Reading legal citation

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Reading legal citation

• Carrie Faust, CJE
• All information taken from the Law of the Student
  Press

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A typical legal citation

• ARRINGTON v. TAYLOR, 380 F. Supp. 1348 (M.D.N.C.
  1974),
• affd, 526 F.2d 587 (4th Cir. 1975), cert.
  denied,
• 424 U.S. 913 (1976)

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How to read the information
University of North Carolina student Robert
Arrington
sued University Chancellor Ferebee Taylor.

• ARRINGTON v. TAYLOR, 380 F. Supp. 1348 (M.D.N.C.
  1974),
• affd, 526 F.2d 587 (4th Cir. 1975), cert.
  denied,
• 424 U.S. 913 (1976)

FYI There can be more than one plaintiff and
defendant, but usually only the last name of the
first person in each party will be given in the
citation.
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How to read the information
The Arrington case was first reported in volume
380 of the Federal Supplement, beginning on page
1348.

• ARRINGTON v. TAYLOR, 380 F. Supp. 1348 (M.D.N.C.
  1974),
• affd, 526 F.2d 587 (4th Cir. 1975), cert.
  denied,
• 424 U.S. 913 (1976)

The Federal Supplement is a set of books that
publish the decisions of federal district courts.
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How to read the information
The parenthetical indicates that the first court
to hear the case was the district court for
the Middle District of North Carolina. The judge
in that court handed down his decision in 1974.
In 1975, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth
Circuit decided the case.

• ARRINGTON v. TAYLOR, 380 F. Supp. 1348 (M.D.N.C.
  1974),
• affd, 526 F.2d 587 (4th Cir. 1975), cert.
  denied,
• 424 U.S. 913 (1976)

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How to read the information
The opinion of the US Court of Appeals for the
Fourth Circuit can be found beginning on page 587
of volume 526 of the set of books called the
Federal Reporter.
ARRINGTON v. TAYLOR, 380 F. Supp. 1348 (M.D.N.C.
1974), affd, 526 F.2d 587 (4th Cir. 1975),
cert. denied, 424 U.S. 913 (1976)
Note that F. Supp. is the abbreviation for
Federal Supplement and F., F.2d or F.3d is the
citation form for the Federal Reporter. There are
currently three series of the Federal Reporter
Arrington was reported in the second series, thus
the 2d in the citation.
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How to read the information
This citation also tells you that the Fourth
Circuit affirmed (agreed with) the decision of
the Middle District of North Carolina. Had it
decided differently, the citation would read
revd, short for reversed, or vacated. The
case was then taken to the Supreme Court, which
refused to consider it. That is the meaning of
cert. denied (certiorari denied). A petition for
certiorari is a request for the Supreme Court to
hear a case.
ARRINGTON v. TAYLOR, 380 F. Supp. 1348 (M.D.N.C.
1974), affd, 526 F.2d 587 (4th Cir. 1975),
cert. denied, 424 U.S. 913 (1976)
Note A petition for certiorari is a request for
the Supreme Court to hear a case. Had the Court
taken the case, the Supreme Court citation would
have said either affd, revd, or vacated
depending on the Courts decision.
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How to read the information
When the Supreme Court hears/decides a case, that
information is listed on the final line of the
citation. In this case, by denying to hear the
case, the Supreme Court essentially agreed with
the findings of the prior court. So, the final
entry shows the final outcome of the case.
ARRINGTON v. TAYLOR, 380 F. Supp. 1348 (M.D.N.C.
1974), affd, 526 F.2d 587 (4th Cir. 1975),
cert. denied, 424 U.S. 913 (1976)
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How to read the information
State cases are reported in much the same way as
federal cases. The citations just change a bit.
Here
ARRINGTON v. TAYLOR, 380 F. Supp. 1348 (M.D.N.C.
1974), affd, 526 F.2d 587 (4th Cir. 1975),
cert. denied, 424 U.S. 913 (1976)
State cases are most easily found in the National
Reporter System. Citations for the National
Reporter System include Pacific (P.), Atlantic
(A.), Southern (So.), Southeastern (S.E.),
Southwestern (S.W.), Northeastern (N.E.), and
Northwestern (N.W.) reporters.
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Resources for finding cases

• National Reporter System
• http//lawschool.westlaw.com/federalcourt/National
  ReporterPage.asp
• FindLaw
• http//www.findlaw.com/