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LEGAL

CITATION

Devilleres, Lim, Medina, Novelero, and Tupas


LLB-1 Sanchez Roman

OUTLINE OF REPORT
Introduction

Definition
Importance
Types of Citation Principles
Norms/Sources

How to Cite Sources

The Blue Book

US Context
Philippine Context

Philippine Manual of Legal Citations

Basic Rules on Legal Citation


Abbreviations
Spacing
References

DEFINITION OF CITATION
It is a reference to legal authorities or

precedents such as statutes, cases, regulations


and law review articles (Martin, 2012).
A reference to legal precedent or authority,
such as case, statute, or treatise, that either
substantiates or contradicts a given position
(Blacks Law Dictionary).

IMPORTANCE OF LEGAL
CITATION
It is used in arguments to courts, legal textbooks, law review articles and

the like to establish or fortify the propositions argued.


Citations to legal materials follow a standard format which makes it

possible for anyone using a law library to find cited cases, statutes,

regulations, and law review articles.

The task of "legal citation" in short is to provide sufficient information to the reader of a brief or
memorandum to aid a decision about which authorities to check as well as in what order to consult

them and to permit efficient and precise retrieval all of that, without consuming any more space or
creating any more distraction than is absolutely necessary.

IMPORTANCE OF LEGAL
CITATION
A reference properly written in "legal citation" strives to

do at least three things, within limited space:

identify the document and document part to which the writer is referring

provide the reader with sufficient information to find the document or document
part in the sources the reader has available (which may or may not be the same
sources as those used by the writer), and

furnish important additional information about the referenced material and its
connection to the writer's argument to assist readers in deciding whether or not
to pursue the reference.

TYPES OF CITATION
PRINCIPLES
Full Address Principles

Principles that specify completeness of the


address or identification of a cited document or
document portion in terms that will allow the
reader to retrieve it.

TYPES OF CITATION
PRINCIPLES
Other Minimum Content Principles

Principles that call for the inclusion in a citation of additional


information items beyond a retrieval address the full name of
the author of a journal article, the year a decision was
rendered or a statutory codification last updated.
Compacting Principles
Principles that reduce the space taken up by the information
items included in a citation.
Format Principles
Principles about punctuation, typography, order of items
within a citation, and the like.

WHO SETS CITATION


NORMS?
There is no national citation standard-setting

authority.
For most law writing, the relevant citations

norms are set by widely accepted professional


usage.

BLUE BOOK
A uniform system of citation

It is widely used in the United

States
Nineteenth edition
compiled by:

Columbia Law Review


Harvard Law Review
The University of Pennsylvania
Law Review
The Yale Law Journal

ALWD CITATION MANUAL


professional system of

citation
consistent with Blue
Book
filled with examples of
citation forms

CHICAGO MANUAL STYLE


Maroon Book
offered a distinctly

different and less rigid


set of rules.

WHO SETS CITATION


NORMS?
Supreme Court and court systems

The norms set out in national manuals are supplemented or


overridden by court rules

the content, composition, and format of legal memoranda and briefs.

In the end, most of "legal citation," like most of any language, is

established by evolving usage, reinforced in some cases, altered


in others, by the members of distinct communities.

BASIC PARTS OF LEGAL CITATION:


1. the name of the case, statute, or article
2.

a statement of where the item can be found


in a multi-volume set of legal materials
written as:

3.

volume number name of publication(or set) page number

a date

HOW TO CITE?
Following BLUE BOOK on PRIMARY
and SECONDARY Sources ( US
CONTEXT)

CASE DOCUMENTS

LAW JOURNAL WRITING

BOOKS

COURT RULES

ARBITRATIONS

AGENCY AND EXECUTIVE


MATERIAL

CONSTITUTION AND
STATUTES

JUDICIAL OPINIONS

ELECTRONIC SOURCES

HOW TO CITE?
THE BLUE BOOK :APPLIED IN
PHILIPPINE CONTEXT

ORDER OF AUTHORITIES
PRIMARY
Constitution

Statutes, treaties and other international

instruments
Cases
Legislative Documents other than statutes
Administrative or executive documents
Implementing Rules and Regulations
Court Documents including Rules of Court
Documents of intergovernmental
organizations

ORDER OF AUTHORITIES
SECONDARY
Books, Annotations and Treatises
Journal Articles

Periodical Articles
Internet Sources
Interviews
Papers and Theses

Miscellaneous

CONSTITUTION
Current Constitution:

{STATE OR COUNTRY} CONST.


{subdivisions}
PHIL. CONST. art. VI, 11, 2.
Repealed Constitution:

{Year of adoption} {STATE OR COUNTRY}


CONST. {subdivisions} ({year superseded}).
1935 Phil. Const. art. 1, 1 (superseded
1971).

CODES AND STATUTES


Codes
{full title} {SHORT TITLE}, {statute number,
{subdivisions} ({year}).
An Act Revising the Penal Code and Other Penal
Law {REVISED PENAL CODE], Act No. 3815, art.

(1932).

Short citation and subsequent citations:


{SHORT TITLE}, {subdivisions}.

REVISED PENAL CODE, arts. 171-173.


Id.
Id. Art. 180, 2.

CODES AND STATUTES


Statutes

{full title} [{Short title, if any}], {statute


number}, {subdivisions} ({year}).

An Act Penalizing the Making or Drawing and


Issuance of a Check Without Sufficient Funds or Credit
and for Other Purposes, Batas Pambansa Blg. 22, 6
(1978).

Short citation and subsequent citations:


{Short Title or abbreviated statute number}, {subd.}.

B.P. Blg. 22, 5.


Id.
Id. 2.

CODES AND STATUTES


Statutes

An Act Providing for the Recognition and Use of


Electronic Commercial and Non-commercial
Transactions and Documents, Penalties for Unlawful
Use Thereof and For Other Purposes [e-Commerce
Act of 2008], Republic Act. No. 8792, 33 (2000).

Short citation and subsequent citations:

E-Commerce Act of 2008, 33-34.


Id.
Id. 10.

CASES (JUDICIAL
DECISIONS)

Supreme Court Decisions


Reported Cases General Rule
{case name}, {volume number} {Reporter} {first

page}, {cited page} ({year}).

Laurel v. Abrogar, 483 SCRA 243, 245 (2006).

Unreported Cases Exception


{case name}, {G.R. Number} {Reporter}, {cited
page} {date}.

People v. Ramos, G.R. No. 172470, Apr. 8, 2008.

CASES (JUDICIAL
DECISIONS)

Short citation and subsequent citations:

Laurel, 483 SCRA at 269.


Id. at 255.
Id.
People v. Ramos, G.R. No. 172470, Apr. 8,
2008.
Id.

CASES (JUDICIAL
DECISIONS)

Decisions of other Philippine courts

{case name}, {volume number} {Reporter}


{first page}, {cited page} ({Court} {year}).
People v. Collantes, 37 O.G. 1804, 1805
(Court of Appeals 1926).
If unreported, follow the same format as
that of the Supreme Courts unreported
cases.
(Exception)

LEGISLATIVE MATERIALS
Bills

{title}, {legislature}, {session}, in


{publication, if any} {subdivision} ({date}).

H.B. 604, 13th Cong., 2d Sess. (May 12,


2007, in 128 Cong. Rec. S. 7091 (May 19,
2007).

LEGISLATIVE MATERIALS
Bills with hearings held

{title of hearing, including the bill number and


committee which held the hearing},
{legislature}
{page number} ({year of hearing}) ({parenthetical
information about person testifying}).

Benefits for U.S. Victims of International


Terrorism:
Hearing on S. 1275 Before
the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, 108th Cong. 2-5 (2003) (statement
of William H. Taft, IV, Legal
Advisor, Dept. of State).

LEGISLATIVE MATERIALS
Congressional Reports

{title and author, if any} {H.R. or S. to indicate House of


Representatives or Senate} REP. NO. {Number of Congress}{Number of Report}, at
{page number} ({year}).
H.R. REP. NO. 99-226, at 8 (1985).
Congressional Journals

{volume, if any} {JOURNAL OF CHAMBER OF CONGRESS} {journal


number}, {legislature}, {session} ({date}).

SENATE JOURNAL 722, 13th Cong. 1st Reg. Sess., Senate Sess. No.
67 (Mar. 7, 2005).
68 JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 14, 13th
Cong., 1st Reg. Sess. (May 10-11, 2005).

EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE


MATERIALS
{issuing agency}, {title, if any}, {issuance or series number, if any},
{volume} {official source, if any} {page or section number}
({date}).

Bureau of Internal Revenue, Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 3793, 89 O.G. 4476 (Aug. 9, 1993).
Bureau of Internal Revenue, Rev. Reg. No. 16, 2005, Effectivity Clause
(Sep. 1, 2005).
Office of the President, Instituting the Presidential Award for Heroism
in Times of Disaster, Executive Order No. 421 (Sep. 7, 1990).
Securities and Exchange Commission, Code of Corporate
Governance, SEC Memorandum Circular No. 2, Series of 2002 (Apr.
5, 2002).

IMPLEMENTING RULES AND


REGULATIONS

{title of statute}, {subdivisions} ({year}).

Rules and Regulations Implementing the


Anti-Violence against Women and Their
Children Act of 2004, 14 (a) (2004).
Id.
Rules and Regulations Implementing the eCommerce Act of 2000, 1 (2000).
Id. 5.

RULES OF COURT
{TITLE OF RULES}, {rule}, {subdivisions}.

2000 REVISED RULES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE,


rule 110, 4.
Id.
1997 RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, rule 41, 2 (a).
Id.
1991 Revised Rules on Summary Procedure, 10.
Id.

BOOKS, ANNOTATIONS,
TREATISES

Books and Treatises General Rule:

{AUTHOR}, {TITLE} {cited page} ({year} or


{edition number} {year} or {year of edition}).

RUBEN F. BALANE, JOTTINGS IN CIVIL LAW:


SUCCESSION 53 (2d ed. 2002).
JOAQUIN G. BERNAS, S.J., THE 1987
CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE
PHILIPPINES: A COMMENTARY 1195 (2003 ed.)
SAMUEL WILLISTON, A TREATISE ON THE LAW
OF CONTRACTS, ADMINISTRATIVE LAW
TREATISE 120-21 (1990).

BOOKS, ANNOTATIONS,
TREATISES

Books and Treatises Multi-Volume Work

{volume number} {AUTHOR}, {TITLE} {cited page}


({year} or {edition number} {year} or {year of
edition}).

4 OSCAR B. HERRERA, REMEDIAL LAW 150 (2001


ed.)

Books and Treatises With Editor or Translator

{AUTHOR}, {TITLE} {cited page} ({Editor or


translator} {ed(s). or trans.}, {year}).

ADAM SMITH, THE WEALTH OF NATIONS 30-31


(Edwin Cannan ed., 2000).
WOMEN AND LANGUAGE IN LITERATURE AND
SOCIETY 284-99 (Ruth Broker, et al., eds., 1980).

BOOKS, ANNOTATIONS,
TREATISES

Books and Treatises 2 Authors

{AUTHOR 1} & {AUTHOR 2}, {TITLE} {cited


page} ({year} or {edition number} {year} or
{year of edition}).

JUSTICE JOSE C. VITUG & JUDGE ERNESTO D.


ACOSTA, TAX LAW AND JURISPRUDENCE 150
(2d ed. 2000).

Books and Treatises More than 2 authors

{AUTHOR 1} ET AL., {TITLE} {cited page}


({year} or {edition number} {year} or {year of
edition}).

JOSUE N. BELLOSILLO, ET AL., OMNIBUS


ELECTION CODE 181 (2007).

BOOKS, ANNOTATIONS,
TREATISES

Books and Treatises Short citation and

subsequent citations:

BALANE, supra note 50, at 104.


Id.
VITUG & ACOSTA, supra note 52, at 205.
Cruz, et al., supra note 68, at 305.
Id.
Id. at 288.
3 REGALADO, supra note 80, at 206.
Id. at 299.

BOOKS, ANNOTATIONS,
TREATISES

Annotations

{Author}, Annotation, {Title}, {volume

number} {Reporter} {first page}, {cited


page} ({year}).

Jorge R. Coquia, Annotation, The National


Computerized Identification Reference
System as Violation of the Right to Privacy: A
Review of the Principles and Jurisprudence on
Privacy as Human Rights, 293 SCRA 201, 203
(1998).

JOURNAL ARTICLES
{Author}, {Title}, {volume number} {JOURNAL}

{first page, {cited page} ({year}).

Patrick Simon S. Perillo, Transporting the


Concept of Creeping Expropriation from de Lege
Ferenda to de Lege Lata: Concretizing the
Nebulous under International Law 53 ATENEO
L.J. 434, 488 (2008).

Short citation and subsequent citations:


Perillo, supra note 43, at 489-90.
Id.
Id. at 488.

PERIODICALS
Magazine

{Author}, {Title}, {NAME OF MAGAZINE},


{date}, at {first page of article}.

Usha Tankha, Transforming Misfortune into


Opportunity, ADB REV., Apr.-May 2006, at 30.

Newspaper Article

{Author}, {Headline}, {ABBREVIATION OF


NEWSPAPER}, {date of article}, at {page on
which article appears}.

John M. Broder, Clinton Adamant on 3D World


Role in Climate Accord, N.Y. TIMES, Dec. 12,
1997, at A1.

INTERNET SOURCES
{Author if available}, {title}, available at
{internet address/website} (last accessed
{date}).

Barry M. Leiner, et al., A Brief History of the


Internet, available at
http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/brief.shtm
l#Introduction (last accessed Apr. 26, 2007).
Protected Area and Wildlife Bureau, Tamaraw
Conservation Project, available at
http://www.pawb.gov.ph/progs/tamaraw.htm
(last accessed Dec. 27, 2002).

Note: Remove hyperlink.

INTERVIEWS
In-person Interview
{Name}, {Title}, {Institutional Affiliation, if any, of
the interviewee}, in {location of the interview}
({date of the interview}).
Interview with Dick Cheney, Vice-President,
United States of America, in Washington, D.C.
(Oct. 24, 2006).
Telephone Interview
{Name}, {Title}, {Institutional Affiliation, if any, of
the interviewee}, in {location of the interview}
({date of the interview}).
Telephone Interview with Orhan Pamuk, in
Stockholm (Oct. 12, 2006).

INTERVIEWS
Interview not personally conducted by the

author

{Name of interviewer}, {Name of


interviewee}, {Title}, {Institutional Affiliation,
if any, of the interviewee}, in {location of the
interview} ({date of the interview}).
Interview by Harry Keisler with Kofi Annan,
Secretary General, United Nations, in
University of California, Berkeley (Apr. 19,
1998).

THESES
{Author}, {Title} ({date}) ({indicate type of work},
{institution that awarded the degree}) ({where it can
be found}).

Archie E. Blake, Daubert and Reality: A Survey of


Nevada Judges (1996) (unpublished thesis, University of
Nevada) (on file with Reno Library, University of
Nevada).
Rosalyn C. Rayco, Cyber-Prostitution at a Click of a
Button: Evaluating the Applicability of Prostitution
Statutes in Criminalizing Paid Video-based Cybersex
(2006) (unpublished J.D. thesis, Ateneo de Manila
University) (on file with the Professional Schools Library,
Ateneo de Manila University).

BASIC FOREIGN MATERIALS


United Nations

General Assembly Resolutions

{Resolution number}, {at page number, if if possible,


paragraph number}, U.N. GAOR, {session or volume
number}, {supplement or annex number}, {designation}
({year}).
G.A. Res. 2131, at 107-08, U.N. GAOR, 20th Sess., Supp. No.
12, U.N. Doc. A/6012 (1965).
G.A. Res. 57/377, 3, U.N. Doc. A/Res/57/377 (July 3,
2003).
G.A. Res. 2131, supra note 34, at 2.

BASIC FOREIGN MATERIALS


United Nations

Reports

{name of issuing body}, [{abbreviation}], {sub-committee


that prepared the report}, {title of the report}, {paragraph
number or the pinpoint cite}, U.N. Doc. {document
number} ({date}) ({author included, if available}).
U.N. Econ. & Soc. Council [ECOSOC], United Nations
Forum on Forests, Report of the Seventh Session, Chapt. I,
A.1.1. at 1, U.N. Doc. E/CN.18/2007/8 (Feb. 24, 2006 and
Apr. 16-27, 2007).

BASIC FOREIGN MATERIALS


Treaties, Conventions, Protocols

{name of agreement}, {subdivision, if cited


only in part}, {full date of signing},
{international treaty sources}.

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Dec. 10,


1982, Preamble, 1983 U.N.T.S. 3 [hereinafter UNCLOS].
Convention on the Rights of the Child, Nov. 20, 1989, art.
19, 1577 U.N.T.S. 3 [hereinafter CRC].
Id. art. 23.
UNCLOS, supra note 93, at art. 192.
Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations, U.S.-Thail., June
8, 1968, 652 U.N.T.S. 253 [hereinafter T.E.A.R.].

Exception: U.N. CHARTER, art. 43, 1.

BASIC FOREIGN MATERIALS


Cases

{Case name}, ({parties name, except if it is


an advisory opinion}), {volume number and
name of publication} {case number}, {page
number} ({date}).
Asylum (Colom. v. Peru), 1950 I.C.J. 266,
277-78 (Nov. 20, 1950).
Legal Status of Eastern Greenland Case,
1933 P.C.I.J. Ser. A/B No. 53, Ser. C., vol. 62,
43, 109, vol. 63, 858 (Apr. 5, 1933).
Asylum, 1950 I.C.J. at 278.

PHILIPPINE MANUAL
ON LEGAL CITATIONS
Primary and Secondary Sources

COURT DECISIONS CASE NAMES


General Rule :
Cite cases by giving the surname of the parties, the volume, the title
and page of reports, and the year of promulgation in
parenthesis. Abbreviate versus or contra as v. When used in the
text, underscore the title of the case. If printed, italicize. Place the
source or citation in the footnote.
Example:
Ariaga v. Javellana, 92 Phil. 330 (1952)
If two or more actions are consolidated in one decision, cite only
the first listed

COURT DECISIONS CASE


NAMES
Exceptions :
1. Cite Islamic and Chinese names in full. As to those with Christian full names,
follow the general rule.
Examples:
Lim Sian Tek v. Ladislao
Una Kibad v. Commission on Elections
(Note: The reason why Chinese and Islamic names are spelled out in full is that there are many similar
names in Chinese aggravated by the absence of a middle name or middle initial, to distinguish
one person from the other.)

2. Cite Compound names in full.


Examples:
People v. De la Cruz
Abad Santos v. Auditor General
Galeos-Valdehuesa v. Republic

Always cite names of Corporations, associations, business firms and


partnership in full. Words forming such parts may be abbreviated,
except the first word.
Examples:
Mata v. Rita Legarda, Inc. Allied Workers Assn of the Phil. V. Republic Trading Corp.

However, if one of the parties is a partnership, do not omit any portion of


the partnership name.
WRONG:
Cruz v. Merill, Lynch.
RIGHT:
Cruz v. Merill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner, & Smith, Inc.

Likewise, omit alternative names given for any party such as a trade
name under which the party conducts business.
WRONG:
Wilson U. Ng doing business and style as Compact Blockbuster Video, Inc. v. Juan de la
Cruz
RIGHT:
Ng v. De la Cruz
In special proceedings, Estate of, Intestate of and Will of are not
considered procedural phrases, but are part of the case name. Do not omit
these terms.
WRONG:
In re Le Liong
RIGHT:
Intestate Estate of Le Liong v. Ang Chia, L-3342, April 18,1951

Cite cases involving the Government of the Philippines and


criminal cases as follows:
Government v. _______;
Commonwealth v. _______;
Republic v. _______;
U.S. v. _______;
People v. _______;

D epending upon the title of the case.


Examples:
Government v. Abadinas
Republic v. Carpin
Commonwealth v. Corominas
U.S. v. Jaranilla
People v. Santos

Cite cases involving public offices or officers as follows:


a.Where the person is named in his official capacity, give the name of the
person only.
Examples:
City of Manila v. Subido not City of Manila v. Subido, in his capacity as Civil Service
Commisioner
Gonzales v. Hechanova not Gonzales v. Executive Secretary

b. Where the office is named, give the complete name of the office.
Examples:
Collector of Internal Revenue v. Tan Eng Hong
Chief of Phil. Constabulary v. Sabungan Bagong Silangan

Always cite Municipality of _____, City of _____, Province of _____ as they appear in
the decisions.
Examples:
Province of Rizal v. R.T.C 7.
Cite case names beginning with procedural terms like Ex parte, Ex rel and In re as
they appear in the decision. Use In re instead of In the matter of.
Examples:
Ex parte Milligan
U.S. ex rel Great house v. Smith

CASE REPORTS
Supreme Court Decisions
Supreme Court decisions are printed in an official report and in at least two
unofficial reports.
Official Reports
Official reports are printed by the court issuing the case, out of funds provided by the legislature. For
example, the official site for Supreme Court cases is the Philippine Reports. This is published by
the Supreme Court.

Unofficial Reports
All commercially published reporters such as the Supreme Court Reports Annotated (SCRA) and the
Supreme Court Advanced decisions (SCAD) contain unofficial reports.

When the decision is already found in the Philippine Reports, indicate only the
Philippine Reports citation.

PHILIPPINE REPORTS
Cite as: volume Phil. page (year)
Example:
Diaz v. Estrera, 106 Phil. 637 (1947)

If the case is not yet published either in the Philippine Reports


or in the SCRA or SCAD, or it is a very recent decision, cite the
title of the case, the G.R. number, then the date.
Example:
People v. Nubia, G.R. No. 137164, June 19, 2001

OFFICIAL GAZETTE
Cite G.T. docket number and date of promulgation before the O.G.
citation.
Cite as: G.R. No. _____, date promulgated, volume O.G. page(Month and
year of issue).
Example:
Espiritu v. Rivera, G.R. No. 17092, September 30, 1963, 62 O.G.7226 (Oct. 1966).

If the decision is found in a supplement, indicate the supplement number,


page, and date of issue.
Example:
46 O.G. Supp. No. 11, 22 (Nov. 1950).

GENERAL REGISTER (G.R.) Advance decision of the Supreme


Court.
Cite as: G.R. No. _____, date of promulgation, omitting the L-which
refers to post liberation decisions.

Example:
Estapa v. Diansay, G.R. No. 14733, September 30, 1960

For disciplinary cases against attorney-at-law, cite as: G. R. Adm.


Case No. _____, date of promulgation.
Example: In re
Mallare, G.R. Adm. Case No. 533, April 29, 1968.

For disciplinary cases against judges, cite as: G.R. Adm.


Case/Matter No. _____, date of promulgation.
Example:
Secretary of Justice v. Catolico, G.R. Adm. Case no. 203-J& Adm. Matter No.
625-CFI, November 18, 1975.

COURT OF APPEALS
DECISIONS, 1936
1. APPELATE COURT REPORTS (v. 21, 1937 and V. 8, 1947 are the only ones
published)
Cite as: volume C.A. Rep. page(year)
Example:
Chunaco v. Singh, 8 C.A. Rep. 488 (1947)

2. COURT OF APPEALS REPORTS, Second Series


Cite as: volume C.A. Rep. 2d page(year)
Example:
Flores v. Valpena, 2 C.A. Rep. 2d 64 (1962)

3. COURT OF APPEALS GENERAL REGISTRAR (C.A. G.R.) Advance decisions of


the Court of Appeals.
Cite as: C.A.-G.R. No. _____-R, CV, CR, or SP, date of promulgation.
Example
: Caliboso v. Bueno, C.A-G.R. No. 20401-R, April 8, 1960.

OFFICIAL GAZETTE
Cite as: Sandiganbayan Crim. Case No. _____, date
of promulgation, volume O.G. page (month and year of
issue).
Example:
Manila Electric Co. v. Allarde, C.A. Sp No. 11850, May 15,
1987,86 O.G. 3447 (May, 1990)

Other Courts
1.

SANDIGANBAYAN DECISIONS

Cite as: Sandiganbayan Crim. Case No. _____, date of promulgation,


volume Sandiganbayan Rep. page (year of issue).
Example:
People v. Sabarre, Sandiganbayan Crim. Case No. 001,December 12, 1979, 1
Sandiganbayan Rep. 305 (1979).

2. COURT OF TAX APPEALS DECISIONS Cite as: CTA Case No.


_____, date of promulgation.
Example:
Abad. V. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, CTA CaseNo. 717, June 4, 1963

OTHER COURTS
3. REGIONAL TRIAL COURT DECISION Cite as: RTC (Place and Brance No.
___) Crim. Case or S.P. No. R-_____, date of promulgation.
Example:
People v. Johnson, RTC (San Jose, Occidental Mindoro,Br. 45) Crim. Case No. R1681, August 6, 1984
4. METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT Cite as: MeTC (Place and Branch No.) Civil or
CriminalCase No. _____, date of promulgation.
Example:
Skell Distribution Co., Inc. v. Balmaceda, MeTC (Manila,Branch X) Civil Case No. 59563, July 20,
1982.

5. MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS AND MUNICIPAL CIRCUITTRIAL COURT


DECISIONS Cite as: MCTC or MTC (Place) Crim. Case No. _____, dateof
promulgation.
Example:
People v. Soliven, MCTC (Paoay-Currimao, Ilocos Norte)Crim. Case No. 992-C, November 11, 1983.

Administrative Decisions
Cite by the name of the agency (when there is an abbreviatedform,
use abbreviation or acronym) case number and date
of promulgation.
Example:
Tinio v. Dizon, DANR Case No. 2734, April 24, 1967.
In re Colocado, CSC Adm. Case No. R-27182, September 26,1964.

BASIC RULES ON
LEGAL CITATION

UNDERLINING
There

are different rules for academic writing and


practitioner writing
Publication names can be underlined OR set in italics.

Underlining is the more common convention


If underlining is used instead of italics it should continue
under successive words that are part of the same phrase
but break between items.
When "e.g." appears with another signal the two
together are treated as a single item. Punctuation that is
part of any of the above elements is italicized along with
it, but punctuation that separates that element from
other parts of the citation should not be.

UNDERLINING IN CITATIONS
DO UNDERLINE

DO NOT UNDERLINE

Case names (including the "v."

Statutes

and procedural phrases, such as


"In re")
Publication titles
Article titles
Legislative history titles
Explanatory phrase that explain
prior or subsequent history (such
as "cert. denied")
Cross reference (such as "Id.")

Constitutions
Restatements
Reporter names
Procedural rules
Names of journals

UNDERLINING IN TEXT
The following words or phrases should be italicized

when they appear in the text of a brief or legal


memorandum:

references to titles or case names in the text without full citation


(even those which would, in full citation, not be underlined)
foreign words that have not been assimilated into lawyer jargon
quoted words that were italicized in the original
emphasized words

ABBREVIATIONS
USED IN CITATIONS

IN CASE NAMES
Abbreviate the listed words wherever they appear in a party's name

that is part of a citation.


Abbreviate any state that is included in a party name
For a number of words, but following no consistent pattern, The
Bluebook uses contractions (e.g., Eng'r and Int'l, though curiously
Envtl.). Prior to the fourth edition, the ALWD Citation Manual
abbreviations used no apostrophes; all ended with periods (e.g.,
Engr. and Intl.).
Except when the abbreviation list explicitly provides for the plural,
the plural of a listed word is abbreviated by adding an "s" to the
abbreviation of the singular.

Eng'r - Eng'rs
Enter. - Enters.
Mfr. - Mfrs.

IN CASE HISTORIES
acquiescing

acq.

nonacquiescing

nonacq.

affirmed

aff'd

probable

prob.

affirming

aff'g

rehearing

reh'g

certiorari

cert.

reversed

rev'd

jurisdiction

juris.

reversing

rev'g

memorandum

mem.

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES AND BOARDS


EXERCISING REGULATORY AND QUASIJUDICIAL FUNCTIONS
Bureau of Food and Drugs
Bureau of Lands
Central Board of Assessment Appeals
Civil Aeronautics Board
Civil Service Commission
Commission on Audit
Commission on Elections
Commission on Higher Education
Commission on Human Rights
Department of Agriculture
Department of Energy
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Department of Finance
Department of Foreign Affairs
Department of Interior and Local Government
Department of Justice
Department of Labor and Employment
Department of National Defense
Department of Public Works and Highways
Department of Science and Technology

BFAD
BL
CBAA
CAB
CSC
COA
COMELEC
CHED
CHR
DA
DE
DENR
DOF
DFA
DILG
DOJ
DOLE
DND
DPWH
DOST

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES AND BOARDS


EXERCISING REGULATORY AND QUASIJUDICIAL FUNCTIONS
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board
Local Water Utilities Administration
Maritime Industry Authority
Merit Systems Board
Metropolitan Waterworks & Sewerage System
Monetary Board
Movie and Television Review and Classification Board
National Bureau of Investigation
National Conciliation and Mediation Board
National Economic Development Authority
National Food Authority
National Housing Authority
National Irrigation Administration
National Labor Relations Commission
National Library
National Telecommunications Commission
Office of the Solicitor General
Office of the Ombudsman
Office of Government Corporate Counsel
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
Philippine Coast Guard
Philippine Coconut Authority
Philippine Export Zone Authority
Philippine National Railways

LTFRB
LWUA
MARINA
MSB
MWSS
MB
MTRCB
NBI
NCMB
NEDA
NFA
NHA
NIA
NLRC
NL
NTC
OSG
OMBUDSMAN
OGCC
OWWA
PCG
PCA
PEZA
PNR

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES AND BOARDS


EXERCISING REGULATORY AND QUASIJUDICIAL FUNCTIONS
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
Philippine Sports Commission
Philippine Veterans Administration
Professional Regulation Commission
Securities and Exchange Commission
Social Security System

POEA
PSC
PVA
PRC
SEC
SSS

Employees Compensation Commission


Government Service Insurance System
Housing Land Use Regulatory Board
Laguna Lake Development Authority
Land Registration Authority

ECC
GSIS
HLURB
LLDA
LRA

Laws
Republic Act
Batas Pambansa
Presidential Decree
Commonwealth Act
Act
Executive Issuances
Executive Order
Administrative Order
Letter of Instruction

R.A.
B.P.
P.D.
C.A.
Act
E.O.
A.O.
LOI

Bills, Resolutions and Committee Reports


Senate or House Bill

S. No.

H. No.

Senate or House Resolution

S. Res.

H. Res.

Senate or House of Representatives Concurrent Resolutions

S. Con Res.

Senate or House or Representatives Joint Resolution

S. J. Res.

Senate or House Committee Reports

H. Rpt.

Resolution of both Houses when sitting together but voting separately

S. Rpt.

R.B.H.

Philippine Reports
Philippine Reports

Phil.

Supreme Court Reports Annotated

SCRA

Supreme Court Advance Decisions

SCAD

Court of Appeals Reports Annotated

CARA

NITAFANS Supreme Court Unpublished Decisions

SCUD

PHILIPPINE LEGAL
PERIODICALS
Ateneo Law Journal
ATENEO L.J.
Baguio Colleges Foundation Law Journal
B.C.F.L. J.
Commission on Audit Journal
C.O.A.J.
Court Systems Journal
Ct. Systems J.
Diplomats Review
DIPLOMATS REV.
Far Eastern Law Review
FAR EAST. L. REV.
Filipino Lawyer
FILIPINO LAW
Foreign Relations Journal
FOR. REL. J.
Foundation Law Review
FOUNDATION L. REV.
Francisco College Law Journal
FRANCISCO C.L.J.
Journal of the Constitutional Convention of the Philippines J.C.C. PHIL.
Journal of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines
J. INTEG. BAR PHIL.
Judges Journal
JUDGES J.
Jurisprudence
JUR.
Labor Review
LAB. REV.
Law Journal and Magazine of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines
IBP L.J. & Mag.
Lawyers Review
LAW. REV.
Lyceum of the Philippines Law Review
LY. PHIL. L. REV.

M.L.Q. University Law Quarterly


Mindanao Law Journal
Monthly Business & Tax Bulletin
PHILCONSA Journal
Philippine Journal of Industrial Relations
Philippine Journal of Librarians
Philippine Journal of Public Administration
Philippine Labor Relations Journal
Philippine Law Gazette
Philippine Law Journal
Philippine Law Report
Philippine Yearbook of International Law
Philippines Judicial Weekly
San Beda Law Journal
S.E.C. Bulletin
Silliman Law Journal
Studies on Philippine Labor
Tala Industrial Relations Bulletin
Tax Monthly
University of San Carlos Law Review
University of Santo Tomas Law Review
University of the East Law Journal
University of Manila Law Gazette
World Bulletin

MLQU L.Q.
MINDANAO L.J.
MON. BUS & TAX BULL
PHILCONSA J.
PHIL J. INDUS. REL.
P.J.L.L.
PHIL. J. PUB. ADM.
PHIL. LAB. REL. J.
PHIL. L. GAZ.
PHIL. L.J.
PHIL L. REP.
PHIL. YRBK. INTL. L.
PHIL. JUD. WEEK.
SAN BEDA L.J.
S.E.C. BULL.
SILLIMAN L.J.
STUD. PHIL. LAB.
TALA INDUS. REL. BULL.
TAX MON.
U.S.C. L. REV.
U.S.T. L. REV.
U.E.L.J.
U.M. L. GAZ.
WORLD BULL.

SPACING AND
PERIODS

SPACING BETWEEN
ABBREVIATED WORDS
Principle 1: Successive words abbreviated

with a single capital letter are normally not


separated from one another with a space.
Principle 2: Longer abbreviations are
separated from one another and from single
letter abbreviations with a space.

SPACING BETWEEN
ABBREVIATED WORDS
Principle 3: In journal titles, successive single

letters that refer to an entity are separated from


other single letter abbreviations with a space.
Principle 4: Numbers, including ordinal
numbers (2d, 4th), are treated as single letters.

PERIODS IN ABBREVATIONS
Principle 1: In general abbreviations should end in a period.
Principle 2: However, abbreviations that are contractions ending

with an apostrophe and the last letter of the word should not be
followed by a period.
Principle 3: In addition, entities that are commonly referred to by

their initials may be abbreviated using those initials without


periods.

REFERENCES
http://www.law.cornell.edu/citation/

INTRODUCTION TO BASIC LEGAL CITATION by PETER W. MARTIN


http://www.legalbluebook.com/
THE BLUEBOOK: A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF CITATION. 15th Edition
http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/guides/bluebook1_7.cfm
GEORGETOWN LAW LIBRARY
PHILIPPINE MANUAL OF LEGAL CITATIONS BY CORTES,
MAGALLONA, AND FELICIANO

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