ALWD Citation Manual

Part One covers general terms and procedures, including information on local citation formats and on how word processors can affect citations.

Part Two, Citation Basics, addresses those key concepts used when citing most types of legal sources. The author encourages students should read Part Two before attempting to cite any particular source.

Part Three provides citation formats for print versions of various primary and secondary sources. These rules are used to determine how to cite a specific source, such as a case or legal periodical.

Part Four describes the citation of electronic materials, including sources available on LEXIS, Westlaw, and the Internet. This part also contains information about the relatively new concept of neutral citation formats.

Part Five, Incorporating Citations into Documents, explains how to insert citations into various kinds of documents such as memos, or law-review articles. It also addresses other important concepts used when writing documents that contains legal citations, such as when and how to use introductory signals and how to use parenthetical explanations.

Part Six discusses how to quote material and how to properly reflect alterations to and omissions from quoted material.

Part Seven consists of various appendices, including one on court-specific formats and another that lists commonly used abbreviations. In addition, a full-text sample of a legal memorandum demonstrates how to insert citations.