or the provision referred to by name. For example:
> U.S. Constitution: Article IV, Section 1 the Full Faith and Credit Clause.
State Constitutions
When citing state constitutions, use the abbreviated state name followed by "Const." and the relevant article, section, and clause information. For example:
> Tex. Const. art. 9, § 1, cl. 2.
Note that state constitution subdivisions and names are not capitalized.
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Frequently asked questions
You generally shouldn't cite the US Constitution as a whole. Instead, cite the specific pieces you are using.
Use the abbreviation "U.S." followed by "Const.", then the relevant article, section, and clause. For example, "U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2".
Cite the amendment number, followed by "U.S. Const. amend." and the amendment number in Roman numerals. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2".
Use the abbreviated state name, followed by "Const.", then the relevant article, section, and clause. For example, "Tex. Const. art. 1, § 9, cl. 9".
