Paralegal Certification PrepLegal Research and WritingHard
A paralegal is preparing a legal brief for an appellate court and needs to cite a case that has been published in both a regional reporter and a state-specific reporter. According to Bluebook rules, what type of citation is generally required for state court cases in this situation?
- AA single citation to only the state-specific reporter.
- BA single citation to only the regional reporter.
- CA parallel citation, including both the state-specific and regional reporters.
- DA citation to the regional reporter followed by the official neutral citation.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. A parallel citation, including both the state-specific and regional reporters.
For state court cases, when a case is published in both an official state reporter and a West regional reporter, Bluebook Rule 10.3.1 generally requires a parallel citation to both. This ensures that readers with access to either reporter can easily locate the case. The specific order is typically the official state reporter first, then the regional reporter.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. While official state reporters are important, Bluebook generally requires parallel citations when a regional reporter also exists for state court cases.
- B. Citing only the regional reporter is insufficient if an official state reporter also exists, as parallel citations are usually required.
- D. Neutral citations are increasingly used, but they typically supplement or replace traditional reporter citations, not necessarily combine with a regional reporter while excluding an official state reporter in a parallel fashion when both exist.
Parallel Citation
A legal citation that provides references to the same case or authority as published in two or more different reporters or publications.
- Commonly used for state court cases published in both official state and regional reporters.
- Ensures accessibility for readers using different reporter systems.
- Bluebook rules specify the order of reporters in a parallel citation.
Memory trick: Two paths to one case, both must show their face.