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Patrias K, author; Wendling D, editor. Citing Medicine: The NLM Style Guide for Authors, Editors, and Publishers [Internet]. 2nd edition. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2007-.

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Citing Medicine: The NLM Style Guide for Authors, Editors, and Publishers [Internet]. 2nd edition.

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Chapter 10Legal Documents

Created: ; Last Update: January 14, 2009.

The legal profession employs a unique system of citation unlike that generally used in medicine and the sciences. This legal style is described in detail in The Bluebook: a Uniform System of Citation (18th ed. Cambridge (MA): Harvard Law Review Association; 2005). Because this legal standard is well established and its citation format accurately identifies legal documents for retrieval from law and general libraries, no attempt has been made to force references to legal materials such as public laws and hearings into a traditional format. Instead, examples of the common types of legal citations are provided here and the reader should consult The Bluebook for details.

The examples below pertain to US federal statues and legislative documents. They represent the standards followed in the United States and may not be applicable to legal documents in other countries. Documents produced by US states vary in format; see The Bluebook.

Unenacted Bill

- originated in the House

Treat Physicians Fairly Act, H.R. 4872, 109th Cong., 2d Sess. (2006).

- originated in the Senate

Hurricane Katrina Medicaid and SCHIP Relief Act, S. 1688, 109th Cong., 1st Sess. (2005).

Public Law

National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-60, 119 Stat.1979 (Aug. 11, 2005).

Veterans Hearing Loss Compensation Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-9, 115 Stat. 11 (May 24, 2001).

United States Code

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970, 29 U.S.C. Sect. 651 (2000).

Code of Federal Regulations

Epithelioma of the Eye, 9 C.F.R. Sect. 309.6 (2006).

Cardiopulmonary Bypass Intracardiac Suction Control, 21 C.F.R. Sect. 870.4430 (2002).

Federal Register

An item from the Federal Register is cited the same way as a standard journal article. Abbreviate the title to Fed Regist. and see Chapter 1A for journal article citation information.

  • Social Security Administration (US). Evidentiary requirements for making findings about medical equivalence. Final rules. Fed Regist. 2006 Mar 1;71(40):10419-33.

Congressional Hearing

- House

Plant Biotechnology Research and Development in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities: Hearing Before the Subcomm. on Research of the House Comm. on Science, 108th Cong., 1st Sess. (Jun. 12, 2003).

Arsenic in Drinking Water: An Update on the Science, Benefits and Cost: Hearing Before the Subcomm. on Environment, Technology and Standards of the House Comm. on Science, 107th Cong., 1st Sess. (Oct. 4, 2001).

- Senate

Public Health Preparedness in the 21st Century: Hearing Before the Subcomm. on Bioterrorism and Public Health Preparedness of the Senate Comm. on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, 109th Cong., 2d Sess. (Mar. 28, 2006).

Examining the Effects of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) on U.S. Imports and Exports of Cattle and Beef: Hearing Before the Senate Comm. on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 109th Cong., 1st Sess. (Feb. 3, 2005).

Congressional Report

- House report

Providing for Consideration of H.R. 525, Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005, H.R. Rep. No. 109-183 (Jul. 25, 2005).

Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2005, H.R. Rep. No. 109-42 (Apr. 13, 2005).

- Senate report

Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Improvement Act, S. Rep. No. 109-75 (May 26, 2005).

Meeting the Housing and Service Needs of Seniors Act of 2005, S. Rep. No. 109-178 (Nov. 15, 2005).

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