How do you cite the Federal Reporter series (F.) and Federal Supplement (F. Supp.)?

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Multiple Choice

How do you cite the Federal Reporter series (F.) and Federal Supplement (F. Supp.)?

Federal decisions appear in two reporters, depending on the court that decided the case. Appellate decisions from the U.S. Courts of Appeals are cited in the Federal Reporter (F., F.2d, F.3d), while district court decisions are cited in the Federal Supplement (F. Supp.). The rule is to cite the reporter that published the decision; if a case is reported in both reporters, you may include parallel citations to both. That makes the best choice reflect both possibilities: you cite volume and page in the appropriate reporter for the court, and you can add the other reporter if the case is also published there. For example, a circuit court decision could appear as Name v. Name, 123 F.3d 456 (9th Cir. 2000). If the same decision is also reported in the Federal Supplement, you would can present it as a parallel citation: Name v. Name, 123 F.3d 456, 789 F. Supp. 12 (9th Cir. 2000). The essential idea is to use F. Supp. for district court decisions and F.3d (or another Federal Reporter series appropriate to the circuit) for appellate decisions, with parallel citations when available. That matches the option showing either volume F. Supp. page (court year) or volume F.3d page (court year).

Federal decisions appear in two reporters, depending on the court that decided the case. Appellate decisions from the U.S. Courts of Appeals are cited in the Federal Reporter (F., F.2d, F.3d), while district court decisions are cited in the Federal Supplement (F. Supp.). The rule is to cite the reporter that published the decision; if a case is reported in both reporters, you may include parallel citations to both.

That makes the best choice reflect both possibilities: you cite volume and page in the appropriate reporter for the court, and you can add the other reporter if the case is also published there. For example, a circuit court decision could appear as Name v. Name, 123 F.3d 456 (9th Cir. 2000). If the same decision is also reported in the Federal Supplement, you would can present it as a parallel citation: Name v. Name, 123 F.3d 456, 789 F. Supp. 12 (9th Cir. 2000). The essential idea is to use F. Supp. for district court decisions and F.3d (or another Federal Reporter series appropriate to the circuit) for appellate decisions, with parallel citations when available. That matches the option showing either volume F. Supp. page (court year) or volume F.3d page (court year).

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