This work first appeared in 1993. It was most recently revised in the fall of 2012 to take account of changes in the citation rules of a small number of U.S. jurisdictions and the format of currency information furnished for statutes by LexisNexis and Westlaw. As was true of the editions released in 2010 and 2011 it is indexed to the fourth edition of the ALWD Citation Manual and the nineteenth edition of The Bluebook, both published in 2010.

The content of this guide is also available in three different e-book formats: 1) a pdf version that can be printed out in whole or part and also used with hyperlink navigation on an iPad or other tablet, indeed, on any computer; 2) a version designed specifically for use on the Kindle and other readers or apps using the Mobipocket format; and 3) a version in ePub format for the Nook and other readers or apps that work with it. To access any of them, click here. (Over 50,000 copies of the 2011 edition were downloaded.)

Since the guide is online, its further revision is not tied to a rigid publication cycle. Any user seeing a need for clarification, correction, or other improvement is encouraged to send the suggested change, with explanation, to peter.martin@cornell.edu
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A companion “wiki” also allows users to raise questions, post comments, elaborate upon the work’s introductory treatment or extend its coverage to other types of material or jurisdictions. This is primarily not an "ask the author" or "tell the author" forum. It aims rather to provide a framework that will allow those teaching and learning about legal citation, as well as professionals confronting an unfamiliar citation challenge, to discuss, extend and improve the underlying work. To access the wiki go to: http://basiclegalcitation.wikispaces.com.