9.800 Uniform Citation System

This rule applies to all legal documents, including court opinions. Except for citations to case reporters, all citation forms should be spelled out in full if used as an integral part of a sentence either in the text or in footnotes. Abbreviated forms as shown in this rule should be used if the citation is intended to stand alone either in the text or in footnotes.

(a) Florida Supreme Court.

(1) 1846–1886: Livingston v. L'Engle, 22 Fla. 427 (1886).

(2) Fenelon v. State, 594 So. 2d 292 (Fla. 1992).

(3) For recent opinions not yet published in the Southern Reporter, cite to Florida Law Weekly: Traylor v. State, 17 Fla. L. Weekly S42 (Fla. Jan. 16, 1992). If not therein, cite to the slip opinion: Medina v. State, No. SC00-280 (Fla. Mar. 14, 2002).

(b) Florida District Courts of Appeal.

(1) Sotolongo v. State, 530 So. 2d 514 (Fla. 2d DCA 1988); Buncayo v. Dribin, 533 So. 2d 935 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988).

(2) For recent opinions not yet published in Southern Reporter, cite to Florida Law Weekly: Myers v. State, 16 Fla. L. Weekly D1507 (Fla. 4th DCA June 5, 1991). If not therein, cite to the slip opinion: Fleming v. State, No. 1D01-2734 (Fla. 1st DCA Mar. 6, 2002).

(c) Florida Circuit Courts and County Courts.

(1) Whidden v. Francis, 27 Fla. Supp. 80 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. 1966).

(2) State v. Alvarez, 42 Fla. Supp. 83 (Fla. Dade Cty. Ct. 1975).

(3) For opinions not published in Florida Supplement, cite to Florida Law Weekly: State v. Campeau, 16 Fla. L. Weekly C65 (Fla. 9th Cir. Ct. Nov. 7, 1990). If not therein, cite to the slip opinion: State v. Campeau, No. 90-4363 (Fla. 9th Cir. Ct. Nov. 7, 1990).

(d) Florida Administrative Agencies. (Cite if not in Southern Reporter.)

(1) For decisions of the Public Employees Relations Commission: Indian River Educ. Ass'n v. School Bd., 4 F.P.E.R. ¶ 4262 (1978).

(2) For decisions of the Florida Public Service Commission: In re Application of Tampa Elec. Co., 81 F.P.S.C. 2:120 (1981).

(3) For decisions of all other agencies: Insurance Co. v. Department of Ins., 2 F.A.L.R. 648-A (Fla. Dept. of Insurance 1980).

(e) Florida Constitution. (Year of adoption should be given if necessary to avoid confusion.)

Art. V, §3(b)(3), Fla. Const.

(f) Florida Statutes (Official).

§350.34, Fla. Stat. (1973).

§120.53, Fla. Stat. (Supp. 1974).

(g) Florida Statutes Annotated. (To be used only for court-adopted rules, or references to other nonstatutory materials that do not appear in an official publication.)

32 Fla. Stat. Ann. 116 (Supp. 1975).

(h) Florida Laws. (Cite if not in Fla. Stat. or if desired for clarity or adoption reference.)

(1) After 1956: Ch. 74-177, § 5, at 473, Laws of Fla.

(2) Before 1957: Ch. 22000, Laws of Fla. (1943).

(i) Florida Rules.

Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.180.

Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.110.

Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.850.

Fla. R. Work. Comp. P. 4.113.

Fla. Prob. R. 5.120.

Fla. R. Traf. Ct. 6.165.

Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.070.

Fla. R. Juv. P. 8.070.

Fla. R. App. P. 9.100.

Fla. R. Med. 10.100.

Fla. R. Arb. 11.010.

Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.010.

Fla. Admin. Code R. 62D-2.014.

R. Regulating Fla. Bar 4-1.10.

Fla. Bar Found. By-Laws, art. 2.19(b).

Fla. Bar Found. Charter, art. III, §3.4.

Fla. Bar Integr. R., art. XI, §11.09.

Fla. Jud. Qual. Comm'n R. 9.

Fla. Std. Jury Instr. (Civ.) 6.4(c).

Fla. Std. Jury Instr. (Crim.) 2.03.

Fla. Std. Jury Instr. (Crim.) Robbery.

Fla. Stds. Imposing Law. Sancs. 9.32(a).

Fla. Bar Admiss. R. 3-23.1.

(j) Florida Attorney General Opinions.

Op. Att'y Gen. Fla. 73-178 (1973).

(k) United States Supreme Court.

Sansone v. United States, 380 U.S. 343 (1965).

(Cite to United States Reports, if published therein; otherwise cite to Supreme Court Reporter, Lawyer's Edition, or United States Law Week, in that order of preference. For opinions not published in these reporters, cite to Florida Law Weekly Federal: California v. Hodari D., 13 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S249 (U.S. Apr. 23, 1991).

(l) Federal Courts of Appeals.

Gulf Oil Corp. v. Bivins, 276 F.2d 753 (5th Cir. 1960).

For opinions not published in the Federal Reporter, cite to Florida Law Weekly Federal: Cunningham v. Zant, 13 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. C591 (11th Cir. March 27, 1991).

(m) Federal District Courts.

Pugh v. Rainwater, 332 F. Supp. 1107 (S.D. Fla. 1971).

For opinions not published in the Federal Supplement, cite to Florida Law Weekly Federal: Wasko v. Dugger, 13 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. D183 (S.D. Fla. Apr. 2, 1991).

(n) United States Constitution.

Art. IV, § 2, cl. 2, U.S. Const. Amend. V, U.S. Const.

(o) Other Citations. When referring to specific material within a Florida court's opinion, pinpoint citation to the page of the Southern Reporter where that material occurs is optional, although preferred. All other citations shall be in the form prescribed by the latest edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, The Harvard Law Review Association, Gannett House, Cambridge, MA 02138. Citations not covered in this rule or in The Bluebook shall be in the form prescribed by the Florida Style Manual published by the Florida State University Law Review, Tallahassee, FL 32306.

(p) Case Names. Case names shall be underscored (or italicized) in text and in footnotes.