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Bluebook Citations: Constitutions

Guide to basic legal citations to the 20th ed. of The Bluebook.

Commonly Cited Primary Authorities

Citations are to the 20th edition of The Bluebook, A Uniform System of Citation.

Rule 11 Constitutions (p. 118)

Constitutions B11, R11, T10, T16

Cite the United States Constitution, 14th Amendment, Section 2.

CORRECT CITATION:  U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2.

Cite the Hawaii Constitution, Article 9, Section 1, Clause 2.

CORRECT CITATION:  Haw. Const. art. IX, § 1, cl. 2.

SHORT CITE NOTE:  According to Rule 11, Constitutions, you cannot use a short cite other than Id. for constitutions.

Rule 20.4 Foreign Constitutions

Cite all foreign constitutions by name.  Include [Constitution] if the nature of the document is not otherwise clear from the context.