General Instructions for Discussion
- Create a new thread for each posting.
- Refer to course material using proper Bluebook in-text citations.
- Post responses here in public discussion forum.
- Please put the following in the subject line: Discussion + your name
- Address each classmate by name in your responses, and sign your name to each posting, please.
- Responses should be in depth, comprehensive, and promote further discussion beyond merely agreeing/disagreeing.
Discussion: Part 1 due Saturday, 11:59 pm ET; Part 2 due Tuesday, 11:59 pm ET
Background (read this first):
You and the other LCA paralegals have discovered that citing statutes can sometimes seem overwhelmingly confusing. You and several colleagues met with Chang to discuss how you all might become more skilled at citing statutes. Chang agreed citing statutes can be difficult, and she advised that it becomes easier with practice. To that end, she created practice exercises that you can do as a group and discuss among yourselves.
Before beginning the actual research exercise, note that The Indigo Book and The Bluebook require different formats when citing statutes retrieved using Westlaw. The Indigo Book does not distinguish between statutes found using printed books and those found using commercial electronic databases, like Westlaw. The Bluebook, however, requires a different format for the date parenthetical when the statute was retrieved using Westlaw.
Bluebook rule 12.5(a) requires one to identify the database used tell readers how current the database was when one used it to retrieve the cited statute. Consequently, when citing a statute retrieved using Westlaw, you can copy the format in The Indigo Book’s Table T3 for everything BUT the date parenthetical. For the date parenthetical, use The Bluebook (if you have access) or The LGST Quick Guide for guidance.
The following is an example of how to incorporate currentness in a citation. Let’s say we retrieved § 11-103 of the Family Law Article of the Maryland Code, using Westlaw. On the date we retrieved it, it looked like this:
Note that, in addition to the text of the statute, Westlaw’s editors included currentness information, as shown below:
To cite this statute we’ve found in Bluebook format, we’d first look at the Maryland entry for Table T3. This shows the format of everything BUT the parenthetical. West’s Annotated Code of Maryland is abbreviated as Md. Code. Ann. The abbreviated name of the Code is followed by a comma and then abbreviated name of article (or the subject matter code). Here we’re citing the Family Law article, which is abbreviated as Fam. Law:
The following shows our citation with everything EXCEPT the parenthetical:
Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 11-103
To complete the citation by adding the date parenthetical, use the ([publisher], + [database] + [currentness]) format described Bluebook Rule 12.5(a) and the LGST Quick Guide. The publisher here is “West”; the database is “Westlaw”; and the currentness at the time of retrieval is “through legislation from the 2020 Regular Session of the General Assembly.”
Our final COMPLETE citation would look like:
Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 11-103 (West, Westlaw through all legislation from the 2020 Regular Session of the General Assembly)
* * * * *
Part 1
Please cite the following two statutes retrieved using Westlaw in Bluebook format. Because database currentness changes frequently (and could even change mid-discussion week), please use the information provided in these images, not Westlaw itself, to create your responses.
In addition, Part 1 includes questions after the citation problems. Please include them in your responses.
Citation 1:
Citation 2:
EditEdit
Questions: Why do you think The Bluebook requires database currentness when citing statutes retrieved using Westlaw? What are some possible disadvantages to the Bluebook approach? Finally, do you agree with the Bluebook approach to citing statutes? Explain why or why not.
Part 2
Respond to two colleagues’ responses in Part 1.
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