Citation rules, explained
Plain explanations of the citation rules law students lose points on: id., short forms and supra, case citations, signals, pin cites and statutes. Each page checks an example live, and you can paste your own.
How to use id. in a citation
When id. is right and when it isn't: capitals, italics, pin cites, statutes and the string-cite trap, with examples. Paste a cite to check it free.
Short forms, and when supra works
How to shorten a case cite after the first full citation, why supra never works for cases or statutes, and the five-footnote rule for law reviews.
How to cite a case, part by part
The parts of a full case citation, from case name to court and year, with the spacing and abbreviation mistakes that cost points.
Signals: what they mean and their order
What see, see also, cf., but see and see generally tell a reader, the order they go in, and the 22nd edition's new parenthetical and pin cite rules.
When a citation needs a pin cite
Pin cites point to the page you rely on. When they're required, how to write them in full and short cites, page ranges, and what changed in the 22nd edition.
How to cite federal and state statutes
Federal and state statute citations: the section symbol, the year, the publisher for unofficial codes, subsections and short forms, with common mistakes.
Have a draft ready? Check every citation in it.