HOW TO FIND LEGAL MATERIAL IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A CITATION
Case citations will have a number followed by an abbreviation then another number. Something like this:
- 357 A.2d 643
The first number is generally the number on the spine of the volume and the last number refers to the page. The middle abbreviation is the book that contains the information.
This may vary sometimes if the citation is from a statute. For example:
- Utah Code Ann. 77-6-104
In this case the abbreviation of the book came first, then the next number is the number on the spine of the book, and the rest of the numbers are found inside the book. With statutes, the first number is generally called a title, and the second number a section. For example:
- 18 U.S.C. 700
where the first number is the title and the second number is a section. This would be Title 18, United States Code, Section 700.
A list of common legal abbreviations follows. For a more detailed source, check Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations by Mary Prince (published by Hein).
LIST OF LEGAL ABBREVIATIONS
CASES
Federal/Supreme Court Cases
U.S. United States Reports
L.Ed., L.Ed.2d Lawyer's Edition
S.Ct. Supreme Court Reporter
Federal/U.S. Courts of Appeals
F. Federal Reporter
F.2d Federal Reporter, Second Series
F.3d Federal Reporter, Third Series
Federal/District Court
F. Supp. Federal Supplement
State Cases/Regional Reporter Examples
A.2d Atlantic Reporter
Cal.Rptr. California Reporter
N.Y.S.2d New York Supplement, Second Series
N.E.2d North Eastern Reporter, Second Series
N.W.2d North Western Reporter, Second Series
P.2d Pacific Reporter, Second Series
So.2d Southern Reporter, Second Series
S.E.2d South Eastern Reporter, Second Series
S.W.2d South Western Reporter, Second Series
STATUTES
Federal
U.S.C. United States Code
U.S.C.A. United States Code Annotated
U.S.C.S. United States Code Service
State Statute Examples
Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. Arizona Revised Statutes Ann.
Cal. [subject] Code California Code
Mont. Code Ann. Montana Code Annotated
N.Y. [subject] Law Laws of New York Annotated
Utah Code Ann. Utah Code Annotated
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS
C.F.R. Code of Federal Regulations
F.R. Federal Register
Utah. Admin.R. Utah Administrative Code
LEGAL ENCYCLOPEDIAS
C.J.S. Corpus Juris Secundum
Am.Jur.2d American Jurisprudence 2d
AMERICAN LAW REPORTS
A.L.R. American Law Reports
(1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th & Fed Series)
PERIODICAL/JOURNAL EXAMPLES
Cal. L. Rev. California Law Review
Colum. L. Rev. Columbia Law Review
Ill. B. J. Illinois Bar Journal
Nat.'t L. J. National Law Journal
Yale J. Int'l L. Yale Journal of International Law