Citation Generator
Bluebook Citation Generator
The Bluebook — 21st Edition
Legal citation style for US law.
Search will start automatically once loaded…
How it works
Search for your source
Type a topic, DOI, ISBN, or URL into the search bar. CiteMe searches real academic databases to find your source.
Format in Bluebook
Your citation is automatically formatted in Bluebook (21st Edition) with correct punctuation, italics, and ordering.
Copy and use
Copy the formatted reference and in-text citation directly into your paper or export to BibTeX/RIS.
Generate Bluebook citations now
Open the Bluebook generator to search real academic databases and copy a ready-to-use reference in seconds.
Bluebook resources
Bluebook Citation Format
General format:
Quick rules
- ✓Italicize case names in text; do not italicize in footnotes (academic)
- ✓Use standard reporter abbreviations (U.S., F.3d, S. Ct.)
- ✓Signals: See, See also, Cf., Compare, But see — each has a specific meaning
- ✓Use "supra" and "id." for subsequent references to the same source
- ✓Statutes cite to official code (U.S.C.) when available
Bluebook Citation Examples
Case
Statute
Law Review Article
About Bluebook (The Bluebook)
The Bluebook (21st edition) is the definitive legal citation guide in the United States. Used by law reviews, courts, and legal practitioners, it provides detailed rules for citing cases, statutes, regulations, legislative materials, and secondary sources. The Bluebook distinguishes between "practitioner" formatting (court documents) and "academic" formatting (law review articles).
Legal citation style for US law. CiteMe supports Bluebook with automatic formatting from real scholarly metadata — no manual entry or guesswork required.
Frequently asked questions about Bluebook
What is the difference between academic and practitioner Bluebook?
Academic (law review) formatting uses footnotes with regular typeface for case names. Practitioner (court filing) formatting uses in-text citations with italicized case names. Most law school assignments use academic format.
How do I use signals in Bluebook citations?
"See" means the cited source supports the proposition. "See also" provides additional support. "Cf." suggests an analogy. "But see" indicates contrary authority. "E.g." means the source is one of multiple examples.
What is Bluebook citation style?
Bluebook (The Bluebook) is a citation format used in academic writing. The 21st Edition provides rules for formatting references, in-text citations, and bibliographies for sources like books, journals, websites, and more.
How do I cite a website in Bluebook?
Use the CiteMe Bluebook generator above — paste the URL and get a correctly formatted citation instantly. Bluebook website citations typically include the author, title, website name, publication date, and URL.
Is the CiteMe Bluebook generator free?
Yes — CiteMe offers free Bluebook citations on the free tier. Pro users get unlimited citations, all Bluebook formatting features, and export to BibTeX and RIS.