The table below lists a few of the more common types of case citations that you will encounter in your research.
Complete legal citations give the volume, source, then page number, for example (100 U.S. 124) equals Volume 100 of U.S. Reports page 124. Always look for the abbreviations in the center of the citation to determine what source it is, using the table below.
For other citations you may encounter, consult the citation guides to the left.
| Citation Abbreviation | Full Name of Citation Source | Source Description and Call Number or Location |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. | United States Reports | Official version of Supreme Court cases. Reference KF 101 .U58. Lawyers' Edition in Lexis-Nexis Academic. |
| S.Ct. | Supreme Court Reporter | Non-official version published by West, has similar features as Federal Reporter. Neither Tisch nor Ginn owns. |
| F. |
Federal Reporter * |
Circuit Court decisions of the U.S. Court of Appeals. Neither Tisch nor Ginn owns. In Lexis-Nexis Academic. |
| F.2d | Federal Reporter,* 2nd series;(1936-1993) |
Circuit Court decisions of the U.S. Court of Appeals. Neither Tisch nor Ginn owns. In Lexis-Nexis Academic. |
| F.3d | Federal Reporter * 3rd series; (1994 to the present) |
Circuit Court decisions of the U.S. Court of Appeals. Neither Tisch nor Ginn owns. In Lexis-Nexis Academic. |
| F. Supp. | Federal Supplement ** (1933 to 1998) |
District Court decisions of the U.S. District Courts. Neither Tisch nor Ginn owns. In Lexis-Nexis Academic. |
| F. Supp. 2d | Federal Supplement 2nd series (1998 to the present) |
District Court decisions of the U.S. District Courts. Neither Tisch nor Ginn owns. In Lexis-Nexis Academic. |
| Mass. | Massachusetts Reports | Official opinions of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Reference KFM 2445 .M37. Also in Lexis-Nexis Academic |
| Mass. App. Ct. | Mass. Appeals Court Reports | Official opinions from the Appeals Court of Massachusetts. Reference KFM 2448 .A6. Also in Lexis-Nexis Academic. |
* These sets are the Federal case law reporter series published by West’s in their National Reporter System. They cover opinions and decisions, from 1880 to the present in three series, issued by the 13 circuits of the United States Courts of Appeals. Cases published in these product series are enhanced with headnotes, Key Numbers, and Synopses prepared by West's internal staff of highly trained attorney editors.
** Also published by West.