Paralegal Certification PrepLegal Research and WritingEasy
A paralegal is reviewing a draft legal brief and notices a citation to a United States Supreme Court case that reads: 'Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).' What does '347' represent in this citation?
- AThe year the decision was rendered by the Supreme Court.
- BThe case number assigned by the Supreme Court clerk.
- CThe volume number of the United States Reports.
- DThe page number where the case begins in the reporter.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. The volume number of the United States Reports.
In legal citations, the number preceding the reporter abbreviation (e.g., 'U.S.' for United States Reports) indicates the volume number of that reporter where the case can be found.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The year '1954' is in parentheses at the end of the citation.
- B. The case number is an internal identifier, not typically part of the standard published citation.
- D. The page number is '483' in this citation.
Volume Number in Citation
The number identifying the specific book (volume) within a series of legal reporters where a case is published.
- Precedes the reporter abbreviation (e.g., U.S., F.2d, P.3d).
- Indicates which physical book to retrieve.
- Essential for locating the case in a law library or database.
Memory trick: The 'Volume' is like the 'Vessel' holding the 'Verdict'.