Contents

Template:Ussc

___ U.S. ___

This template is used on approximately 5,200 pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandboxor/testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

Description

This template is used in footnotes to cite the United States Reports, which are the official record of the rulings, orders, case tables, and other proceedings of the Supreme Court of the United States. This template can be used to generate the name of a case and its citation and date or year, together with an optional hyperlink which, if clicked, will lead the reader to the an external website with the full text of the case. For some websites, the template can be linked to create pinpoint citations, that is, a link to a specific page within a case. For older cases (before reporting was standardized to the United States Reports in 1875), references to nominative reporters may be added; and new cases that have yet to appear in the United States Report may be referenced using their docket numbers.

As external links should be avoided in the main bodies of articles (see WP:ELPOINTS), use |el=no to create a citation to the United States Report that does not have an external link, for example, in the lead section of an article about a US Supreme Court judgment.

Usage

Use in running prose

{{ussc|volume|page|year|el=no}}

Long form citations

{{ussc|name=|link=|volume=|page=|pin=|date=}}

or

{{ussc|name=|link=|volume|page|pin=pinpoint|year}}

Short form citation

{{ussc|name=|link=|short=yes|page=}}

or

{{ussc|name=|link=|short=yes|slip=}}

Older cases reported by nominative reporters

{{ussc|name=|link=|volume=|page=|pin=|date=|reporter=|reporter-volume=}}

or

{{ussc|name=|link=|volume|page|pin=pinpoint|year|reporter|reporter-volume}}

New cases not yet reported in the United States Reports

{{ussc|name=|link=|volume=|date=|docket=xx-xxx|slip=}}

or

{{ussc|name=|link=|1=volume|3=year|docket=xx-xxx|slip=}}

All available parameters

{{ussc|name=|link=|source=|casename=|docket=xx-xxx|volume=|page=|pin=|date=|reporter=|reporter-volume=|periods=no|slip=|dissent=|dissent-type=|concurrence=|concurrence-type=|short=|el=yes}}

or

{{ussc|name=|link=|source=|casename=|docket=xx-xxx|volume|page|pin=pinpoint|year|reporter|reporter-volume|periods=no|slip=|dissenter=|dissent-type=|concurrence=|concurrence-type=|el=yes}}

Mandatory parameters

The |volume=, |page= and |year= parameters are mandatory. If you do not wish to use the parameter names, then you must ensure that the values of these parameters appear in the template as the first, second and third parameters that do not have parameter names.

volume

The first number of a given case citation, which is the volume of the United States Reports in which the case is found.

page

The second number within the citation, which is the page in the volume on which the case syllabus begins.

year

The year in which the decision in the case was issued.

By default, the template creates external links to the Justia website. However, for volume 575 and higher (that is, for cases decided after February 25, 2015), external links to Justia result in a 404 (Not Found) error. To avoid this, you must either select a different source using the |source= parameter, create a link to the docket version of the case on Justia using at least the |date= (or|year=or|3=) and |docket= parameters as shown above, or suppress external links using |el=no.

As of March 2021, final bound volumes for the U.S. Supreme Court's United States Reports have been published through volume 574. Newer cases from subsequent future volumes do not yet have official page numbers and typically use three underscores in place of the page number; e.g., Salman v. United States, 580 U.S. ___ (2016). In those cases, the docket number—usually two digits, a dash, and the 1-to-4 digit case number—is used instead; e.g. Salman v. United States, 15-628 which can be achieved with {{ussc|name=Salman v. United States|docket=15-628|volume=580|date=2016}} If a case citation in a volume after 574 is shown with a page number, the page number is based on unofficial reporting and is subject to change when the decision is bound and printed.

Optional parameters

|name= and |link=

The |name= parameter is used to indicate the case name, and |link= the name of a Wikipedia article about the case. If |link= is specified, then the case name is linked to the Wikipedia article. If it is not specified, the template checks to see if there is a Wikipedia article with the same name as the case name specified using |name=. If there is one, a link to the Wikipedia article will be created automatically.

Example: {{ussc|name=Roe v. Wade|410|113|1973}}.

Result: Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973).

Alternatively, you can type the case name before the template instead of placing it within the template, like this:

Example: ''[[Doe v. Bolton]]'', {{ussc|volume=410|page=179|date=1973}}.

Result: Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179 (1973).

|source=

If you do not select a source, the template creates a link to the Justia website. To select an alternative source, type one of the following:

• |source=f – FindLaw.
• |source=o – OpenJurist.
• |source=w – Wikisource.

If you have selected Wikisource as the source to link to, you must also use |casename= to indicate the name of the case as it appears on Wikisource.

|reporter= and |reporter-volume=

The |reporter= parameter is used to state the nominative reporter that published the Supreme Court's opinion being cited. When the United States Reports commenced, reports by the nominative reporters were reprinted in sequential volumes as part of the series; thus, the actual first volume of the United States Reports was Volume 91. |reporter= must be used together with |reporter-volume=, which is the number of the volume in which the case appeared. If you do not wish to use the parameter names, then you must ensure that the values of these parameters appear as the fourth and fifth parameters without parameter names in the template.

Example: {{ussc|name=Marbury v. Madison|5|103|pin=104|1803|Cranch|1}}.

Result: Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. (1Cranch) 103, 104 (1803).

|pin=

Use this parameter to provide a pinpoint citation, that is, the exact page of a case on which the text cited may be found.

Example: {{ussc|name=Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company v. Sawyer|link=Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer|source=f|volume=343|page=579|pin=635|date=1952}}, (Jackson J., concurring).

Result: Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company v. Sawyer, 343 U.S. 579, 635 (1952), (Jackson J., concurring).

|docket=xx-xxx

Use this parameter to cite by its docket number a new case which has not yet been assigned a volume and/or first page number in the United States Reports. By default, the template links to Justia; use |source=f to create a link to FindLaw instead. It is customary to indicate either the date or year of the case, which you can do using |date=or|year=. If you do not wish to use these parameter names, then you must ensure that the date or year value is typed like this: "|3=date".

Example: {{ussc|name=Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.|link=Burwell v. Hobby Lobby|docket=13-354|volume=573|date=June 30, 2014}}.

Result: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., No. 13-354, 573 U.S. ___ (June 30, 2014).

Example: {{ussc|name=Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.|link=Burwell v. Hobby Lobby|source=f|docket=13-354|573|3=June 30, 2014}}.

Result: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., No. 13-354, 573 U.S. ___ (June 30, 2014).

|periods=no

Use this parameter to cause the abbreviation for the United States Reports to be displayed as "US" rather than "U.S.".

Example: {{ussc|name=Illinois v. Caballes|source=o|543|405|2005|periods=no}}

Result: Illinois v. Caballes, 543 US 405 (2005)

|slip=

Use this parameter to cite to a page of a slip opinion that has not yet been published in bound reports.

Example: {{ussc|name=Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.|link=Burwell v. Hobby Lobby|source=j|docket=13-354|volume=573|date=June 30, 2014|slip=4}}

Result: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., No. 13-354, 573 U.S. ___, slip op. at 4 (June 30, 2014)

|dissent= and |concurrence=

Use this parameter to indicate the justice whose dissent or concurrance you are referencing. The last name of the justice should go first, followed by C.J. for the chief justice or J. for associate justices.

Example: {{ussc|name=Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.|link=Burwell v. Hobby Lobby|source=j|docket=13-354|volume=573|date=June 30, 2014|slip=4|dissent=Ginsburg, J.}}

Result: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., No. 13-354, 573 U.S. ___, slip op. at 4 (June 30, 2014) (Ginsburg, J., dissenting)

|dissent-type=dissenting and |concurrence-type=concurring

This parameter is used to indicate the type of dissent such as "dissenting in part" and "concurring in judgement". It defaults to "dissenting" and "concurring" respectively.

Example: {{ussc|name=Baze v. Rees|source=j|volume=553|page=35|date=2008|slip=4|concurrence=Scalia, J.|concurrence-type=concurring in judgement}}

Result: Baze v. Rees, 553 U.S. 35, slip op. at 4 (2008) (Scalia, J., concurring in judgement)

|short=no

By default, the template creates a long-form citation. Once a case has been referenced properly in the long form, then short-form citations may be used in all subsequent references to that case. To do so, simply add |short=yes to the citation. At a minimum, short citations require |name= and page number, using either |pin=or|slip=. Typically, the |volume= should also be provided, if known. The common practice with short citations is to also shorten the |name= of the case, so as to reference only one of the parties (or even just portion of their name) – as long as the connection back to the original citation is logical, consistent, and clear. To wit:

Example: {{ussc|name=Youngstown Sheet|link=Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer|volume=343|pin=635|short=yes}}.

Result: Youngstown Sheet, 343 U.S. at 635.

Or:

Example: {{ussc|name=Hobby Lobby|link=Burwell v. Hobby Lobby|docket=13-354|volume=573|date=June 30, 2014|short=yes|slip=3}}.

Result: Hobby Lobby, 573 U.S. slip op. at 3.

The other parameters are either optional or have no effect in a short cite. The minimal code for a short citation can thus be reduced to three parameters:

Example: {{ussc|name=Hobby Lobby|short=yes|slip=3}}.

Result: Hobby Lobby, slip op. at 3.

The optional parameters that will effect the output of a short citation are: |link=, |dissent=, |concurrence=, |dissent-type=, and |concurrence-type=.

Example: {{ussc|name=Hobby Lobby|link=Burwell v. Hobby Lobby|short=yes|slip=4|dissent=Ginsburg, J.}}.

Result: Hobby Lobby, slip op. at 4 (Ginsburg, J., dissenting).

|el=no

By default the template creates an external link to the decision text. External links, while allowed in citations, are advised against in prose (see WP:ELPOINTS). If the template is being used in running prose, setting |el=no prevents the template from making external links.

Example: ''[[Doe v. Bolton]]'', {{ussc|volume=410|page=179|date=1973|el=yes}}.

Result: Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179 (1973).

Example: ''[[Doe v. Bolton]]'', {{ussc|volume=410|page=179|date=1973|el=no}}.

Result: Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179 (1973).

Tracking categories

• Category:Pages using ussc short form citations without volume (5)

TemplateData

See also

• {{Bluebook website}}
• {{Bluebook journal}}