Federal Law

Federal District Court

 
General Format
Petitioner v. Respondent, volume# F.Supp. page# (district court, year)

Examples

Glover v. Johnson, 478 F.Supp. 1075 (E.D.Mich.1979)

Smith v. Bounds, 657 F.Supp. 1327 (E.D.N.C.1986)

Cepulonis v. Fair, 563 F.Supp. 659 (D.Mass.1983)
 
 

Federal Circuit Court of Appeals

 
General Format
note: Appellee v. Appellant are used in the court of appeals. This means that the parties to the original case may be transposed. Thus, a case that started Bounds v. Smith may be reported as Smith v. Bounds in the Court of Appeals reporter.

Appellee v. Appellant, volume# F.3d page# (circuit court, year)

Examples

Glover v. Johnson, 75 F.3d 264 (6thCir.1996)

Smith v. Bounds, 841 F.2d 77 (4thCir.1988)

Cepulonis v. Fair, 732 F.2d 1 (1stCir.1984)
 

U.S. Supreme Court

 
General Format

Petitioner v. Respondent, volume# U.S. page# (year)

Examples

Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78 (1987)

 
The U.S. Reporter is the preferred cite, but sometimes it is useful to use an alternate cite.  West Law produces the Supreme Court Reporter.  The alternate citation format is:

Turner v. Safley, 107 S.Ct. 2254 (1987)

 
Both citations refer to the same case.

Lassiter v. Department of Social Services, 452 U.S. 18 (1981

 
Another case using the U.S. Reporter