Open Memo Final Draft
Citation Review
Final Drafts of Open Memo
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Due on week from today,
Monday Nov. 25 at 7:50 a.m.
Please attached your first draft.
Follow formatting requirements.
Sign up for a mandatory
conference.
Open office hours Friday.
I will be answer any email
questions sent before kick-off.
Citation Review
Abbreviating
Case Names
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Abbreviating varies somewhat
depending upon whether you are
using a textual sentence or a
citation sentence.
Abbreviating
Case Names
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If the case names appear in the
text, you may only abbreviate
certain widely recognized
acronyms (like NAACP and CBS)
and eight words listed in the blue
book. See 10.2.1(c) and 6.1(b).
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In Tarasoff v. Regents of the
University of California, 551 P.2d 334
(Cal. 1976),
Abbreviating
case names
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However, if the case name appears
in a citation you must use the
abbreviations listed in Table 6
(common abbreviations) and in Table
11 (abbreviations for geographical
terms). (See Rule 10.2.2)
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Tarasoff v. Regents of the Univ. of
Cal., 551 P.2d 334 (Cal. 1976).
Abbreviating
case names
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Rule 10.2.2
Superior Court of Orange County (or
San Mateo)
T.6/T.11 or eight letters if substantial
space is saved
Rule 10.2.1(f)-geographical terms
of Orange County
Prepositional phrases of location
 Super. Court
Pinpoint Cites
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When citing to a specific
passage within a decision,
cite to the specific page or
pages on which the passage
appears.
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For Example:
Tarasoff v. Regents of the Univ. of Cal.,
551 P.2d 334, 336 (Cal. 1976). OR
when short-citing Tarasoff, 551 P.2d at
336. OR Id. at 336.
When to use pin-point citations
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Pin cite rules of law.
Pin cite any of the court’s holding or
reasoning.
Pin cite direct quotes.
Do not pin cite or even cite the facts
of a case or application, brief answers
or the conclusion.
Provide a full cite the first time you
introduce a case.
Citing State Courts
(Rule 10.4(b)/T.1)
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In general, your cite should indicate
the state and the court of decision in
the parenthetical.
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Barry v. Turek, 267 Cal. Rptr. 553 (Cal.
Ct. App. 1990).
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BUT, do not include the name of the
court, if the decision is the highest
court of the state.
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Hedlund v. Super. Court, 669 P.2d 41
(Cal. 1993).
Citing State Courts
Rule 10.4(b)
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Check Table T.1 for each jurisdiction.
 California
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For the Supreme Court: Cite to P., P.2d,
or P.3d.
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For the Court of Appeal, cite to P. or
P.2d if before 1960 or after cite to Cal.
Rptr. or Cal. Rptr. 2d. (NOT Cal. 3d)
Short Forms for Cases
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The first time you
mention a case, you
should give the full cite.
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In subsequent
references to that
case use the proper
short form. See
BlueBook Rule 10.9.
Short Forms for cases
If there are no intervening cites, or
in other words if you are citing a case
immediately previously cited you
should use Id. If the page number is
different use Id. at __, otherwise just
use Id.
In Britt v. Doehring, 242 So. 2d 666
(Ala. 1970), the plaintiff . . . (don’t cite
facts). The court held… Id. at 675. The
court further explained that… Id.
Short Forms for Cases
When there are cites between, use one of
the other following short forms to refer to a
case previously cited.
Tarasoff v. Regents of the Univ. of Cal.,
551 P.2d 334 (Cal. 1976). may be
shortened in any of the following ways:
Tarasoff v. Regents of the Univ. of Cal.,
551 P.2d at 336.
Tarasoff, 551 P.2d at 336.
551 P.2d at 336. (When the name is in the
text)
State Statutes
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Check Table T.1 for each jurisdiction.
 California
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Cite to either the West or the Deering
subject-matter code if therein:
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Cal. [subject] Code § (West year)
(See rule 12.3.2 on using the right
year)
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Short Forms for Statutes
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Bluebook Rule 12.9
Cal. Civ. Code § 43.92 (West
Supp. 2002)
may be shortened as:
Cal. Civ. Code § 43.92 or
§ 43.92