OREGON APPELLATE COURTS (2002)
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Style Manual
(Updated 2023)
OREGON APPELLATE COURTS
Style Manual
(Updated 2023)
Preface
The Oregon Appellate Courts have adopted this style manual as a guideline for
conventions used in format, citation, quotation, and style when writing opinions.
It is not all-inclusive nor an attempt to dictate writing style. See ORAP 5.20(45)
(referring to Style Manual as guide to conventions in style and citation).
Sincere appreciation to all who added their time and talent to this project.
For form and style questions not covered by this manual,
please contact the OJD Publications Program
(publications@ojd.state.or.us).
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FORMATTING
In General ....................................................................................................................................... 5
I. Title Page
A. Date of Opinion .................................................................................................. 6
B. Identifying Caption of the Appellate Court Issuing the Opinion ....................... 6
C. Names and Roles of the Parties to the Case....................................................... 6
D. Identification Numbers ....................................................................................... 6
E. En Banc............................................................................................................... 7
F. Court / Agency of Origination ............................................................................ 7
G. Trial Court Judge ................................................................................................ 7
H. Argued and Submitted Date ............................................................................... 7
I. Names of Counsel............................................................................................... 7
J. Panel of Judges / Justices..................................................................................... 7
K. Opinion Author(s) .............................................................................................. 7
L. Disposition of Case ............................................................................................ 8
M. Designation of Prevailing Party and Award of Costs ......................................... 8
II. Body of Opinion
In General ............................................................................................................................ 9
A. General Format ................................................................................................ 10
B. Structural Tools................................................................................................. 11
C. Writing Tools .................................................................................................... 14
CITATION
In General ..................................................................................................................................... 15
I. Organization and Arrangement
A. The Bluebook .................................................................................................... 16
B. Consistency of Citations .................................................................................. 16
C. Case Names ...................................................................................................... 16
D. Spaces and Abbreviations of Citations ............................................................. 17
E. String Citations................................................................................................. 18
F. Signals .............................................................................................................. 18
G. Parenthetical Information ................................................................................. 18
II. Case Law
A. Oregon–Full Citations ...................................................................................... 20
B. Oregon–Short Citations and Other Issues ........................................................ 26
C. Federal Jurisdictions ......................................................................................... 29
D. States Other Than Oregon ................................................................................ 31
E. Online Sources .................................................................................................. 32
III. Constitutional, Statutory, and Other Related Citations
A. Oregon Citations .............................................................................................. 33
B. Federal Citations .............................................................................................. 45
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IV. Periodical Articles, Books, Treatises, Restatements, Etc.
In General .......................................................................................................................... 48
A. Periodical Articles ............................................................................................ 48
B. Books and Treatises .......................................................................................... 49
C. Restatements ..................................................................................................... 51
D. Others ............................................................................................................... 51
QUOTATION
In General ..................................................................................................................................... 52
I. Citations, Parenthetical Phrases, and Footnotes
A. Placement ......................................................................................................... 53
B. Use of Parenthetical Phrases With Quotations Within Text ............................. 55
II. Use of Uppercase, Brackets, and Ellipsis Within Quotations
A. Use of Uppercase.............................................................................................. 59
B. Use of Brackets................................................................................................. 59
C. Use of Ellipsis................................................................................................... 62
STYLE GUIDE
In General ..................................................................................................................................... 66
Other Resources ............................................................................................................................ 66
I. Spelling, Font, and Treatment of Words
A. Use of Italics and Roman Typeface ................................................................. 67
B. Use of Uppercase and Lowercase .................................................................... 68
C. Numbers and Dates .......................................................................................... 72
D. Acronyms / Initialisms ...................................................................................... 75
E. Titles and Offices ............................................................................................. 76
F.
Abbreviations ................................................................................................... 76
II. Punctuation
A. Apostrophes ...................................................................................................... 77
B. Colons .............................................................................................................. 78
C. Commas ............................................................................................................ 79
D. Dashes .............................................................................................................. 84
E. Hyphens ........................................................................................................... 85
F. Punctuating Lists .............................................................................................. 87
G. Punctuating Parenthetical Elements ................................................................. 88
H. Semicolons ....................................................................................................... 88
III. Word Usage and Conventions
A. Word Pairs ........................................................................................................ 90
B. Word Functions............................................................................................... 101
C. Word Usage..................................................................................................... 102
D. Variant Spellings............................................................................................. 104
IV. Common Grammatical and Style Problems
A. Collective Nouns ............................................................................................ 105
B. Parallel Construction ...................................................................................... 105
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C. Passive Voice ................................................................................................. 105
D. Verbs .............................................................................................................. 106
E.
Active Voice ................................................................................................... 107
F. Gender-Neutral Wording ............................................................................... 107
G. Informal or Technical Terminology ............................................................... 107
GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................. 108
OPINION OVERVIEWS
I. Supreme Court .......................................................................................................... 113
II. Court of Appeals ........................................................................................................ 114
III. Tax Court–Regular Division ..................................................................................... 115
IV. Tax Court–Magistrate Division ................................................................................ 116
APPENDIX
Standard Proofreader’s Marks ........................................................................................ 117
INDEX ...................................................................................................................................... 118
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FORMATTING
In General
Slip opinions are double spaced; indented quoted material is single spaced and
formatted in the same style as the original material; footnotes are placed at the bottom
of the page on which they are referenced. Line numbers are set out along the left hand
margin, except the footnote section. The courts use Times New Roman, 13-point font.
Slip opinions consist of a title page, which includes a designation of prevailing
party and award of costs portion, followed by the body of the opinion. Cases Affirmed
Without Opinion (AWOP) consist of a title page only. Per Curiam Opinions may
consist of a title page only, but have the same weight of authority as a signed opinion.
Therefore, it is not necessary to indicate parenthetically whether an opinion cited is
Per Curiam. Cases that are Affirmed By An Equally Divided Court are resolved by
opinion—as opposed to an order—and can consist of a title page only unless a concurring
or dissenting opinion is written.
Listed below are the essential elements found on a standard title page of an
appellate court opinion, followed by the substantive components generally contained
within the body of an opinion. Please note that these are models only and that actual title
pages and opinions may vary due to the particular requirements of an individual case.
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I. Title Page
A.
Date of Opinion
The date that the opinion issues is located in the upper right hand corner of the
page preceded by FILED:.
B.
Identifying Caption of the Appellate Court Issuing the Opinion
The identification of the appellate court is centered on the page in uppercase
letters, e.g.,
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE
STATE OF OREGON
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE
STATE OF OREGON
IN THE OREGON TAX COURT
REGULAR DIVISION
IN THE OREGON TAX COURT
MAGISTRATE DIVISION
For nonprecedential memorandum opinions issued by the Court of Appeals, the
following recitation will precede the caption:
This is a nonprecedential memorandum opinion pursuant to ORAP 10.30 and may not be cited
except as provided in ORAP 10.30(1).
C.
Names and Roles of the Parties to the Case
Parties are generally listed in the order in which they appeared in the lower court
or tribunal, but using their appellate court designations: appellant, respondent, petitioner
on review, respondent on review, etc. That information is generally taken from the
originating document filed for a case, e.g., the Notice of Appeal or Petition for Judicial
Review.
In criminal cases, the STATE OF OREGON is the first party listed, followed by
the full name of the defendant.
D.
Identification Numbers
Each appellate case is assigned a number when filed, which is centered on the
title page below the names of the parties to the case and preceded by any identifying
number(s) from the court or agency in which the case originated. If cases have been
consolidated on appeal or review, then both appellate case numbers are listed. A Supreme
Court case number begins with an “S,” a Court of Appeals case number begins with an
“A,” a Tax Court-Regular Division case number begins with “TC,” and a Tax CourtMagistrate Division case number begins with “TC-MD.”
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E.
En Banc
If a case is decided by the full court, then that will be noted in the first line starting
at the left-hand margin. No period follows the en banc designation. The initial letter in
each word is in uppercase on the title page (e.g., En Banc), but when used within the text
of an opinion, the term is in lowercase letters.
F.
Court / Agency of Origination
Identifies where / how the case originated.
G.
Trial Court Judge
Identifies judge(s) who signed the appealable judgment(s) or order(s) that are the
subject of the appeal. The Supreme Court footnotes that information on the title page with
an asterisk.
H.
Argued and Submitted Date
Identifies when the case was submitted and whether it was argued. Some cases are
submitted on the record only.
I.
Names of Counsel
The attorney(s) for all parties to a case are named. If a party appears for himself or
herself (sometimes referred to as pro se), then that is noted. A person or entity appearing
as amicus curiae is also identified here, along with the counsel of record. Counsel names
are listed as they appear on the signature line of the briefs filed in the case.
Regarding Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys, use official titles (e.g., Attorney
General, Deputy Attorney General, Solicitor General, Deputy Solicitor General, Assistant
Attorney General), but do not uses any internal DOJ classification or position description,
such as “Attorney-in-Charge, Post-Conviction Section” or “Senior Assistant Attorney
General,” etc.
Regarding Office of Public Defense Services (OPDS) attorneys, use official titles
(e.g., Chief Defender, Criminal Appellate Section; Chief Defender, Juvenile Appellate
Section; Deputy Public Defender), but do not use any internal OPDS classification or
position description, such as “Chief Deputy,” “Senior Deputy Public Defender,” etc.
J.
Panel of Judges / Justices
The panel of judges (in the Court of Appeals and also denoting the Presiding
Judge) or the names of the Supreme Court justices deciding the case (if not heard en banc)
are listed. When denoting a judge who has retired or resigned, a judge’s designation will
reflect the status of the judge at the time the opinion issues.
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K.
Opinion Author(s)
1.
Signed Opinions
The author’s name is listed in uppercase. When there is a concurring
or dissenting opinion, the name of its author is listed on the title page after the
decision line (e.g., Smith, J., dissenting.). Each opinion is arranged in this order:
majority; concurring (the authoring justice / judge wishes to write separately,
but agrees with both the result and rationale of the majority opinion); specially
concurring (the authoring justice / judge wishes to write separately and agrees
with the result, but not the rationale, of the majority opinion); concurring in part,
dissenting in part; and dissenting (the authoring justice / judge disagrees with the
result of the majority opinion). If two or more justices / judges file a concurring or
dissenting opinion, then the more senior justice’s / judge’s opinion goes first. See,
e.g., State v. Dameron, 316 Or 448, 853 P2d 1285 (1993) (for order of opinions).
When there is a nonparticipating justice in the Supreme Court, that justice’s
name is footnoted on the title page of the opinion.
2.
Per Curiam Opinions
An opinion that summarily disposes of the case may be designated as Per
Curiam. The Per Curiam designation is also used for all lawyer discipline, Bar
admission, and judicial fitness matters before the Supreme Court.
3.
Affirmed By An Equally Divided Court
In rare circumstances, the court may be split evenly regarding the
disposition of a case, in which event the case is deemed to be affirmed, although
no signed majority opinion is issued.
L.
Disposition of Case
A brief statement of the court’s holding. This holding is repeated as the last line
(set out as a separate paragraph) in the body of the opinion and is referred to as the “tag
line.” The tag line serves as the court’s formal disposition of the case and also serves as
further instruction to the lower tribunal(s).
M.
Designation of Prevailing Party and Award of Costs
The last part of a Supreme Court or Court of Appeals title page denotes the
prevailing party and whether, and to whom, the court allows costs.
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II. Body of Opinion
In General
Both custom and tradition influence the content and format of appellate opinions,
as does the individual writing style of each judge. It is not the intent here to dictate that
style, but to list standard conventions often used to organize opinions. In describing the
elements of a typical opinion, our purpose is to give the reader a better understanding of
appellate opinions.
Due to the scrutiny to which a published appellate opinion is subjected, the court’s
discussion, analysis, and holding need to be expressed clearly, succinctly, and carefully.
An opinion is crafted to inform the reader of the legal issues presented, discuss the facts,
explain the court’s analysis, and conclude with the court’s final disposition of the case.
Because overly long sentences and paragraphs tend to appear formidable, all attempts are
made to present the appellate opinion as straightforwardly as possible. Because appellate
opinions are formal documents, contractions are used only when quoting from a source in
which they appear.
Remember, these are general guidelines only, which means that there always will
be exceptions. The requirements of an individual case may demand deviation from the
norms here listed.
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A.
General Format
1.
Initial Paragraph–Introduction to the Case
The opinion begins by restating the name of the authoring judge or justice
or by using the Per Curiam designation in uppercase, set out separately as the first
line. The introductory paragraph sets out the general nature of the case, which
includes the results in any lower tribunal(s), the main issues on appeal / review, and
the final disposition of the court. That provides the framework for the details that
follow.
To the extent possible, the opinion refers to parties by their lower
tribunal(s) designations, e.g., plaintiff, defendant, claimant, etc. Exceptions include
the following: (1) domestic relations cases, in which the parties are referred to as
“husband” and “wife”; (2) civil commitment proceedings, in which the person
for whom commitment is sought is referred to by his or her position on appeal
(appellant, respondent); (3) termination of parental rights proceedings, in which
the parents are referred to as “mother” and “father,” and the children are referred
to as “child” or “children” or sometimes by initials. The proper names of victims
are not used. See page 103 for further discussion.
When citing a concurring or dissenting opinion, the author’s last name is
used. When a dissenting or concurring opinion refers to the majority opinion, the
majority opinion is referred to as such, not by its author.
If a party has a long name, a shortened version is usually developed for
use in subsequent references, e.g., First Security Bank of the Northwest may be
referred to simply as “First Security” or “bank.”
2.
Statement of Facts
The pertinent facts of a case are set out in a concise and objective manner.
Those facts can be organized in patterns, e.g., chronologically or geographically,
or by issue, witness, or actor. If an issue is complex, the facts may be set out in
general here and then in more detail when discussing the issue to which they
relate.
3.
Discussion of Issues
The opinion then addresses the dispositive issue(s) in a manner appropriate
to the circumstances of the case. One approach is to state the parties’ positions,
either in the order in which they were raised below, discussed in the briefs,
or dictated by circumstance; respond to those arguments; and then provide an
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explanation for the result reached by stating the authorities relied on. Simply
stated, the discussion states the issue, how it is resolved on the facts of the case
with citation to relevant authority, and the effect of the resolution.
4.
Disposition of Case
The final paragraph states the result and gives instructions when necessary.
The conclusion is followed by the tag line, a separate paragraph that sets out the
court’s final ruling and serves as further instruction to the lower tribunal(s).
B.
Structural Tools
If a case is complex, then the authoring judge may decide to divide the opinion
into designated parts and label them to identify for the reader the discussion of the case.
That is accomplished by using the methods discussed below.
1.
Paragraph or Section Headings
a.
Format
(1)
Headings
An author may decide to use principal divisions within an
opinion. When used, headings for those divisions are centered
and set out in uppercase letters. Roman numerals are not used if
subheads are omitted.
(2)
Outline Method
If dividing and labeling an opinion into sections and
subsections, then the standard outline format is used as set out
below. Standard outline rules apply, e.g., if there is a heading
designated I., then there must be a II., if there is a subheading A.,
then there must be a B., etc. Initial caps are used in the first level
of subheadings (on all words except articles, prepositions, and
conjunctions) unless the subheading reads as a complete sentence.
Each new level of subheading starts at a new level of indentation,
with an indent following the number or letter.
The levels of outlining are referred to as follows:
Headings (indicated by Roman numerals)
Subheadings (indicated by uppercase letters)
Paragraphs (indicated by numerals)
Subparagraphs (indicated by lower case letters)
Subsubparagraphs (indicated by numbers within parentheses)
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I. HEADING (centered, uppercase, no italic or boldface font,
if there are no subheadings, then do not number headings)
A.
Subheading Example with Initial Uppercase
Set subheading flush left, beginning with nonitalicized alpha character “A.” Indent
after alpha character, followed by italicized subheading. If subheading is not a sentence,
then use initial uppercase, but if subheading is a sentence, then use a period and no
initial uppercase after the first word.
B.
1.
Paragraph heading is indented and italicized (do not use initial uppercase
after the first word; use a period only if a sentence).
2.
If there is a paragraph 1, then there must be a paragraph 2.
a.
Subparagraph heading is indented twice, no italics.
b.
If there is a subparagraph a, then there must be a subparagraph b.
(1)
Subsubparagraph heading is indented yet again, no italics.
(2)
If there is a subsubparagraph (1), then there must be a
subsubparagraph (2).
This is an example of a subheading that does not require initial uppercase but does
use a period, because it is a sentence.
If there is a subheading A, then there must be a subheading B. Paragraphs that
follow any of these headings are formatted like this one, flush left with a first-line indent.
NOTE: With regard to case names in subheadings, if the opinion subheadings
only involve the first scenario (see below), italicize the case name, which reads
better to the reader. But, if the opinion subheadings have both scenarios (or
only the second one), then format as follows, for internal consistency:
A. State v. Baker
B. State v. Jones and its Progeny
b.
Bulleted or Numbered Lists
It may be more clear to organize certain text, e.g., events, dates,
testimony, etc., using a bulleted or numbered list. The bulleted list generally
is indented. The use of bullets can help to differentiate items in a list that
need no particular order, e.g.,
•
Car of little or no value
•
Boat valued at $10,000
•
Personal jewelry that is valued at more than $5,000, but less than
$10,000, and similar items.
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Numbered lists, with each numeral appearing inside a set of parentheses, help to organize and display information to show relationship, e.g.,
Defendant argues as follows: (1) the trial court erred; (2) the error was
not harmless; and (3) his conviction should be reversed.
See pages 87 to 88 for further discussion regarding the proper
structure for numbered lists.
2.
Quotations
When construing a statute or administrative rule, for example, the author
generally quotes the pertinent text. The purpose of quotation is to provide the
reader with the information necessary to understand the court’s discussion of the
issues and the law governing its analysis. The proper format for quoted material is
discussed in the Citation and Quotation sections.
3.
Footnotes
a.
In General
Footnotes document sources of information or make ancillary
references. Substantive information is best addressed within the body of the
opinion. Footnote text begins on the same line as the superscripted footnote
number, except when the footnote begins with a block quotation.
b.
Citations in Footnotes
When citing a case in a footnote and the case has not previously been
cited (in text or footnote), use the full case citation. If the case has already
been cited (in text or footnote), then use a short citation. (Note that, if a case
is cited for the first time in a footnote, then the first subsequent citation to
that case in the text must also be a full citation. See pages 20 and 25.)
c.
Referencing to and Setting Out Footnoted Text Within Body of Opinion
Footnote numbers, where applicable, are placed after periods,
commas, colons, semicolons, and quotation marks. Footnote numbers also
are placed after a closing parenthesis, unless the footnote refers to material
inside the parentheses. Footnote numbers inserted within quoted material
are set out using superscripted brackets.
4.
Maps / Pictures / Appendices
It may be necessary to include graphic information to convey a more clear
understanding of the issue(s). In that event, a photograph, map, or chart is either
appended to the opinion or inserted within the text where applicable. When included,
an appendix is usually first described in narrative form. The appendix typically
begins on a separate page at the end of the opinion with the heading “Appendix.”
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C.
Writing Tools
1.
Fonts
a.
Italics and Underscoring
Italic typeface is used within opinions to denote case names, to set
out introductory signals, to indicate and less common foreign terminology,
and to supply emphasis. See examples listed on page 67. Excessive use of
italics for emphasis is discouraged.
Underscoring is used only in quotations when the original source
used underscoring for emphasis or headings and the like.
b.
Boldface and Uppercase
It is best to avoid using a variety of styles and fonts within an
opinion. Use of boldface or all uppercase letters in text is discouraged as a
distraction to the reader. Italic type generally is sufficient to show emphasis.
Avoid using UPPERCASE BOLDFACE ITALIC, as it is difficult to read.
2.
Make Smooth Transitions
When turning to a new issue or argument within an opinion, use
introductory sentences or paragraphs to indicate transition between discussions.
Use signal words to connect thoughts back to a preceding point or ahead to the
next one, e.g., further, however, consequently, etc. Explore one idea per paragraph,
relating each sentence to that central idea.
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CITATION
In General
In legal citation, it is paramount to cite authorities in a clear and concise manner,
thereby enabling the reader to locate those sources. Within this Style Manual, we have
endeavored to include citation examples of sources often cited within the framework of
appellate opinions. When citing an authority not discussed here, follow the format of like
material.
Citations should be made to official print sources whenever possible. If there is no
official printed version or if it is difficult to obtain, or the publishing entity has designated
an electronic source as the official version, then citation to that source should follow the
format (as closely as possible) as described within this manual.
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I. Organization and Arrangement
A.
The Bluebook
The appellate courts generally follow the citation practices set out in the most
current version of The Harvard Law Review Association’s The Bluebook, A Uniform
System of Citation, except as noted in this Style Manual. The Bluebook is used as the
default source for citation questions not addressed here.
B.
Consistency of Citations
If you cannot find a specific rule that addresses your particular citation situation,
then cite the authority in a clear, sensible manner that will convey the information needed
to find the cited authority. Consistency within a particular document is important to avoid
distracting and confusing the reader.
In subsequent case history, if all the decisions in one case take place during the
same year, then place the date (year) once at the end of the entire citation. However, if
the decisions span more than one year, then place all years in the appropriate places, as
shown in the examples. See, e.g., pages 23 to 24.
Standard references used for prior or subsequent case history in citations are as
follows:
Acceptable Abbreviations:
Terms Not Abbreviated:
adh’d to on recons (adhered)
allowed (not all)
aff’d (affirmed) appeal dismissed
cert (certiorari) as improvidently allowed
cert den (certiorari denied) compiled as a note after
recons (reconsideration; not recon) decision by order
reh’g (rehearing) dismissed (not dism)
rem’d (remanded) modified (not mod)
rev’d (reversed) overruled on other grounds
rev (revised)
rev den (review denied)
vac’d (vacated)
writ den (writ of mandamus denied)
C.
Case Names
When citing Oregon appellate cases, DO NOT use the title page, a regional
reporter, Premise, Westlaw, or LEXIS as a source for the official case name. Use the case
name exactly as published in the official state reporter, located at the top of either the
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odd- or even-numbered pages. In the Oregon Reports and the Oregon Appellate Courts
Advance Sheets, the case name appears on the even-numbered pages.
Exception for cases concerning the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA):
Per Joint CJO 23-012/23-01, effective April 1, 2023, when citing to any VAWA
case, the author shall modify the case names to include only the initials of the
protected party, regardless of how the case names were previously published. As
stated in Joint CJO 23-012/23-01, cases are designated as “VAWA cases” in the
Appellate Case Management System and include civil stalking, Family Abuse Prevention Act, Elderly Persons with Disabilities Abuse Prevention Act, Registration
of Foreign Restraining Orders, Sexual Abuse Protection Orders, Extreme Risk
Protection Orders, and Punitive Contempt Cases, most of which involve the violation of restraining orders, as well as other individual cases that court staff have
determined should be so designated under the provisions of VAWA.
In the Oregon Reports and the Oregon Appellate Courts Advance Sheets, the case
name appears on the even-numbered pages. If citing a case from a jurisdiction that does
not have its own separate official reporter or if you do not have access to the official
reports, then use the case name as used in the regional reporter or follow the naming
conventions as set out in The Bluebook when using online services. Cases that are
Affirmed Without Opinion are listed in tables using their full case titles. In the event that
such a case needs to be cited using a shortened case name, please contact the Publications
Program for the correct case name if it is not easily discernible.
In older bound volumes of the Oregon Reports, case names are shown with small
uppercase letters. Replace those with ordinary Roman type for citation purposes. Also
in older volumes, running heads are sometimes shown using et al., et ux., or et vir. to
indicate additional parties. For purposes of consistency when citing such cases, those
abbreviations should be included, as well as their punctuation.
D.
Spaces and Abbreviations of Citations
Generally, spaces in citations are used to separate longer abbreviations, e.g.,
S Ct, F Supp, L Ed 2d, Or L Rev, Tex App, etc. A space is not necessary between adjacent
single uppercase letters or numerals and ordinals that are treated as single uppercase
letters, e.g., P3d, NE2d, NYS2d, but insert a space before any abbreviation containing
two or more letters, e.g., So 2d. Periods are not used after abbreviations, except when
quoting material in which they are included.
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E.
String Citations
When using string citations, follow The Bluebook format for the order of
authorities, i.e., (1) cases decided by the same court, or by all federal circuit courts of
appeals or federal district courts, are arranged in reverse chronological order; and
(2) different courts generally are set out by rank. Use a semicolon, not a comma or the
word “and,” to separate citations within a string.
F.
Signals
Introductory signals are used to indicate the level of support to be found in a
citation, suggest comparison, indicate contradiction, or indicate background material.
When using a signal, it is important to recognize the intent of the signal. Some signals
indicate support: e.g., see, see also, accord, cf.; others comparison: compare (using the
construction compare and or compare with); or contradiction: contra, but see, but cf.;
and background: see generally. Like signals are grouped into a single citation sentence,
separated by a semicolon.
The courts generally follow The Bluebook regarding the appropriate use of signals,
i.e., the meaning of each signal, order of signals, order of authorities within signals,
and parentheticals with signals. When using signals, the courts typically include a
parenthetical explanation briefly describing the relevance of the authority cited, e.g.,
Cf. State v. Brown, 300 Or 125, 130, 860 P2d 498 (1985) (hearsay inadmissible at trial).
See, e.g., OEC 401 (regarding relevancy of evidence).
School Dist. 1, Mult. Co. v. Bingham et al., 204 Or 601, 611, 283 P2d 670, modified on
reh’g, 204 Or 606, 284 P2d 779 (1955) (when interpreting Oregon Constitution, court
must assume that every word, clause, and sentence therein inserted for some useful
purpose).
NOTE: No signal is needed when the cited authority directly states the
proposition; in some situations, it still may be advisable to include a parenthetical
explanation, even if no signal is used. Also, note that the internal comma within a
signal is italicized.
G.
Parenthetical Information
Parenthetical explanations are added as needed to describe the relevance of an
authority that is cited in the text. Although not mandatory, often that information is
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helpful for clarification. A parenthetical statement can consist of quoted material or a
brief statement. When including a parenthetical explanation in a case with citations
to subsequent history, place the explanation following all the subsequent case history.
Quoted statements that read as a complete sentence should include an initial uppercase
letter and period (with brackets and / or an ellipsis, if appropriate), but other material that
reads as a sentence does not receive an initial uppercase letter or a period, e.g.,
Old v. Navy, 555 Or App 444, 447, 222 P3d 888 (2015) (“[An] award of ‘reasonable’
attorney fees does not preclude the use of a multiplier or other fee enhancement * * *.
Such an enhancement may be applied at the beginning of the calculation process.”).
Aber v. Crombie, 123 Or 234, 236, 456 P3d 678 (2015) (the constitution does not provide that shirts have to be “button down”).
See, e.g., People v. Vasquez, 148 P3d 326, 330 (Colo Ct App 2006), rev den, No
06SC556, 2006 WL 3404625 (Colo, Nov 27, 2006) (“Because the reasonable person
standard requires a ‘defendant [to] appraise the situation as would a reasonable sober
[person],’ evidence of voluntary intoxication is irrelevant to the defendant’s affirmative
defense of self-defense.” (Quoting LaFave, 2 Substantive Criminal Law § 9.5(d) at 51
(emphasis in LaFave; brackets in Vasquez).)).
More examples of parenthetical phrases can be found on pages 57 to 58.
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II. Case Law
A.
Oregon–Full Citations
When citing a case for the first time in the text of an opinion (majority, concurring,
or dissenting) use the full case citation. (If the case has previously been cited in full in a
footnote, then the first textual citation to the case should still be a full citation.) See page
13.
The basic citation format for a full case citation includes these elements, in this
order: name of the case (using the official running head, but redacting any protected
party’s name to initials in VAWA cases, see example on page 25); volume, abbreviated
name of the official reporter, and beginning page number of the case; parallel citation to
regional reporter; parenthetical indicating year case was decided; subsequent history; and
any other pertinent parenthetical information.
1.
Supreme Court
PGE v. Bureau of Labor and Industries, 317 Or 606, 859 P2d 1143 (1993).
NOTE: Oregon Supreme Court cases issued before 1888 have no parallel
citations.
On rehearing
Older Oregon cases with separate “rehearing” decisions have one Oregon
citation (because the rehearing decision was published immediately after the initial
decision), but two West citations. For those cases, the year shown in the published
case name at the top of the odd- or even-numbered pages is the year that a decision
on rehearing was issued, not the year that the case initially was decided (if different).
Citation to such cases depends on whether you are citing to the original decision or
the decision on rehearing.
If citing the initial decision, include the date of that decision, then include
the rehearing information as subsequent history:
State v. Laundy, 103 Or 443, 455, 204 P 958 (1921), reh’g den, 103 Or 503,
206 P 290 (1922).
NOTE: Opinion on the merits begins on page 443, but opinion on
rehearing starts on page 503.
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If citing the rehearing decision, then cite both decisions, with the rehearing
year and a “rehearing” indicator:
State v. Laundy, 103 Or 443, 503, 206 P 290 (1922) (on rehearing).
On reconsideration (specify disposition):
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. v. Tualatin Tire & Auto, 322 Or 406, 908 P2d 300
(1995), modified on recons, 325 Or 46, 932 P2d 1141 (1997).
NOTE: If citing only the case on reconsideration, it is not necessary to include the
earlier case citation, e.g., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. v. Tualatin Tire & Auto,
325 Or 46, 932 P2d 1141 (1997).
Overruled by subsequent Oregon case:
Rose v. Port of Portland, 82 Or 541, 552, 162 P 498 (1917), overruled in part
on other grounds by State ex rel Heinig v. Milwaukie et al, 231 Or 473, 479,
373 P2d 680 (1962).
Rejected by subsequent Oregon case:
State v. Smith, 295 Or 200, 625 P2d 20 (1981), rejected in part by State v.
Jones, 321 Or 100, 805 P2d 150 (1991).
(Other alternatives, such as, “abrogated by” and “questioned by,” can be
used as appropriate.)
Certiorari (or writ) denied by United States Supreme Court:
Dept. of Trans. v. Lundberg, 312 Or 568, 825 P2d 641, cert den, 506 US 975
(1992).
Whitman v. United States, 904 F Supp 2d 363 (SDNY 2012), writ den, 574 US
___, 135 S Ct 352 (2014).
NOTE: (1) Always include cert den, if applicable. (2) If certiorari is dismissed,
use the same format as the above example, substituting “cert dismissed” for “cert
den.” (3) Unless certiorari is denied or dismissed by opinion, parallel citations
are not necessary for “cert den” or “cert dismissed” after they are published in the
United States Reports.
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Certiorari granted by United States Supreme Court (include as much
information as is available at the time that you are writing). These examples list
earliest to latest sources:
State v. Ice, 343 Or 248, 70 P3d 1049, cert granted, __ US __, 76 USLW 3496
(Mar 17, 2008).
State v. Ice, 343 Or 248, 70 P3d 1049, cert granted, __ US __, 128 S Ct 1657
(2008).
State v. Ice, 343 Or 248, 70 P3d 1049, cert granted, 552 US 1256 (2008).
Supreme Court opinion reversed by United States Supreme Court:
Gilliam County v. Dept. of Environmental Quality, 316 Or 99, 849 P2d 500
(1993), rev’d and rem’d sub nom Oregon Waste Systems, Inc. v. Department of
Environmental Quality of Ore., 511 US 93, 114 S Ct 1345, 128 L Ed 2d 13 (1994).
Sub nom indicates that a different case name was used in subsequent
history. Regarding changing case names, follow this rule: When the name of the
case differs in prior or subsequent history, the new name must be given, except
(1) when the parties’ names merely are reversed; (2) when the citation in which
the difference occurs is to a denial of certiorari or rehearing; or (3) when, in the
appeal of an administrative action, the name of the private party remains the same.
Use the word “by” when referring to subsequent case history only if
referring to an entirely different case, e.g.,
Keenan v. Norris-Lampe, 330 Or 456, 777 P2d 897 (1999), overruled on other
grounds by Bennett v. Bauman, 333 Or 566, 790 P2d 654 (2001).
Otherwise, use sub nom, as explained above, e.g.,
Smith v. Jones, 330 Or 456, 777 P2d 897 (1999), rev’d on other grounds sub nom
Jones and White v. Smith, 668 US 123, 113 S Ct 1346, 129 L Ed 2d 14 (2001).
2.
Court of Appeals
Precedential opinions:
Lesch v. DeWitt, 118 Or App 397, 847 P2d 888 (1993).
Nonprecedential memorandum opinions (cited in accordance with ORAP
10.30):
State v. Nord, 320 Or App 672 (2022) (nonprecedential memorandum opinion).
NOTE: Because the parenthetical included in nonprecedential
memorandum opinions concerns weight of authority, it precedes any
subsequent history, such as opinions on reconsideration or the denial
of review by the Supreme Court, e.g., Party v. Party, 320 Or App 486
(nonprecedential memorandum opinion), rev den, 370 Or 56 (2022).
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Overruled by subsequent Oregon case:
Eklund v. Clackamas County, 36 Or App 73, 583 P2d 567 (1978), overruled on
other grounds by Forman v. Clatsop County, 63 Or App 617, 665 P2d 365 (1983).
Supreme Court review denied:
Allred v. Board of Parole, 124 Or App 278, 862 P2d 546 (1993), rev den, 318
Or 325 (1994).
More than one petition for review denied:
Allred v. Board of Parole, 124 Or App 278, 862 P2d 546 (1993), rev den, 318
Or 325; 318 Or 502 (1994).
NOTE: (1) Always include rev den and cert den, if applicable. (2) Unless the
review denied or certiorari denied citation is not available or there is an opinion
denying review or certiorari, parallel citations are not necessary. (3) Before 1976,
disposition of petitions for review were not published; accordingly, only the year
and disposition are indicated, e.g., State v. Smith, 14 Or App 72 (1973), rev den
(1974). (4) When a petition for review has been filed in a case, but not yet acted
on, the current practice of the appellate courts is NOT to show that review is
pending. However, practitioners may want to do so when writing a brief.
Supreme Court review allowed, but case not yet decided:
Lesch v. DeWitt, 118 Or App 397, 847 P2d 888, rev allowed, 317 Or 162 (1993).
Supreme Court review allowed, then later dismissed:
Finch v. Andrews, 124 Or App 558, 863 P2d 496, rev dismissed, 320 Or 267 (1994).
NOTE: If applicable, it is optional to include “as improvidently allowed”
after “rev dismissed.”
Court of Appeals decision affirmed by Supreme Court:
State v. McCoy, 17 Or App 155, 521 P2d 1074, aff’d, 270 Or 340, 527 P2d 725 (1974).
Court of Appeals decision reversed by Supreme Court:
State v. Cloutier, 33 Or App 121, 575 P2d 996, rev’d on other grounds, 286 Or
579, 596 P2d 278 (1979).
Court of Appeals decision remanded by Supreme Court:
State v. White, 59 Or App 61, 650 P2d 184 (1982), rem’d, 297 Or 302, 685 P2d
983 (1984).
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Court of Appeals decision on reconsideration (specify disposition):
Kirpal Light Satsang v. Douglas County, 96 Or App 207, 772 P2d 944, adh’d
to on recons, 97 Or App 614, 776 P2d 1312 (1989).
State v. Ramirez, 205 Or App 113, 133 P3d 343, adh’d to on recons, 207 Or
App 1, 139 P3d 981 (2006), rev’d on other grounds, 343 Or 505, 173 P3d 817
(2007), adh’d to as modified on recons, 344 Or 195, 179 P3d 673 (2008).
NOTE: Whether to include “on other grounds” in subsequent history to the Court
of Appeals opinion depends on the proposition for which the case is being cited.
Court of Appeals decision vacated by unpublished order:
Davis v. Johnson, 155 Or App 266, 958 P2d 907 (1998), decision vac’d by
order, July 21, 1998.
Oregon review denied and United States Supreme Court certiorari denied
(but not by opinion):
State Highway Com. v. DeLong Corp., 9 Or App 550, 495 P2d 1215, rev den
(1972), cert den, 411 US 965 (1973).
Axen v. American Home Products Corp., 158 Or App 292, 974 P2d 224, adh’d
to on recons, 160 Or App 19, 981 P2d 340, rev den, 329 Or 357 (1999), cert
den, 528 US 1136 (2000).
If certiorari is dismissed, use the same format as the above example,
substituting “cert dismissed” for “cert den.”
Certiorari denied by opinion by United States Supreme Court:
State v. Smith, 30 Or App 462, 575 P2d 369, rev den, 282 Or 823 (1978), cert
den, 454 US 324, 99 S Ct 379, 25 L Ed 2d 889 (1979).
Appeal dismissed by United States Supreme Court (if by opinion, as in the
example below, include parallel citations; otherwise, cite only United States Reporter):
Boykin v. Ott, 10 Or App 210, 498 P2d 815, rev den (1972), appeal dismissed,
411 US 912, 36 S Ct 304, 93 L Ed 2d 1554 (1973).
3.
Tax Court
Regular Division:
Fellows v. Dept. of Rev., 14 OTR 13 (1999).
Unpublished Regular Division Decisions:
Fellows v. Dept. of Rev., TC 4952, WL 2037643 (Or Tax, May 24, 1999).
(optional to include online reference, but recommended)
Magistrate Division:
Jacobs v. Harney Co., 16 OTR-MD 344 (2001).
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Unpublished Magistrate Division Decisions:
Jacobs v. Harney Co., TC-MD 994356Z, WL 842084 at *3 (Or Tax M Div,
Apr 7, 2000). (optional to include online reference, but recommended)
NOTE: For citing subsequent history, refer to examples for the Court of
Appeals.
4.
Case Not Yet Appearing in Publication
Jones v. State of Oregon, ___ Or ___, ___, ___ P3d ___ (Apr 1, 2013) (slip op
at 15:9-16).
Smith, ___ Or at ___ (slip op at 28:6 - 29:2).
Smith, ___ Or at ___, ___ (slip op at 28:6 - 29:2; slip op at 31:17 - 32:2).
NOTE: To ensure correct cross-referencing within a slip opinion, the appellate
courts cite the appropriate page number(s). For added accuracy, the Supreme Court
also includes the specific line number(s).
Smith v. Jones, ___ Or App ___, ___ n 3, ___ P3d ___ (Feb 1, 2013) (emphasis
added) (slip op at 5 n 3).
5.
Circuit Court Cases
State v. Cazares-Mendoza, Case No. C062326CR.
6.
VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) Cases
Case title in court records: Protected Party v. Second Party
Title Page format: P. P. v. SECOND PARTY
Full citation format (even if previously published as Party v. Party):
P. P. v. Party, 325 Or App 123, 456 P3d 789 (2023).
Short citation format: P. P., 325 Or App at 124.
NOTE: When redacting a name to initials, use the first letter of each name in the protected party’s name, maintaining hyphens, if used (e.g., Jane Doe-Smith v. John Doe would be formatted
J. D.-S. v. Doe, if Jane is the protected party; Doe-Smith v. J. D., if John is the protected party).
Short citation format follows the same rules set out below--using the first nongovernmental
party, whether initials or not.
NOTE: If uncertain as to what the proper shortened case name would be for a case, such
as an opinion issued the same day or a case that was affirmed without opinion, contact the
Publications Program for the correct case name for citation purposes (as there is a limit to
the number of characters that can be used).
B.
Oregon–Short Citations and Other Issues
1.
In General
When citing a case that has already been cited in the text of an opinion, use
a short citation. However, if the only previous citation to a case is in a footnote,
use the full citation the first time the case is cited in the text. See page 13.
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When using a shortened case name in a short citation, the shortened case
name is the first nongovernmental party appearing in the official case name
citation, e.g.,
State v. Bates, 304 Or 519, 747 P2d 991 (1987). (full citation, first reference)
Short citation form is [shortened case name], [volume number] [reporter] at
[page], e.g.,
Bates, 304 Or at 522 (eliminating the parallel citation).
When citing a specific page when the case name is used in the sentence
being cited, or if there otherwise is no doubt as to the case being cited, the case
name may be omitted from the citation, e.g.,
In Bates, this court stated that the officers violated defendant’s constitutional
rights by instructing him to move bag into view. 304 Or at 527.
or
In Bates, this court addressed a similar issue. The court held that, by ordering defendant to move the bag, the police violated defendant’s constitutional
rights. 304 Or at 527.
Otherwise, include the shortened case name with the citation:
This court held that the officers violated defendant’s constitutional rights by
instructing him to move the bag into view. Bates, 304 Or at 527.
NOTE: Even when a governmental official is individually named, use the
first nongovernmental party appearing in the official case name citation for the
shortened case name.
2.
Variations on Case Name
If a shortened case name causes confusion, such as if two cases with similar
names have been cited within the same opinion, then use the full case name for
each throughout the opinion, e.g.,
State v. Bates
Bates v. Smith
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When both parties have the same last name, as in some domestic relations
matters, e.g., Smith and Smith, use Smith as the short cite.
Additionally, an explanation might need to be added for clarity, such as a
modified case name in parentheses, if there are related cases in a series, e.g.,
The accused has a disciplinary record, having been suspended twice from the
practice of law. See In re Wyllie, 326 Or 447, 952 P2d 550 (1998) (Wyllie I)
(one-year suspension for refusing to comply with remedial program); In re
Wyllie, 327 Or 175, 957 P2d 1222 (1998) (Wyllie II ) (two-year suspension for
misrepresenting compliance with MCLE requirements and failing to cooperate). In Wyllie I, * * *
or
The Court of Appeals affirmed the tort judgment, concluding that it was unnecessary to resolve the breach of contract counterclaim. Northwest Natural Gas Co. v.
Chase Gardens, Inc., 146 Or App 249, 933 P2d 370 (1997) (Chase I ). This court
allowed review in Chase I, reversed, and remanded for consideration of Chase’s
contract claim. Northwest Natural Gas Co. v. Chase Gardens, Inc., 328 Or 487,
982 P2d 1117 (1999) (Chase II ). On remand, the Court of Appeals, relying in
large part on its earlier decision and this court’s decision in Chase II, concluded
that Chase’s breach of contract judgment could not be sustained. Northwest
Natural Gas Co. v. Chase Gardens, Inc., 164 Or App 763, 995 P2d 555 (2000)
(Chase III ). We now reverse the Court of Appeals decision in Chase III.
In lawyer disciplinary cases, the shortened case name is the lawyer’s last
name, without the In re designation, e.g.,
In re Jones, 326 Or 195, 951 P2d 149 (1997). (full citation form)
Jones, 326 Or at 198. (short citation form)
In mandamus cases initiated after 1997, the case name is the same as the
case name of the proceeding in the lower court, and the judge’s name (if the case
involves a circuit court judge action) does not appear in the title, e.g., State v.
Foster. In older mandamus cases, the name of the judge whose action was being
challenged was included in the title, together with a “State ex rel” designation; cite
such cases as follows:
State ex rel Huddleston v. Sawyer, 324 Or 597, 932 P2d 1145 (1997). (full
citation form)
Huddleston, 324 Or at 600. (short citation form)
NOTE: The appellate courts do not use “supra” as a substitute for short citations.
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3.
Citation to Series of Pages
When citing a series of pages, indicate the page numbers as follows:
Stranahan, 331 Or at 57-58.
Fugate, 332 Or at 202-03. (not 202-3)
Joslin, 332 Or at 499-501. (not 499-01)
4.
e.g.,
Use of “id.” with Case Names
When citing the immediately preceding authority, it is acceptable to use id.,
Id. at 525.
If citing the same page of the immediately preceding authority, then use id.
without the page number.
CAUTION: Do not use id. where there is an intervening citation to another
authority (be it a case name, statute, or some other authority). When there is an
intervening textual reference, use id. only when there is no danger of ambiguity.
5.
Citation to Footnote
State v. Trenary, 114 Or App 608, 610 n 2, 836 P2d 739 (1992).
Trenary, 114 Or App at 610 n 2. (short citation form)
When citing a series of footnotes, indicate the page numbers as follows:
State v. Trenary, 114 Or App 608, 610 nn 3-5, 836 P2d 739 (1992).
State v. Trenary, 114 Or App 608, 610 n 3, 611 nn 4 & 5, 836 P2d 739 (1992).
NOTE: Citation is to the first page on which the footnote appears, even if it spans
more than one page, no matter where the pertinent text actually appears.
When citing text contained in the body of the opinion and also in a footnote
set out on the same page, set out the page number twice, e.g.,
Trenary, 114 Or App at 610, 610 n 2.
or
Trenary, 114 Or App at 610 & n 2.
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6.
Internal Citations; Dissents; Concurrences
The majority cites a dissenting or concurring opinion in all references
(regardless of the number of dissenting or concurring opinions) as follows:
The dissent contends that the statute operates prospectively only. ___ Or App
at ___ (Smith, J., dissenting) (slip op at 3).
A dissent or concurrence cites the majority opinion as follows (do not
include the case name):
The majority concludes that the statute operates retroactively. ___ Or App at
___ (slip op at 7).
A dissent or concurrence cites itself as follows:
As noted above, I dissent because I disagree with the majority’s statutory construction and conclusion. ___ Or App at ___ (Smith, J., dissenting) (slip op at 1).
NOTE: Do not use supra or infra and do not use only “See note 6” when referring
to earlier or later parts of an opinion (be it majority, concurring, or dissenting);
instead, use the short citation. For example, a majority internal citation is set out as:
As noted, ORS 813.010 prohibits driving under the influence of intoxicants.
See ___ Or App at ___ n 6 (slip op at 4 n 6).
7.
Short Citation Form for Oregon Tax Cases
Fellows, 14 OTR at 17. (Regular Division)
Jacobs, 16 OTR-MD at 347. (Magistrate Division)
8.
e.g.,
Possessive Endings on Case Names
When a name of a case takes a possessive ending, the “ 's ” is not italicized,
Bates’s rule applies in this case.
C.
Federal Jurisdictions
For United States Supreme Court cases, the case name for citation purposes
is taken from the case name citation in the United States Reports (US), if available
(which appears on the odd-numbered pages); otherwise, use the case name citation
from an alternative reporter. (Note that the case name citations frequently differ in those
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publications.) The short citation also is to the US Reports, if available; otherwise, cite
the Supreme Court reports, if available, if not, then cite the Lawyer’s Edition. (Note that
some material within the text of the Court’s opinions, such as citations and quotations,
often varies between publications.) If the US Reports citation is not available, insert
“___ US ___” (including a blank for a jump / pinpoint) citation, if applicable) in all
full and short citations, before the citation to an alternative reporter.
1.
United States Supreme Court
Wagner v. Oregon, 492 US 914, 109 S Ct 3235, 163 L Ed 2d 583 (1989). (first
reference)
Wagner, 492 US at 916. (short citation form)
NOTE: It is acceptable to refer to Miranda v. Arizona without including full
citation, e.g., “Miranda rights” or “Miranda warnings.”
2.
Federal 3d and 2d (case name appears on odd-numbered pages)
Johnson v. Clifton, 74 F3d 1087 (11th Cir), cert den, 519 US 808 (1996).
Freije v. United States, 408 F2d 100, 102 (1st Cir), cert den, 396 US 859 (1969).
U.S. v. Echeverri, 982 F2d 675 (1st Cir 1993).
United States v. Wainwright, 413 F2d 796, 803 (10th Cir 1969), cert den, 396
US 1009 (1970).
3.
Federal Supplement (case name appears on odd-numbered pages)
Lucas v. Seagrave Corporation, 277 F Supp 338 (D Minn 1967).
United States v. Zeiger, 350 F Supp 685 (DDC), rev’d, 475 F2d 1280 (DC Cir
1972).
If unpublished:
Smith v. Jones, No CV 96-6109-TC (D Or Feb 5, 2001).
NOTE: For abbreviations of federal district courts, see The Bluebook.
4.
Federal Cases with Incomplete Information
United States v. Edwards, ___ US ___, 94 S Ct 1100, 39 L Ed 2d 771 (1974).
(first reference)
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Id. at ___, 94 S Ct at 1109 (short citation form)
Washington v. Glucksberg, ___ US ___, ___ S Ct ___, ___ L Ed 2d ___, 65
USLW 4669 (June 24, 1997).
United States v. Louiriev, 22 Crim L Rep 2369, ___ F2d ___ (8th Cir, Dec 30,
1977).
Naquin v. Elevating Boats, L.L.C., 744 F3d 927 (5th Cir), cert den, ___ US
___, 135 S Ct 357 (2014).
5.
Federal Tax Cases
The order of authority for federal tax cases is (1) the United States Supreme
Court; (2) federal courts of appeals; (3) federal district courts; and (4) the United
States Tax Court. Federal tax cases from the United States Supreme Court, United
States Court of Appeals, Court of Federal Claims, and United States District Court
are combined and bound as “U.S. Tax Cases”; therefore, the best citation will
contain both the federal and parallel citations. For example,
Furlow, Jr. v. U.S., 55 F Supp 2d 360, 2000-1 US Tax Cas (CCH) ¶ 50,684 (D
Md 1999).
NOTE: “U.S. Tax Cases” often is abbreviated as “USTC,” but that is not the
formal citation.
United States Tax Court:
Benson v. Commissioner, 80 TC 789 (1983).
Crook v. Maine, 132 TCM (CCH) 44 (1999). (memorandum decision)
D.
States Other Than Oregon
NOTE: For abbreviations of state and regional reporters, see The Bluebook.
For states other than Oregon, cite the official reporter first, then add the regional
reporter when using jump / pinpoint citations because that benefits readers who have
access to only regional reporters, e.g.,
In Statser v. Statser, 205 Okla 608, 611, 239 P2d 764, 766 (1951), the court stated:
“[T]he terms of the condition are directed to defendant’s granting or withholding permission; the condition does not purport to authorize police action.”
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The court continued:
“Defendant, of course, may argue that the safeguard for employees
exceeds the ordinary standard of due care considering the nature of the risk
and the foreseeability of injury.”
Id. at 615, 239 P2d at 768.
NOTE: The appellate courts accept practitioners’ submissions jump / pinpoint citing only
regional reporters except when citing Oregon appellate decisions.
For cases not yet appearing in publication, it is acceptable to use a citation to
Westlaw, e.g.,
State v. Smith, No 26245-2-II, 2013 WL 651868 at *2 (Wash App Div 2, Apr 19, 2013).
When the official reporter (i.e., the state reporter) is the same for both the highest
court and the intermediate appellate court, include the court abbreviation in the date
parenthetical, e.g.,
State v. Gray, 231 Ariz 374, 295 P3d 951 (Ariz Ct App 2013).
When the official reporter is the regional reporter, include the court abbreviation in
the date parenthetical, e.g.,
Golphin v. State, 945 So 2d 1174 (Fla 2006).
E.
Online Sources
A case unreported in a print source can be cited if it resides online in a readily
recognized source. The case name, number, database identifier, court name, and complete
date should be included along with any other identifiers that are pertinent to its location.
Silva v. Mt. Bachelor, Inc., No CV 06-6330-AA, 2008 WL 2889656 at *2 (D Or July
21, 2008).
For cases having a state citation, in part, and an online citation, in part:
Zollner v. Smith, 268 Ga App 480, 484, 602 SE2d 140, 141, rev den, 2004 Ga LEXIS
1059 (2004).
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III. Constitutional, Statutory, and Other Related Citations
NOTE: Id. (or id. § ___, if applicable) can be used as a subsequent reference citation to
constitutional provisions, statutory and code provisions (both current provisions and older
codes), legislative commentary, and other types of sources discussed in this section.
A.
Oregon Citations
1.
Oregon Constitution
a.
Narrative Form:
Article I, section 17, of the Oregon Constitution provides that * * *.
(first reference)
Article VII (Amended), section 1, provides that * * *. (subsequent
reference)
b.
Citation Form:
Or Const, Art I, § 17.
Or Const, Art VII (Amended), § 3.
Or Const, Art VII (Original).
Or Const, Art XI, § 11b(2)(b).
Or Const, Art I, § 11 (1857). (denoting the original version of Article
I, section 11, NOT the current version)
NOTE: (1) The word “Article” is always shown as beginning with an uppercase “A.”
(2) The article number is always a Roman numeral. (3) “Amended” begins with an
uppercase “A.” (4) In narrative, the word “section” is always lowercase except in a
heading or subheading. (5) Do not use periods after abbreviations. (6) Original Article
VII was replaced in 1910, which is why it is referred to as amended.
2.
Oregon Laws
Oregon Laws 1989, chapter 790, section 87. (narrative form)
Oregon Laws 1990, chapter 2, sections 45 to 47 (Special Session). (narrative
form)
Oregon Laws 1995, chapter 790, section 84, directs the commission to * * *.
(narrative form)
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Or Laws 1989, ch 790, § 87. (citation form)
Or Laws 1990, ch 2, §§ 3-10 (Spec Sess). (citation form)
NOTE: Insert a space after a section or paragraph symbol; when using two
such symbols, no space separates them.
Statutes that have not been assigned by the legislature to an ORS chapter
often are compiled into the ORS in small typeface at the place in the ORS where
Legislative Counsel decides they logically belong. See ORS Preface, viii (2001).
Refer to such statutes as follows:
Oregon Laws 1997, chapter 30, section 2(1), compiled as a note after ORS
659.010 (1997). (narrative form, first reference)
Oregon Laws 1997, chapter 30, section 2(1). (narrative form, subsequent reference)
Or Laws 1997, ch 30, § 2(1), compiled as a note after ORS 659.010 (1997).
(citation form, first reference)
Or Laws 1997, ch 30, § 2(1). (short citation form)
Oregon Laws 2005, chapter 463, section 1, compiled as a note before ORS
136.001 (2005). (narrative form, first reference)
Oregon Laws 2005, chapter 463, section 1. (narrative form, subsequent reference)
Or Laws 2005, ch 463, § 1, compiled as a note before ORS 136.001 (2005).
(citation form, first reference)
Or Laws 2005, ch 463, § 1. (short citation form)
Occasionally, Legislative Counsel will compile such statutes so that they
appear as legislatively placed statutes, e.g., ORS 475A.010, ORS 475A.040,
and other civil forfeiture statutes. Those statutes are cited in the same manner as
legislatively placed statutes, as explained in paragraph 5 below.
3.
General Laws of Oregon and Other Older Statutory Compilations
Some of these compilations are organized by chapters, which incorporate
several titles, and others are organized by titles, which incorporate several chapters.
It is advisable to include page numbers when citing the Deady compilations,
because the various codes are not numbered and there are no indices or general
tables of contents to guide the reader to the proper location regarding particular
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sections of a code (e.g., Criminal Code, Civil Code, etc., each of which is made up
of multiple chapters). Some older cases incorporate neither chapters nor titles; for
such codes, cite to the applicable section and page numbers.
General Laws of Oregon, Crim Code, ch XVIII, § 659, p 435 (Deady & Lane
1843-1872).
General Laws of Oregon, Civ Code, ch IV, title I, § 313, p 226 (Deady
1845-1864).
The Codes and General Laws of Oregon, ch XVIII, title IV, § 2933 (Hill 1887).
The Codes and General Laws of Oregon, ch I, title VIII, § 67 (Hill 2d ed 1892).
The Codes and Statutes of Oregon, title V, ch I, § 339 (Bellinger & Cotton 1901).
Lord’s Oregon Laws, title VI, ch V, § 442 (1910).
Oregon Laws, title I, ch III, § 39 (1920).
Oregon Code, title XXVIII, ch 1, § 28-101 (1930).
Statutes of Oregon, An Act Regulating Proceedings to Vacate Charters and
Letters Patent, and to Prevent the Usurpation of an Office of Franchise, ch 1,
§ 1, p 139 (1854).
4.
OCLA (Oregon Compiled Laws Annotated)
OCLA § 3-505.
OCLA § 10-902a (1944-47 pocket part).
5.
ORS (Oregon Revised Statutes)
Always use the abbreviated form (ORS) in both narrative references and
citations.
ORS 161.155(1)(a)(A). [chapter 161][section 155][subsection (1)][paragraph
(a)][subparagraph (A)]
Numbered paragraphs within a section are referred to as subsections,
lettered paragraphs as paragraphs. For example, ORS 305.220(1)(a) would be
referred to in text individually as paragraph (a) of subsection (1), when referring to
(1)(a) collectively, use paragraph (1)(a).
a.
Narrative Form Examples
ORS chapter 554. (when referring to an entire chapter)
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ORS 30.150 to 30.175; ORS 250.035(2)(a) to (c). (when referring to
a statutory sequence)
ORS 30.866 and ORS 163.730. (when referring to two statutes)
ORS 250.035(2)(a) and (b). (when referring to two parts of the same statute)
b.
Citation Form Examples
ORS ch 554. (when citing an entire chapter)
ORS 30.150 - 30.175; ORS 250.035(2)(a) - (c). (when citing a statutory sequence)
ORS 30.866; ORS 163.730. (when citing two statutes)
ORS 250.035(2)(a), (b). (when citing two parts of the same statute)
NOTE: When citing a sequence of statutes in citation, do not use “et seq.”;
instead, set out the first and last statutes of the sequence.
c.
Repealed or Renumbered Statute Examples
When citing a repealed or renumbered ORS (or OAR), the narrative
and citation forms are the same. The word former is set in italics. Only a
repealed or renumbered statute, not an amended statute, is referred to as
“former.”
Former ORS 19.023(2)(a) (1995), renumbered as ORS 19.205(2)(a)
(1997). (first reference; “1995” will usually refer to the year of the
statute in effect when the facts of the case occurred (although the
author may make a different choice, depending on context); “1997”
refers to year that the statute was renumbered)
Former ORS 19.023(2)(a) (1995). (subsequent reference)
Former ORS 736.317 (1961), repealed by Or Laws 1967, ch 482, § 1.
(first reference)
Former ORS 736.317 (1961). (subsequent reference)
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When a statute has been renumbered or repealed, the author should
cite the version in effect at the time of the events in the case, including
subsequent history on the first reference and then including the year of that
version in subsequent references.
d.
Amended Statute Examples
ORS 308.370 - 308.375 (1987), amended by Or Laws 1991, ch 459,
§§ 117-120. (citation form, first reference)
ORS 308.370 - 308.375 (1987). (citation form, subsequent reference)
NOTE: (1) The above examples for amended statutes require inclusion of
the year parenthetically at the end of all citations (separated by a space).
However, it also is acceptable to include a footnote at the outset of the
opinion, after citing the older statute in full, that explains that all statutory
citations that follow are to a particular year. In that event, it is not necessary
to include the parenthetical year in subsequent references. (2) When
setting out ORS citations or other authorities, be consistent in the use of
punctuation, e.g.,
The state appeals from a pretrial judgment dismissing an indictment
that charged defendant with manufacture of a controlled substance,
ORS 475.992(1); delivery of a controlled substance to minor, ORS
475.999; and criminal conspiracy, ORS 161.450.
In general, when a statute has been amended, the author may:
(1) cite the version in effect at the time of the events in the case; or (2) cite
the current version, if the amendment does not affect the issue in the case.
If choosing option (1), then include subsequent history on the first reference
and include the year of the version being cited on subsequent references.
If choosing option (2), then include a footnote on the first reference that
sets out the subsequent history and explains that the current version is being
used because the intervening amendment does not affect the analysis. For
example,
ORS 164.125 has been amended since defendant committed his
crime; however, because those amendments do not affect our analysis,
we refer to the current version of the statute in this opinion.
1
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If a statute has been amended or renumbered more than once, then the best
practice is to include the full subsequent history on the first reference or at least in
a footnote (example: cite all amendments, not just the one at issue).
6.
Oregon Evidence Code (OEC) (ORS chapter 40)
Always use the abbreviated form (OEC) in both narrative references and
citations when referring to or citing a specific rule. Use “Oregon Evidence Code”
(not “OEC”) when referring to the code as a whole. Do not cite the ORS number,
e.g.,
OEC 801(3).
OEC 103 Commentary (1981).
Legislative Commentary to OEC 401, reprinted in Laird C. Kirkpatrick,
Oregon Evidence § 401.02, Art IV-4 (4th ed 2002).
Parts of the Oregon Evidence Code suggest that * * *. (narrative form)
When quoting the Oregon Evidence Code, or when quoting a statute
that quotes the Oregon Evidence Code, replace any ORS reference with the
corresponding OEC rule number in brackets, e.g.,
OEC 405(2)(a) provides:
“In all cases in which character or a trait of character of a
person is admissible under [OEC 404(1)], proof may also be made
of specific instances of the conduct of the person.”
7.
Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure (ORCP)
Always use the abbreviated form (ORCP) in both narrative references and
citations when referring to or citing a specific rule. Use “Oregon Rules of Civil
Procedure” (not “ORCPs”) when referring to the rules as a whole. Always add a
space after the rule number when referring to a section of the rule, e.g.,
ORCP 71 B(1)(b)(i). [rule 71][section B][subsection (1)][paragraph (b)][subparagraph (i)].
ORCP 7 C(3)(a) to (c). (narrative form, when citing a sequence)
ORCP 7 C(3)(a) - (c). (citation form, when citing a sequence)
ORCP 7 C(3)(a) and (c). (narrative form, when referring to two paragraphs of
the same rule)
ORCP 7 C(3)(a), (c). (citation form, when citing two paragraphs of the same rule)
Nothing in the Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure points to a contrary conclusion. (narrative form)
ORCP 71 B(1)(c) or ORCP 71 C (when citing two parts of a rule).
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When citing the drafts, comments, and history of the ORCPs, cite the bound
volumes, i.e.:
Council on Court Procedures, 4 Legislative History Relating to Promulgation
of Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure (1/1/78 through 12/31/78), June 28, 1978,
Draft and Proposed Comment to Rule 6, 33 (1979).
When citing the permanent comments to the enacted ORCPs, cite the
Merrill handbook, i.e.:
Council on Court Procedures, Staff Comment to Rule 9, reprinted in Frederic
R. Merrill, Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure: A Handbook 28-29 (1981).
8.
Oregon Rules of Appellate Procedure (ORAP)
Always use the abbreviated form (ORAP) in both narrative references
and citations when referring to or citing a specific rule. Use “Oregon Rules of
Appellate Procedure” (not “ORAPs”) when referring to the rules as a whole, e.g.,
ORAP 9.15(1).
The Oregon Rules of Appellate Procedure set out a process for initiating a case.
NOTE: Follow the links at www.courts.oregon.gov to find the most current
version of the Oregon Rules of Appellate Procedure, which occasionally are
temporarily amended by Chief Justice-Chief Judge Order.
9.
Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR)
Always use the abbreviated form (OAR) in both narrative references and
citations when referring to or citing a specific rule. Use “Oregon Administrative
Rules” not “OARs” when referring to the rules as a whole, e.g.,
OAR 253-004-0001. (narrative and citation form, when referring to or citing
a specific paragraph)
OAR chapter 253, division 4. (narrative form, when referring to an entire division)
OAR chapter 253, division 4, Appendix 3. (narrative form, when referring to an
appendix)
OAR ch 253, App 3. (citation form)
OAR 660-022-0077 to 660-022-0080. (narrative form when referring to a
series)
OAR 660-022-0077 - 660-022-0080. (citation form when referring to a series)
OAR 435-001-0025 (May 12, 2002). (indicates that a rule has been amended)
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Former OAR 255-80-005(2) (May 31, 1985). (indicates that a rule has been
renumbered or repealed)
OAR 150-305.265(14)-(A). (when citing chapter 150, place hyphens and periods as published for each rule)
Nothing in the Oregon Administrative Rules suggests that * * *. (narrative form)
10.
Uniform Trial Court Rules (UTCR) / Supplementary Local Rules (SLR)
UTCR 7.020(5). (narrative and citation form, when referring to or citing a
specific rule)
Multnomah Circuit Court Supplementary Local Rule (SLR) 5.045(1). (first
reference)
SLR 5.045(2). (short citation form)
The Uniform Trial Court Rules contain several provisions * * *. (narrative
form)
11.
Uniform Jury Instructions
a.
Civil Instructions:
Uniform Civil Jury Instruction 10.10. (narrative form)
UCJI 10.10. (citation form)
b.
Criminal Instructions:
Uniform Criminal Jury Instruction 3.1. (narrative form)
UCrJI 3.1. (citation form)
12.
Agency Decisions
a.
Workers’ Compensation Board:
Edward D. Lucas, 41 Van Natta 2272, 2274-75 (1989), rev’d on other
grounds, Lucas v. Clark, 106 Or App 687, 809 P2d 712 (1991).
b.
Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA):
Stefansky v. Grant County, 12 Or LUBA 91 (1984).
Holland v. City of Cannon Beach, ___ Or LUBA ___, ___ (LUBA No
02-060, Oct 1, 2002) (slip op at 10).
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c.
Employment Relations Board (ERB):
Jefferson County v. OPEU, 18 PECBR 285 (1999).
d.
Employment Appeals Board (EAB):
Terrance E. Webb, EAB Decision 96-AB-876 (Apr 16, 1996).
13.
Attorney General Opinions
a.
Formal Attorney General Opinions:
35 Op Atty Gen 710 (1972).
47 Op Atty Gen ___ (No 8216, Sept 7, 1994). (slip opinion)
b.
Letters of Advice (Informal Attorney General Opinions):
Attorney General Letter of Advice to Rep Clayton Klein (OP-4519)
(Dec 1, 2003).
14.
Municipal Codes
Citation form will vary, depending on the code at issue. Check the official
code or ordinance itself for its proper name and short citation form, e.g., the
Eugene Municipal Code provides for citation to “EC.” Otherwise, use the name of
the code (or an abbreviation after the first reference or citation) and the number of
the code provision, e.g.,
Eugene Code (EC) 3.005. (narrative and citation, first reference)
EC 3.005. (narrative and citation, subsequent reference)
Portland City Code (PCC) 14A.40.050. (narrative and citation, first reference)
PCC 14A.40.050. (narrative and citation, subsequent reference)
15.
Legislative History
Senate Bill (SB) 123 (1997); House Bill (HB) 1234 (1997). (narrative form,
first reference)
SB 123; HB 1234. (subsequent reference)
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SB 123 (1997); HB 1234 (1997). (citation form)
HB 2759 (1993), -1 amendments (Apr 13, 1993).
Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 5 (1997); House Joint Resolution (HJR) 10
(1997). (narrative form, first reference)
SJR 5 (1997); HJR 10 (1997). (citation form, first reference)
SJR 5; HJR 10. (narrative or citation form, subsequent reference)
Testimony, House Committee on Human Resources, HB 2762, Mar 17, 1981,
Ex C (statement of Rep Bob Smith).
Tape Recording, House Committee on Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime and
Corrections, SB 833, June 9, 1993, Tape 126, Side A (statement of Sen Ron Cease).
Tape Recording, Senate Committee on Criminal Law and Procedure, SB 100,
Mar 31, 1971, Tape 1, Side A (statement of Attorney General Joe Jones).
Audio Recording, House Committee on Judiciary, HB 2460, Apr 16, 2001,
at 2:10:38 (comments of Rep Amy Smith and Rep Barbara Jones), https://olis.
oregonlegislature.gov (accessed Jan 2, 2013).
Exhibit F, House Labor Committee, SB 89, June 15, 1983 (accompanying
statement of BOLI representative Paul Smith).
Judgments / Enforcement of Judgments: Judgments Report (HB 2646), Oregon
Law Commission, Feb 6, 2003, 12 (Judgments Report). [The parenthetical
indicates the short title by which it will be referred.]
Minutes, Criminal Law Revision Commission, Jan 22, 1971, 12.
NOTE: For legislative committees, minutes should be cited as authority only to explain a
committee vote or action taken, such as approving a bill with a do-pass recommendation.
Any citation to discussion about a bill in the committee should be drawn from the audio
recording of the hearing or work session, not the minutes.
Commentary to Criminal Law Revision Commission Proposed Oregon
Criminal Code, Final Draft and Report § 122, 131 (July 1970).
Commentary to Criminal Law Revision Commission Proposed Oregon
Criminal Procedure Code, Final Draft and Report § 28, 22 (Nov 1972).
Commentary § 29 at 7. (short citation form)
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Legislative Comment 1 to ORS 72.7030, reprinted in Legislative Counsel
Committee, Oregon’s Uniform Commercial Code with Comments and Index
and Tables 101 (1962).
Legislative Comment 1 to ORS 72.7030 at 102. (short citation form)
16.
Initiative Petitions, Ballot Measures, and Related Pamphlets and Manuals
Initiative Petition 136 (2001) (IP 136). (narrative form, first reference; citation
form)
IP 136. (narrative form, subsequent reference; citation form)
Ballot Measure 40 (1996). (narrative form, first reference; citation form)
Measure 40. (narrative form, subsequent reference; short citation form)
Official Voters’ Pamphlet, General Election, Nov 7, 2000, 309. (citation form,
first reference)
Voters’ Pamphlet at 310. (subsequent reference)
The voters’ pamphlet for the 2000 General Election suggests that * * *. (narrative form)
NOTE: The above examples refer to statewide measures. If citing a local
measure, then follow the format set out above, but insert the appropriate local
numbering, e.g., Ballot Measure 10-06 (1992).
Elections Division, Oregon Secretary of State, State Initiative & Referendum
Manual [page] (Jan 2016), [link] (accessed Sept 19, 2017).
17.
Sentencing Guidelines Implementation Manual
Oregon Sentencing Guidelines Implementation Manual 131 (1989).
18.
Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC), Bar Rules of Procedure (BR), and
American Bar Association (ABA) Standards
NOTE: Do not use “RPC” or “RPCs” when speaking generally about the Rules of
Professional Conduct; instead, cite the rules separately.
a.
Rules of Professional Conduct
The Bar’s complaint alleges that the lawyer violated Rule of Professional Conduct (RPC) 8.4(a)(3) (conduct involving dishonesty, fraud,
deceit, or misrepresentation). (narrative form, first reference to any RPC)
The lawyer contends that he did not violate RPC 8.4(a)(3). (narrative
form, subsequent RPC reference)
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The lawyer contends that he did not violate any rule of professional
conduct. (narrative form)
NOTE: The rule on pages 36 to 37 referring to the use of “former” with
repealed and renumbered, but not amended, statutes, does not apply to
rules of professional conduct. With rules of professional conduct, “former”
is used to refer to amended, as well as repealed and renumbered, rules. If
citing to a former rule, then include the year.
b.
Bar Rules of Procedure
This is a reinstatement proceeding under Bar Rule of Procedure (BR)
8.8. (narrative form, first reference to any BR)
BR 10.1. (narrative form, subsequent reference; citation form)
c.
ABA Standards
American Bar Association’s Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions
(1991) (amended 1992) (ABA Standards), Standard 5.21. (narrative or
citation form, first reference)
ABA Standard 9.32(a). (narrative or citation forms, subsequent reference when citing a particular standard)
ABA Standards at 7. (citation form, subsequent reference when citing
a particular page in the hardcopy manual)
ABA Standards at 7 (defining “injury,” in part, as “harm to * * * the
profession”) (citation form for definitions appearing on a particular
page in the hardcopy manual)
ABA Standard 9.22(i) (amended 1992). (narrative or citation form,
subsequent reference when citing a standard contained in only the
1992 amendments)
NOTE: The copyright for the ABA Standards was updated in 2005,
but the rules were not amended in 2005; therefore, the year for the
amended version is 1992. The 1992 version is available online at https://
www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/professional_
responsibility/sanction_standards.pdf
19.
Briefs and Other Court Filings
The courts do not cite briefs in the instant case in their opinions;
occasionally, however, an opinion might cite a brief in another case (for example,
if the brief expanded on a legal theory that the court had addressed only briefly
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in that other case). When citing a brief or any other official court filing, follow
this format: Full name of the document, include the jump / pinpoint citation (if
any), followed by the name of the case and its full citation (if rendered), and case
number.
Appellant’s Opening Brief at 10, State v. Doyle, 213 Or App 456, 111 P3d 87
(2007) (CA A123456).
Douglas County Circuit Court Case No 12345
If citing an event in a register of actions in the Oregon eCourt Case
Information system (OECI, register of actions for Oregon circuit courts):
Motion for Stay, Filed May 1, 2014, State v. Adios (CR456789)
General Judgment, Entered June 15, 2015, State v. Adios (CR456789)
NOTE: Use the OECI “Created Date” for court-issued entries such as orders or
judgments (date of entry); otherwise, use the date in the OECI Date column (date
of filing of a received filing).
B.
Federal Citations
1.
United States Constitution
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. (narrative form)
The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States
Constitution. (narrative form)
US Const, Amend V. (citation form)
US Const, Art I, § 2. (citation form)
2.
Rules of Evidence and Procedure
a.
Federal Rules of Evidence
FRE 410.
b.
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
FRCP 12.
c.
Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure
FRCrP 12.
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3.
Public Laws and United States Code
Pub L 95-473, § 11503, 92 Stat 1445-46 (1978). (citation form)
42 USC § 1983 (1982); 15 USC §§ 2051, 2053 (1982). (citation form)
42 USC section 1983; 15 USC sections 2051 and 2053. (narrative form, first
reference)
section 1983. (narrative form, subsequent reference) (the “s” in section is
lowercase unless it starts the sentence)
NOTE: As with ORS citations, include the year only if not citing the version
currently in force.
4.
Legislative History
a.
Committee Reports
HR Rep No 1395, 95th Cong, 2d Sess, reprinted in 1978 USCCAN
3009, 3018.
S Rep No 445, 87th Cong, 1st Sess (1961), 451-91. (if not in USCCAN)
b.
Testimony
Hearings on SB 927 Before the Subcomm on Surface Transportation
of the S Comm on Commerce, 90th Cong, 1st Sess, 23 (Aug 7, 1967)
(prepared statement of Jim Doe, on behalf of the American Medical
Association).
c.
Congressional Record
116 Cong Rec S2024 (Jan 3, 1970).
5.
Internal Revenue Code
IRC § 61 (1982). (citation form)
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 61 (1982). (narrative form)
IRC section 61. (narrative form, subsequent reference)
6.
Tax Materials
a.
Regulations
Treasury Regulation section 1.166-1(c). (narrative form)
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Treas Reg § 1.72-16(a) (2001). (citation form)
20 CFR § 552.3 (2009). (citation form)
b.
Determinations
Rev Rul 83-137, 1983-2 CB 41.
NOTE: Cite CB first, and then to IRB if CB unavailable.
Priv Ltr Rul 86-01-013 (Sept 30, 1985).
Tech Adv Mem 85-04-005 (Sept 28, 1984).
7.
Uniform Laws
Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act § 202 comment, 9
ULA 649, 674 (1997).
Uniform Probate Code § 2-101(b), 42-43 (9th ed 1990).
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IV. Periodical Articles, Books, Treatises, Restatements, Etc.
In General
Cite the author’s or editor’s full name as found on the title page of the source
being cited. For books that are compiled and edited by a named editor, place the editor’s
name where the author’s name would normally be, followed by “ed.” (including the
period).
Cite the author’s first name first. If there are up to three authors, then list them all
in the same way. If four or more authors are listed, list the first author and use “et al.”
For articles written by students, the author’s name is used (if available), along with, e.g.,
“Note,” “Comment,” or “Case Note.”
When citing multivolume sets, place the volume number of the book before the
title, not before the author’s name. Include the edition and the year of the publication in
parentheses at the end of the citation, e.g.,
Jacob Mertens, Jr., 8 Mertens Law of Federal Income Taxation § 32B:01 (rev 1999).
Use italics, not quotation marks, to indicate the name of a book, article, or treatise.
A.
Periodical Articles
1.
Articles Appearing in Journals, Newspapers, and Other Services
[Author], [Name of article (in italics)], [volume number] [periodical] [first
page], [cited page(s)] ([date]), e.g.,
Pamela S. Karlan, Contingent Fees and Criminal Cases, 93 Colum L Rev 595,
602-03 (1993).
Laurence H. Tribe & Michael C. Dorf, Levels of Generality in the Definition of
Rights, 57 U Chi L Rev 1057 (1990).
Justin Noval & Edward J. Imwinkelried, Jr., Retrograde Extrapolation of
Blood Alcohol Concentration, 50 No. 1 Crim Law Bulletin ART 7 (Westlaw
5, 10) (2014).
Alan Wayne Jones, Evidence-Based Survey of the Elimination Rates of Ethanol
from Blood with Applications in Forensic Casework, 200 Forensic Science
International 1, 14 (2010), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.02.021
(accessed Jan 15, 2015) (suggesting, from the results of studies, that experts
use a range of elimination rates from 0.010 to 0.025 percent per hour).
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2.
Short Citation Form for Periodical Articles
After an authority has been cited fully in the text, use the following short
citation form for subsequent references to the same authority:
[Author’s last name], [Volume] [Periodical] at [page]:
Karlan, 93 Colum L Rev at 604.
NOTE: To determine the proper abbreviation for periodicals, first check the
periodical itself to determine whether it provides for a particular citation form. If it
does not, then follow The Bluebook abbreviations for periodicals.
3.
Volume and Issue Numbers
Omit volume and issue numbers for newspapers and popular periodicals,
because the numbers might not be easily found:
John Sedgwick, The Complexity Problem, The Atlantic 96 (Mar 1993).
B.
Books and Treatises
NOTE: “Ed.” (with a period) refers to “editor”; “ed” (without a period) refers to
“edition.”
1.
Citation
[Author(s)], [Volume number (if applicable)] [Title (in italics)] [subdivision,
chapter or section (if applicable)], [page(s)] ([Edition (if there is more than one
edition)] [Year]), e.g.,
Wayne R. LaFave, 3 Search and Seizure § 7.1 (2d ed 1987).
Wayne R. LaFave, 3 Search and Seizure § 7.1(c), 17 (3d ed 1996).
Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 138-39 (1987).
Laird C. Kirkpatrick, Oregon Evidence § 401.02, Art IV-4 (4th ed 2002).
Webster’s Third New Int’l Dictionary 930 (unabridged ed 2002).
Black’s Law Dictionary 700 (7th ed 1999).
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Noah Webster, 1 An American Dictionary of the English Language (unpaginated) (1828).
Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary, http://unabridged.merriamwebster.com/unabridged/capable (accessed Feb 14, 2014).
Gender Identity, Unabridged.Merriam-Webster.com (last updated Apr 2016).
Thomas W. Lippman ed., The Washington Post Deskbook on Style 49-55 (2d
ed 1989).
William M. Collier, 3 Collier on Bankruptcy 506.04[1] (Lawrence P. King ed.,
15th ed 1989).
Appraisal Institute, The Appraisal of Real Estate 89 (12th ed 2001).
Jacob Mertens, Jr., 8 Mertens Law of Federal Income Taxation § 32B:01 (rev
1999).
Jacob Mertens, Jr., 15 Mertens Law of Federal Income Taxation § 56:45 (Supp
2002). (when citing supplement)
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 478 (5th ed 2013)
(DSM-5). (first reference; include parenthetical if subsequent references or
citations follow)
The Ethical Oregon Lawyer § 4.4 (OSB CLE 1991).
Paul Finkleman & Martin J. Hershock eds., The History of Michigan Law
169 (2006), available at https://books.google.com/books?id=jjSD45-P2_
YC&pg=PR4&lpg=PR4&dq=history+of+michigan+law+
f i n k l e m a n + h e r s h o c k & s o u r c e = b l & o t s = Yv a G Z 0 o z Q 1 & s i g =
5inym5bYCRXKARtbbFxJ2sRXpvI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=
ecYRVdXAD8uOyAT1jICIDQ&ved=0CDMQ6AEwBg#v=snippet&q=
1964%2C%20two%20yars%20after&f=false (accessed Mar 24, 2015).
Mary Sue Henifin, Howard M. Kipen & Susan R. Poulter, Reference Guide
on Medical Testimony, in Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence 439, 481
(Federal Judicial Center ed., 2d ed 2000).
NOTE: It is also acceptable to cite a source with multiple authors where
saving space is desired by using just the first author’s last name followed by
et al, e.g.,
Henifin et al, Reference Guide on Medical Testimony, in Reference Manual on
Scientific Evidence 439, 481 (Federal Judicial Center ed., 2d ed 2000).
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2.
Short Citation Form
[Author’s last name], [Volume number (if applicable)] [Title (in italics)
(shorten title if necessary)] [subdivision, chapter or section (if applicable)] at
[page(s)], e.g.,
LaFave, 3 Search and Seizure § 7.1 at 356.
Garner, Modern Legal Usage at 378-79.
Webster’s at 1935.
DSM-5 at 480.
C.
Restatements
Restatement (Second) of Torts section 847A comment c (1974). (first narrative
reference)
Restatement section 847B. (subsequent narrative form)
Restatement (Second) of Torts § 847A comment c (1974). (first citation reference)
Restatement § 847B. (subsequent reference, short citation form)
D.
Others
1.
American Jurisprudence
Reformation of Instruments, 45 Am Jur § 66 at 436 (1958).
2.
American Law Reports
William B. Johnson, Annotation, Use of Plea Bargaining or Grant of Immunity
as Improper Vouching for Credibility of Witness in Federal Cases, 76 ALR Fed
409 (1986).
Johnson, 76 ALR Fed at 415. (short citation form)
3.
Miscellaneous Tax Materials
•
Tax Services
Sales and Use Taxes: General Principles, 1300 Tax Mgmt (BNA) ¶
1300.09.C3 (2000).
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QUOTATION
In General
Quotations must duplicate the original material, including spelling, use of
uppercase, and formatting (e.g., indents and tabs). All punctuation is placed inside the
quotation marks, with the exceptions of colons, semicolons, and question marks that do
not appear in the original. Permissible changes are set out in this section.
Quoted material that contains 50 or more words is placed in block form. Quoted
material that contains 49 or fewer words may be placed in block form for emphasis.
Block quotations are single spaced, double indented, and enclosed within quotation
marks.
In a narrative context, the citation (aside from the case title) may follow the
quotation. For example,
The petitioner included discussion from Smith v. Jones, where the court stated,
“We don’t know what they were thinking.” 123 Or App 456, 460, 999 P3d 789 (2015).
While mildly amusing, that did not further his argument.
Words that are used to show special expression or give special effect, such as slang
words, words used in an ironic sense, philosophical terms, terms of art, etc., can be used
within quotation marks. If the same phrase is used repeatedly, then those same quotation
marks could become distracting, so an author should consider whether or not to repeat
them.
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I. Citations, Parenthetical Phrases, and Footnotes
A.
Placement
When setting out a block quotation, the citation and parenthetical phrases (if any)
are placed flush left on the next line with a double space between the quotation and the
citation, e.g.,
1.
Citation
“Defendant, of course, may argue that the safeguard for
employees exceeds the ordinary standard of due care considering
the nature of the risk and the foreseeability of injury. The court
may explain the governmentally prescribed safeguard to the jury
in an instruction that the jury may consider the safeguard in determining whether the defendant exercised due care.”
Shahtout, 298 Or at 605-06.
2.
Parenthetical Phrase
ORS 19.205(2)(a) provides, in part:
“An order affecting a substantial right, and which in effect determines the action * * *.”
(Emphasis added.)
3.
Order of Citations and Parentheticals
As stated in Welker,
“[t]his court has held that a motion is controlled by its substance,
not its caption. More specifically, this court has held that a motion
was a motion for new trial although it was not denominated as such.
Under ORS 19.270(4)(a), the trial court must have intended to
enter an appealable judgment at the time of the filing of the notice
of appeal.”
332 Or at 313 (citations omitted).
4.
Footnotes
The preferred method for quoting text that contains a footnote is to omit the
footnote and indicate so by parenthetical, e.g.,
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“The difficulty with that argument is that the state has not established the requisite nexus between appellant’s mental illness and
the potential substance abuse or failure to appreciate the risks of
such abuse.”
State v. Linde, 179 Or App 553, 561, 32 P3d 78 (2002) (footnote omitted).
To retain a foonote within a blocked quotation, drop the quoted, blocked
footnote under it, separated by a one-inch line, then proceed with new text (that is,
do not set the quoted footnote as a new footnote at the bottom of the page), e.g.,
As this court explained in Kambury v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., 173 Or App
372, 387, 21 P3d 1089 (2001) (Edmonds, P. J., dissenting),
“[b]ut the question is one of Oregon law, not federal law, the federal
court’s decision was the earlier of the two, and it is the Oregon
court’s decision—not that of the Ninth Circuit—that is binding for
purposes of the certification law.8 It follows from the foregoing that
this court should not accept certification of the first question, unless
some other discretionary factor dictates a contrary conclusion.
__________
“8 We recognize that the district court appears to be concerned
about an inconsistency in decisions on this subject. However, our
focus in searching for controlling precedent is narrower than the
focus of the district court. The Oregon Court of Appeals decision
in [Korbut] is “controlling precedent” for the purposes of ORS
28.200 [the statute authorizing answers to questions of law certified by other courts] and our exercise of discretion under that
statute.”
It is unclear from the opinion in Western Helicopter Services whether the
Supreme Court was telling the United States District Court that it should
follow Oregon law rather than the federal cases interpreting Oregon law or
whether the court was in fact affirming that Korbut was controlling precedent
on the issue presented by the certified question.
5.
Block Quotations Within Block Quotations
When formatting a second level of blocked quoted text within blocked
quoted text, use the standard indent for the first level of quotation, and then for the
internal quoted text, use a double indent for both the right and left margins.
“the state must prove that the defendant’s consent was independent of, or only
tenuously related to, the illegal police conduct. As the court explained,
“ ‘consent is insufficient to establish the admissibility of evidence
from a warrantless search if the state cannot prove that the consent
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was independent of, or only tenuously related to, any preceding
violation of the defendant’s rights under Article I, section 9. Unless
the state is able to make that showing, then the defendant’s consent cannot operate to validate a warrantless search because the
defendant’s consent itself derived from a violation of the defendant’s rights under that state constitutional provision.’ ”
Jones, 265 Or App at 678 (quoting State v. Yunker, 330 Or 388, 395, 457 P3d
890 (2013) (emphasis in Yunker)).
B.
Use of Parenthetical Phrases With Quotations Within Text
If internal quotation marks or brackets are omitted, so indicate, e.g.,
“By looking to only the current employment of the land, the law ignores the past and
any intentions with regard to future use.” Everhart v. Dept. of Rev., 15 OTR 76, 81
(1999) (internal quotation marks omitted).
or
In Everhart v. Dept. of Rev., 15 OTR 76, 81 (1999), the court rejected that argument,
stating, “By looking to only the current employment of the land, the law ignores the
past and any intentions with regard to future use.” (Internal quotation marks omitted.)
NOTE: It is correct to add either a parenthetical indicating that internal quotation
marks are omitted or to leave in the quotation marks and add a parenthetical
indicating the source that you are quoting, but not both.
Oppressive conduct is
“ ‘burdensome, harsh and wrongful conduct; a lack of probity and fair
dealing in the affairs of the company to the prejudice of some of its members; or a * * * departure from the standards of fair dealing, and a violation
of fair play on which every shareholder who entrusts his money to a company is entitled to rely.’ ”
Polk v. Hergert Land & Cattle Co., 5 P3d 402, 404 (Colo App 2000) (quoting Jorgensen
v. Water Works, Inc., 218 Wis 2d 761, 783, 582 NW2d 98, 107 (Wis App 1998) (brackets omitted)).
Include a parenthetical phrase to differentiate emphasis being added to quoted
material as opposed to emphasis that was already in the original text, e.g.,
“While mass-appraisal techniques may place heavy reliance upon cost, cost alone
is not determinative of market value.” Su v. Dept. of Rev., 15 OTR 305, 308 (2001)
(emphasis added).
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“ORS 653.295, however, provides no remedy for discharge of an employee * * *.”
Dymock v. Norwest Safety Protective Equipment, 172 Or App 399, 406, 19 P3d 934
(2001) (emphasis in original).
When the material being quoted contains a quotation, the text of which is
emphasized, include a parenthetical phrase that notes the source of the emphasis (use
emphases if plural), e.g.,
As in Gladhart v. Oregon Vineyard Supply Co., this court again repeats that
“the Brown court ‘only acknowledged that perhaps strict liability should
require the danger to be one endangering human life or safety, a different
question from whether tort recovery should be limited to such an injury,’
and that ‘[t]hat difference determines the decision in the present case.’ ”
164 Or App 438, 451-52, 994 P2d 134 (1999) (quoting Russell v. Ford Motor Company,
281 Or 587, 593-94, 575 P2d 1383 (1978) (emphases in Russell)).
“Apparent authority is created ‘only by some conduct of the principal which, when reasonably interpreted, causes a third party to believe that the principal consents to have
the apparent agent act for him on that matter.’ ” Badger v. Paulson Investment Co., Inc.,
311 Or 14, 24, 803 P2d 1178 (1991) (quoting Mattson v. Commercial Credit Business
Loans, 301 Or 407, 422, 723 P2d 996 (1986) (emphasis added)).
Badger v. Paulson Investment Co., Inc., 311 Or 14, 24, 803 P2d 1178 (1991) (“Apparent
authority is created ‘only by some conduct of the principal which, when reasonably
interpreted, causes a third party to believe that the principal consents to have the apparent agent act for him on that matter.’ ” (Quoting Mattson v. Commercial Credit Business
Loans, 301 Or 407, 422, 723 P2d 996 (1986) (emphasis in Mattson).)).
Multiple notations about a quotation may follow any order that clearly
communicates whether and how the text was altered. If in doubt, choose this order:
“in original,” “omitted,” and “added.” It is also acceptable, to improve readability, to use
“first emphasis added; second emphasis in original,” etc.
In particular, petitioner focuses on the following emphasized statements that
appear in the form under the heading “Information Considered at the Hearing”:
“Discovery is not permitted. Requests that the Board research and obtain
information you want considered cannot be honored. It is your responsibility to provide that information. You do not have the right to call witnesses or to cross-examine witnesses who have provided information to
the Board.”
(Underscoring in original; footnote and boldface omitted; emphasis added.)
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Consistently with those principles, the court more recently summarized the
requirements of ORS 136.440 as follows:
“By its terms, ORS 136.440(1) requires only that the corroborating evidence tend to connect the defendant with the commission of the
offense, here, aggravated murder. That statute does not require corroboration of a particular theory of the commission of the offense.
“It is not necessary that the corroborating evidence be direct and
positive; it may be circumstantial. Nor is it necessary that there be independent corroborating evidence with respect to every material fact necessary
to be established to sustain a conviction for the commission of a crime.
Where there is any evidence apart from that of the accomplice tending to
connect the defendant with the commission of the crime, the question of
whether the accomplice’s testimony is corroborated is one for the trier of
fact.”
State v. Walton, 311 Or 223, 242-43, 809 P2d 81 (1991) (emphasis in original; citations
omitted).
It depends, the court stated, on the nature of the restriction—in particular,
whether the restriction is on the contribution itself:
“If it can be shown that financial contributions and expenditures are the
free expression of opinion, laws limiting such activities run afoul of the
constitutional protection. But lawmakers might choose to impose requirements distinct from contribution or expenditure limitations (e.g., requirements of disclosure of financing sources and the extent of any gift) as well
as various sanctions (e.g., civil or criminal penalties, disqualification from
the ballot or Voters’ Pamphlet, and the like) and their choice may not necessarily offend the constitutional requirement.”
Id. at 523 (first emphasis added; second emphasis in original; internal quotation marks
omitted).
When a citation includes both a parenthetical phrase and subsequent history, place
the parenthetical after the subsequent history, e.g.,
Defendant notes that the fact that a search occurred cannot, alone, support an inference
that the searching officers had subjective probable cause. See State v. Bickford, 157 Or
App 386, 390 n 1, 970 P2d 234 (1998), rev den, 329 Or 589 (2000) (“If a trial court
could infer subjective probable cause from the arrest, we would never need to inquire
into subjective probable cause for the arrest.”).
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When a parenthetical contains a quotation that has been altered, include an internal
parenthetical and adjust the punctuation accordingly, e.g.,
The court held that claims of increasing pain due to injury, standing alone, were insufficient to establish an aggravation claim. SAIF v. Walker, 330 Or 102, 116, 996 P2d
979 (2000) (stating that ORS 656.273(1) requires “proof, based upon medical evidence
supported by objective findings” (emphasis added)).
The court held that claimant’s claims of increasing pain due to the injury, standing
alone, were insufficient to establish an aggravation claim. SAIF v. Walker, 330 Or 102,
116-17, 996 P2d 979 (2000) (“Under ORS 656.005(19), however, such ‘objective findings’ may include evidence of worsened symptoms.” (Emphasis in original.)).
When appending information to a citation, using terms such as cited in, quoted in,
construed in, etc., those words are italicized,
Keenan v. Norris-Lampe, 330 Or 456, 777 P2d 897 (1999), construed in Bennett v.
Bauman, 333 Or 566, 790 P2d 654 (2001).
Citing ORS 136.425 (2005), amended by Or Laws 2009, chapter 875, section 1, defendant contends that, by itself, a confession is insufficient to support a conviction for an
offense.
When including works that the primary authority quotes, discusses, or mentions,
the lead-in words should be indicated parenthetically and not italicized, e.g.,
See Keenan v. Norris-Lampe, 330 Or 456, 777 P2d 897 (1999) (citing Bennett v.
Bauman, 329 Or 566, 770 P2d 654 (1998)); see also Brown v. Uphoff, 381 F3d 1219,
1226 (10th Cir 2004) (“Unlike Gideon, Crawford does not ‘alter our understanding of
what constitutes basic due process,’ but merely sets out new standards for the admission of certain kinds of hearsay.” (Quoting United States v. Mora, 293 F3d 1213, 1219
(10th Cir 2002).)).
For more on parentheticals, refer to pages 18 to 19.
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II. Use of Uppercase, Brackets, and Ellipsis Within Quotations
A.
Use of Uppercase
Generally, the first letter of a quotation that reads as a full sentence must be in
uppercase, e.g.,
The trial court issued a letter opinion that addressed defendant’s motion as follows:
“There is no evidence supporting the first change.”
The witness testified, “Although I am not a doctor, I play one on TV.”
Sometimes this requires changing the initial letter of a quotation to uppercase, e.g.,
The court observed, “[U]npreserved error will ordinarily not be reviewed on appeal.”
The examining physician’s report declared, “[C]laimant was medically stationary as of
February 12, 1992.”
In the following example, the use of a bracketed lowercase letter indicates that the
initial letter was in uppercase in the original, e.g.,
Incorrect:
Defendant argued, “[t]he trial court erred in excluding witnesses from
the courtroom.”
Correct:
Defendant argued, “The trial court erred in excluding witnesses from
the courtroom.”
EXCEPTION: When a quotation that reads as a full sentence is incorporated into the
grammatical structure of the sentence (often preceded by “that”), do not uppercase the first
letter and use brackets if the first letter of the quotation was uppercase in the original, e.g.,
The court observed that “[u]npreserved error will ordinarily not be reviewed on appeal.”
NOTE: For using uppercase after colons, refer to page 79.
B.
Use of Brackets
The use of brackets in quoted material indicates that something has been changed,
modified, or deleted from how it was originally published.
1.
Indicate a Change in Uppercase or Lowercase
You should “[p]lace commas and periods inside quotation marks.”
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2.
Alter a Word
“Plaintiff place[s] substantial weight on its belief that the legislature intended
to restore the common practice of exempting brooder houses.”
The prohibition was enacted to “ensure[ ] that dogs will have their day.”
3.
Indicate Substituted or Added Words
The court’s “jurisdiction [is limited] to determining whether petitioners’
assessment may be spread over a period of at least 10 years.”
4.
Add Punctuation to a Quotation Where There Previously Was No
Punctuation and the Punctuation Is Not Part of the Larger Sentence
The standard of care applicable to physicians requires the use of “that degree
of care, skill[,] and diligence” as is used by physicians in the same or similar
community.
The trial court concluded that “there is no issue of material fact,” but it also
concluded that defendant was not entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
[No comma in original; brackets not needed, because comma is part of larger
sentence.]
5.
Modify Punctuation that Appears in the Original Text
Punctuation in quoted text can be replaced with other punctuation with the
use of brackets:
Original:
“The Court of Appeals has 13 members, but they sit in panels
of three.”
New:
“The Court of Appeals has 13 members[;] * * * they sit in
panels of three.”
If quoted material ends before the new sentence ends, then punctuation that
is appropriate for the new sentence can be included inside the quotation marks:
Original:
Defendant’s argument is beyond reproach and compels us to
strike his brief and order him to pay petitioner’s costs.
New:
In Jones, the court characterized the defendant’s argument as
“beyond reproach,” struck his brief, and ordered him to pay
the petitioner’s costs.
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If omitting quoted material at the end of a quoted sentence, but ending
the new sentence with the partially quoted material, denote the omitted quoted
material before the period in the new sentence with an ellipsis:
6.
Original:
A party shall make a notation of exception either orally on the
record or in a writing filed with the court.
New:
ORCP 59 H(2) provides that “[a] party shall make a notation
of exception either orally on the record or in a writing * * *.”
Insert a Citation Within a Quotation
When quoting text that refers to a case by use of supra rather than a
citation, add the citation in brackets, e.g.,
“This court has declared that evidence is suppressed for violations of the
Oregon Constitution ‘to preserve * * * rights to the same extent as if the government’s officers had stayed within the law.’ State v. Davis[, 295 Or 227, 234,
666 P2d 802 (1983)].”
Use a short citation form if the case has already been cited in full, e.g.,
“A discovery rule cannot be assumed, but must be found in the statute or limitations itself. Huff[, 322 Or at 462].”
When modifying quoted material to add emphasized text, emphasize the
brackets themselves, in addition to the inserted emphasized text, only when the
words on both sides of the brackets are already emphasized, e.g.,
Correct:
“Plaintiff’s [first] argument * * *”
Correct:
“Plaintiff’s [first] argument * * *”
Correct:
“Plaintiff’s [first] argument * * *”
Incorrect:
“Plaintiff’s [first] argument * * *”
Incorrect:
“Plaintiff’s [first] argument * * *”
When quoting text that refers to a VAWA case using an unredacted case title,
use brackets to redact the name of the protected party to initials, e.g.,
“ ‘Danger’ in this context means ‘a threat of physical injury, not merely a
threat of annoyance or harassment.’ [K. R.] v. Erazo, 248 Or App 700, 706-07,
274 P3d 214 (2012). To ‘ “[c]oerce” means to restrain, compel or dominate by
force or threat.’ ORS 163.730(2).”
H. L. P., 309 Or App at 113-14.
7.
Indicate a Significant Mistake in the Original
“[Sic]” is used to indicate that the author being quoted has used a word
incorrectly or has used an incorrect spelling of a word within the context of
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the sentence that confuses or changes the meaning of the sentence. Obvious
typographical errors may be silently corrected, but any idiosyncrasy of spelling
(particularly from older works) is preserved, e.g., “defence.” When using [sic], it
is italicized, enclosed in brackets, and placed after the uncorrected word, e.g.,
“The court’s rational [sic] for its decision was based entirely on legal precedent.”
“We are going to precede [sic] with our plans for the law suit.”
(Here, the use of [sic] signals the reader that “rational” should actually read
“rationale”; “precede” should read “proceed.”)
Bracketing and correcting an error in quoted material instead of using [sic]
is usually sufficient as long as it does not alter the meaning. The use of [sic] should
be avoided to point out minor grammatical errors, to indicate disagreement with a
word’s usage, or to appear highhanded. Instead, the preferred method is to silently
correct or to use brackets, e.g.,
Incorrect:
“The company, on its own volition, intervened in the trial
Court [sic] proceedings * * *.”
Correct:
“The company, on its own volition, intervened in the trial
[c]ourt proceedings * * *.”
Correct:
“The company, on its own volition, intervened in the trial
court proceedings * * *.”
Incorrect:
“The lab technician dropped the vile [sic] of blood.”
Correct:
“The lab technician dropped the vi[al] of blood.”
Correct:
“The lab technician dropped the vial of blood.”
NOTE: Where a word or sentence would be correct either way, do not use [sic].
C.
Use of Ellipsis
1.
Partial Omission
Use three asterisks (not periods), separated by spaces, to indicate omission
of a word or words within a sentence, omission of sentences within a block
quotation, and omission of text after a subsection number, e.g.,
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The claimant seeks compensation “for mental and emotional distress and * * *
damages.”
In amending ORS 656.273(1) in 1995, the legislature “neither repealed nor
amended ORS 656.273(8) * * * but it may have changed how ORS 656.273(8)
is applied.”
When quoting a full sentence except the end, use three asterisks, followed
by a period, to indicate omission of the end of the sentence:
“The evidence directly establishes only the truth of the primary fact or facts
from which an inference may be derived * * *.”
EXCEPTION: If quoting a full sentence except the end and the quoted material
originally ended with a punctuation mark, then use only a bracketed period to
indicate the change of punctuation (and, by inference, the end of the sentence):
“A court may consider unpreserved error under the plan error doctrine only if
the error is one of law[.]” (period replaces semicolon and the remainder of the
sentence)
When including quoted material within a sentence and the new sentence
ends before the quoted material ended, an ellipsis is not needed:
Correct:
If reasonable minds can disagree, then “any error is not plain.”
Incorrect:
If reasonable minds can disagree, then “any error is not plain
* * *.”
Use three asterisks (not followed by a period) to indicate omission of one
or more sentences at the end of a paragraph within (as opposed to at the end of) a
block quotation:
“The majority’s reading of the statute requires us to make two leaps of
faith. The first leap is that, in 1965, the legislature used ‘gear or equipment’ to mean exactly what ‘appliance’ meant between 1921 and 1965.
The second leap of faith is that the terms ‘boats, fishing gear and vehicles’
mean exactly what ‘gear or equipment’ means in ORS 506.655 * * *. * * *
“We decline to take those leaps for several reasons.”
NOTE: In the preceding example, the first ellipsis indicates that a sentence
otherwise quoted in full has been ended prematurely. The second ellipsis indicates
that an additional sentence or sentences has been omitted.
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Omission of text after a subsection number:
“(1) As used in ORS 308A.050 to 308A.128, ‘farm use’ means the
current employment of land for the primary purpose of obtaining a profit
in money by:
“(a) * * * harvesting and selling crops.”
A block quotation that starts somewhere other than the beginning of the
quoted sentence or paragraph may be treated a few different ways, depending on
the author’s use of the quoted material.
An ellipsis is not necessary to begin a quotation that starts somewhere other
than the beginning of the sentence or paragraph, e.g.,
The issue in Merriweather was as follows:
“[W]hether a circuit court order compelling witnesses to appear
and testify before a grand jury was appealable under ORS
19.205(4) as the product of a ‘special statutory proceeding.’ ”
The court has previously explained that
“neither ORS 279.340 nor any other provision setting out requirements for hours of labor by public employees, ORS 279.334 279.342, expressly states what is meant by the phrase ‘directly
employed’ or indicates the categories of persons to whom the
phrase applies.”
Place the beginning of a block quotation flush left when the original quoted
material is not the first sentence of a paragraph, e.g.,
As this court has stated before,
“[e]ven if that assumption is accurate, it is insufficient because
even in a high crime neighborhood unprovoked flight does not
invariably lead to reasonable suspicion * * *. Like unprovoked
flight itself, presence in a high crime neighborhood is a fact too
generic and susceptible to innocent explanation to satisfy the reasonable suspicion inquiry.”
Do not use an ellipsis if quoting only part of a sentence, e.g.,
Again, the legislature expressly provided that those actions be “commenced
not later than two years after the date on which the plaintiff first discovered, or
in the exercise of reasonable care should have discovered,” the death, injury,
or disease.
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Do not use an ellipsis to denote the omission of a citation or footnote.
Instead, use “citation omitted” or “footnote omitted” in a parenthetical.
When quoting only part of a statute, rule, etc., use “in part,” e.g.,
ORS 305.440 provides, in part, “If no appeal is taken to the Supreme
Court, the decision of the court shall constitute a final determination of the
matter.”
2.
Block Omission
Use five asterisks to indicate omission of a block of text such as paragraphs
or sections, but not to indicate an omission of additional material after an ending
paragraph, e.g.,
OAR 635-005-0180 provides, in part:
“It is unlawful for commercial purposes to take, land, or
possess sea urchins:
“* * * * *
“(3) Without first obtaining a permit * * *.”
NOTE: If the original has additional text, it is not necessary to add three asterisks
following the period.
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STYLE GUIDE
In General
This section addresses issues of word treatment, grammar, punctuation, and usage
that arise frequently in opinion drafting. It is not exhaustive. Grammar and usage are
not exact sciences; there are many questions of style about which reasonable minds can
differ. To promote consistency, however, the courts generally follow the conventions
outlined below.
Other Resources
The courts use the following reference works (which also have updated editions)
to resolve style issues not addressed in the Oregon Appellate Courts Style Manual
(Updated 2023).
•
Webster’s Third New Int’l Dictionary (unabridged ed 2002).
For questions regarding spelling, word usage, or proper hyphenation when
dividing words, the appellate courts adopted Webster’s, in 1993, as the
official dictionary.
•
The Chicago Manual of Style (14th ed 1993).
This reference work addresses many grammatical standards and
punctuation issues not covered here.
•
Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern American Usage (1998).
This work explains many principles of grammar and punctuation. It is also
a very helpful guide to word usage.
•
Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage (2d ed 1995).
This is a helpful guide to modern legal usage. It also addresses many
general questions of grammar and punctuation.
•
William A. Sabin, The Gregg Reference Manual (9th ed 1999).
Readily available desktop reference book.
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I. Spelling, Font, and Treatment of Words
A.
Use of Italics and Roman Typeface
1.
Foreign Words
Some foreign words and phrases commonly used in legal writing are not
italicized, e.g.,
ad hoc etc. pro tempore
ad hominem
habeas corpus
quid pro quo
ad valorem mandamus remittitur
de facto per curiam subpoena
en banc pro rata vice versa
Other less common foreign words and phrases that are italicized include the
following. When using such words in the body of an opinion, use the periods and
diacritical marks as set out below.
a priori i.e. quantum meruit
ab initio id. quantum valebant
ad litem in camera quo warranto
amicus curiae / amici curiae
in limine
res ipsa loquitur
arguendo in re res judicata
certiorari in toto respondeat superior
contra inter alia scienter
coram nobis ipse dixit sic
de novo
ipso facto
sine qua non
dictum non sequitur stare decisis
dubitante
nunc pro tunc
sua sponte
duces tecum per se sub silentio
e.g. post hoc ultra vires
et al. prima facie vice
et seq. pro hac vice vis-à-vis
ex parte pro se viz.
ex post facto, but qua voir dire
Ex Post Facto Clause
2.
Signals
Introductory signals such as cf., accord, see, e.g., compare / with, and see
generally are italicized. “See” is not italicized when it functions as a verb and not
as a signal, e.g.,
For discussion on the merits, see Smith, 300 Or App at 150.
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3.
Case Names and Other Authorities
Case names are italicized, as are the titles of books and other authorities.
Please refer to the Citation Section for examples.
When a case or other authority takes a possessive ending, the apostrophe
and “s” are not italicized:
Miranda’s holding has been called into question.
B.
Use of Uppercase and Lowercase
1.
Use Uppercase for the Following:
a.
Proper Names
b.
Complete Official Titles of a Public Official or Entity
(but not Abbreviated Titles), e.g.,
Uppercase: Not Uppercase: (exceptions noted)
Alaska Supreme Court
the court
Appellate Commissioner
the commissioner
Assistant Attorney General John Jones
assistant attorney general
Attorney General
the Attorney General (exception)
Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision
the board
City of Eugene the city
Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office
the district attorney’s office
Criminal Law Revision Commission
the commission
Department of Revenue
the department
Deputy Sheriff Stanley
the deputy
Director of the Department of Consumer
and Business Services
the director
Governor the Governor (exception)
House of Representatives
the House (exception)
Judge Atwater the judge
Multnomah County Circuit Court
the court, or the circuit court
Officer Krupke
the officer
Oregon Court of Appeals / Court of Appeals
the court
Oregon Legislative Assembly /
1997 Legislative Assembly
the legislature
Oregon State Bar
the Bar (exception)
Oregon Supreme Court / Supreme Court
the court
Magistrate Jones the magistrate
Portland Police Officer
the officer
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Secretary of State
the secretary
Representative Smith the representative
Salem-Keizer School District
the district
Senate the Senate (exception)
Senator Jones the senator
State of Oregon the state
Oregon Tax Court / Tax Court
the court
United States Court of Appeals for the
Ninth Circuit Ninth Circuit (exception)
United States Supreme Court
the Court (exception)
Washington County Jail
the jail
Workers’ Compensation Board
the board
NOTE: In state jurisdictions having more than one appellate court at the same
level, do not use uppercase for any shortened version of the name of that court.
For example, the full form “California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District”
uses uppercase, but the shortened form “court of appeal” does not. (There is no “s”
after “appeal” for the California courts of appeal.) Similarly, “New York Supreme
Court, Appellate Division, Third Department” uses uppercase, but the shortened
form “supreme court” does not. (In New York, the Court of Appeals is the highest
court, while the appellate divisions of the supreme court are the intermediate
appellate courts.) However, it is permissible to use uppercase for shortened names
of federal appellate courts, e.g., the Ninth Circuit.
c.
Months and Days of the Week (usually written in month-day-year
sequence), e.g.,
He filed the motion on Monday, January 23, 1993.
The action occurred in November 2013.
Defendant appeals from the January 16, 1994, order.
d.
Full Title of a Constitution, Constitutional Amendment, or Clause of
a Constitution, e.g.,
Article I, section 9, of the Oregon Constitution (but “state constitution”)
Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution
(but “federal constitution”)
Contract Clause
dormant Commerce Clause
Due Process Clause
Ex Post Facto Clause
Privileges and Immunities Clause
Proportionality Clause
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In the phrase “Oregon and United States constitutions,” do not
uppercase “constitutions,” because the full title of neither document is
being used. Note that either of the following formulations is preferred:
“state and federal constitutions” or “the Oregon Constitution and the United
States Constitution.”
e.
“En Banc” and “Per Curiam” on Title Pages
NOTE: When used within the text on an opinion, those terms do not
start with uppercase letters, e.g., “The Court of Appeals, sitting en banc,
reversed.”
f.
“Intoxilyzer” or “Breathalyzer”
(Those are proper names for particular breath testing equipment.)
“Ziploc” or “Taser” (trademarked names)
(but zippered bag or stun gun)
g.
“Class” or “Count”
(When referring to misdemeanor or felony charges), e.g.,
Class A felony
Count 1 of the indictment
Counts 1 and 2
h.
“Schedule”
(When referring to drugs), e.g.,
Schedule I drug
i.
“Act” or “Code”
(When referring to the full title of specific Acts or Codes), e.g.,
The Oregon Condominium Act specifically lists those conditions. The
act does not set out the condition on which appellant relies.
The Bankruptcy Code provides for that situation. The code further
provides a remedy in the event of a violation.
j.
Particular Sections of the Oregon Revised Statutes Identified
Collectively, e.g.,
Civil Code
Criminal Code
Oregon Evidence Code
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Oregon Public Records Law
Unlawful Trade Practices Act
Workers’ Compensation Law
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k.
Social Security
SSA
Social Security number
Her income consisted of Social Security and wages from part-time
employment.
2.
Do Not Use Uppercase for the Following:
a.
Generic Terms, e.g.,
“federal” or “state,”
as in
the state
state constitution
federal constitution
statute of frauds
statute of limitations
BUT do use uppercase when part of a full proper name, e.g.,
Federal Land Bank
State of Oregon
b.
The Words “chapter” or “section”
(When referring to a specific chapter or section within a sentence), e.g.,
ORS chapter 10; Article I, section 9.
But
Chapter 7 (when referring to the Bankruptcy Code)
c.
The Terms “x-ray,” “horizontal gaze nystagmus,” “administrative
law judge,” and “driving under the influence”
A horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) test
The doctor ordered x-rays of the claimant’s lower back.
The administrative law judge (ALJ)
He was convicted of driving under the influence (DUII).
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d.
The Seasons or Centuries
It is now okay to wear white in the fall after Labor Day!
In the eighteenth century, women could wear white only as a petticoat.
She was convicted of wearing a red petticoat in the fall of 1858. (or,
fall 1858)
e.
C.
The Words “website” or “internet”
Numbers and Dates
In General
Numbers one through nine are spelled out when used in text, except when listing a
series of like objects, e.g.,
Judges from five states came to the conference: 5 from Washington, 2 from California,
10 from Oregon, 6 from Idaho, and 1 from Alaska.
All numbers after nine are expressed as numerals, except when they begin a
sentence, e.g.,
Thirty-four judges attended the conference.
Defendant raises 10 assignments of error.
Very large numbers are expressed in figures followed by million, billion, etc., e.g.,
5 million people; 2 billion particles; $10 million
All ordinal numbers (i.e., numbers that measure position) are spelled out when
used in narrative, e.g.,
Plaintiff’s twelfth assignment of error is not well taken.
I chased my cat Jethro off the sofa for the one hundredth time.
This is the court’s seventy-third oral argument day this year.
NOTE: (1) Ordinal numbers consisting of more than one word are hyphenated if the
corresponding cardinal number is hyphenated, e.g., “seven hundred and twelfth” is not
hyphenated, because “seven hundred and twelve” is not hyphenated, but “eighty-second”
is hyphenated, because “eighty-two” is hyphenated. (2) Ordinal numbers are expressed
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numerically to identify reports and courts in citations, e.g., Boston v. Cream Pie, 283 F2d
1 (9th Cir 1999).
1.
Fractions, Decimals, and Ratios
Fractions appearing in nonquoted text either alone or with numbers
less than 10 are spelled out; fractions appearing with numbers 10 or higher are
expressed as numerals, e.g.,
Four and one-half years old
23 1/4
One third
When fractions are expressed as numerals, insert a space between the whole
number and the fraction. Do NOT use a hyphen. (“10 2/3,” not “10-2/3.”)
Use numerals when using a decimal point, e.g.,
.08 percent blood alcohol content
Use numerals when denoting ratios, e.g.,
4:1 or ratio of 4 to 1 (as they are easier to read inside text)
However, spell out numbers when denoting measurement, e.g.,
The subject was five feet eight inches tall.
2.
Percentages
Spell out the word “percent” when used in text. Use the percent sign (%) in
tables, e.g.,
Fifteen percent of the people in 1993 voted against the ballot measure.
In 1995, 15 percent of the people voted against the ballot measure.
Year
1991
1992
1993
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Percent
10%
20%
15%
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3.
Time
Include minutes and a.m. or p.m., e.g.,
Oral arguments begin at 8:00 a.m. (not “8 a.m.”)
We will break for lunch at 12:15 p.m.
The defendant was last seen at 8:00 p.m. (not 8 o’clock in the evening)
4.
Dates
Three-part dates are set off with a comma between the day and the year and,
generally, a comma after the year, e.g.,
Defendant appeals from the January 16, 1994, order.
When indicating an inclusive period of time, omit the comma after the first
year, e.g.,
Defendant was on probation from June 14, 1980 to July 30, 1982.
When referring to a date by month and day, do not use endings with the
day, e.g.,
the September 19 hearing (not September 19th)
When indicating time by month and year only, there is no comma before or
after the year, unless the sentence structure requires a comma after the year, e.g.,
Three lawyers attended the April 1990 deposition.
The trial, which was scheduled for June 1990, was postponed several times.
When indicating a period of several years, use “to” or “through,” not a
hyphen, e.g.,
Judge Caspar was on the bench from 1900 to 1921.
EXCEPTION: Hyphens are used for tax years. Do not repeat the “19” for
inclusive years, e.g., tax years 1995-97, but tax year 1999-2000. For years ending
in double “00” repeat the entire sequence, e.g., 2000-2001.
An indication of a decade does not take an apostrophe, e.g.,
1980s
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Indications of time, as shown here, take an apostrophe, e.g.,
24 months’ incarceration (or 24 months of incarceration)
six weeks’ time (or six weeks of time)
5.
e.g.,
Money
When referring to dollars, use the dollar sign; do not spell out “dollars,”
$5 million; $2 billion
Use $25.00 if there are other mixed dollar and cents amounts referred to,
otherwise use $25 if standing alone, e.g.,
Plaintiff sought $10,000.00 in attorney fees and $875.45 in costs.
The court entered judgment in the amount of $10,000.
Use a comma in numbers larger than three digits, e.g.,
$1,500
D.
Acronyms / Initialisms
Acronyms are composed of the initial letters or parts of a compound term. An
acronym is usually read or spoken as a single word, rather than letter by letter, e.g., AIDS.
Initialisms are abbreviations pronounced letter by letter, e.g., ORCP, LCDC, DWS, HGN,
JNOV, etc. Periods are usually omitted to improve readability. In either event, all but the
most common acronyms / initialisms are spelled out upon first usage, followed by the
acronym / initialism enclosed in parentheses, e.g.,
Mountain View Hospital District (MVHD) filed a motion for summary judgment.
The article that precedes an acronym or initialism depends on how the abbreviation
reads: If it is pronounced beginning with a vowel sound, then use “an.” If it is pronounced
beginning with a consonant sound, then use “a.”
an LCDC order
an ORAP provision
an ORCP ruling
a LUBA opinion
a Umatilla County sheriff
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Generally, add an “s” when forming a plural of something singular, e.g., SSNs,
UFOs, MDs, CCRs, and add an apostrophe to show possession, e.g., LUBA’s analysis or
PERS’s liabilities.
E.
Titles and Offices
Chief Justice Balmer
chief justice of the Supreme Court
Your Honor
The Honorable Thomas A. Balmer
Queen Mary
the queen
Dr. Smith (becomes Smith after first reference)
F.
Abbreviations
Academic Degrees
Ph.D. (“Ph.D.” is preferred over “PhD” with no periods.)
Corpus Juris Secundum
Corpus Juris Secundum (an encyclopedia of United States law at the federal
and state levels) is abbreviated as CJS without periods.
Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict
When abbreviating, use “JNOV” instead of “j.n.o.v.”
Months of the Year (no periods, when appearing in citations):
January – Jan
February – Feb
March – Mar
April – Apr
May – May
June – June
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July – July
August – Aug
September – Sept
October – Oct
November – Nov
December – Dec
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II. Punctuation
A.
Apostrophes
If a singular word ends in “s,” then add “ 's ” to show possession, e.g.,
George Harris’s house
witness’s testimony
Clauss’s land
PERS’s liabilities
or if a name ends in “z,” or “ x,” e.g.,
Sanchez’s argument
Rex’s children
Exception: Singular entity names that end in “s” take only an apostrophe, e.g.,
Boy Scouts’ answer
General Motors’ complaint
Form the possessive of most plural words by adding only an apostrophe:
the Joneses’ driveway
the boys’ gym
Plural words that do not end in “s” take “ 's ” to form the possessive:
children’s toys
women’s tournament
If there are two (or more) possessors, proper punctuation depends on meaning. If
the possession is separate, each possessor takes an apostrophe. If the possession is joint,
only the last possessor takes an apostrophe, e.g.,
mother’s and father’s children (if referring to each parent’s children with another partner)
mother and father’s children (if they have children together)
mother’s and father’s arguments (if they are separate arguments)
mother and father’s arguments (if their arguments are joint)
Use an apostrophe with the following indications of time, e.g.,
36 months’ incarceration
two weeks’ time
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Do not use an apostrophe with these particular word phrases, e.g.,
Attorney fees
IRAs
When a name of a case or other italicized authority takes a possessive ending, the
“ 's ” is not italicized:
Miranda’s holding has been called into question.
NOTE: Sometimes the use of “ 's ” can be awkward and make for difficult reading.
In those situations, use “of” instead. E.g., for “Church at 295 S. 18th St.’s analysis,”
consider using “the analysis of Church at 295 S. 18th St.”; for “ORS 123.456(1)(a)’s
wording,” consider using “the wording of ORS 123.456.”
B.
Colons
1.
Colons may be used to separate a grammatically complete sentence from,
for example, another grammatically complete sentence or a list:
The court announced a general rule: Attorney fees may not be awarded in the
absence of an authorizing statute or contract provision.
The officer found several items in defendant’s apartment: a scale, five plastic
bags containing white powder, and $751 in small bills.
Colons may not be used after a grammatically incomplete thought:
Incorrect:
The panel consisted of: Judge Yunker, Judge Bauman, and
Judge Keenan.
Correct:
The panel consisted of three judges: Judge Yunker, Judge
Bauman, and Judge Keenan.
Incorrect:
Defendant argues: (1) the trial court erred in admitting evidence, (2) the error was not harmless, and (3) alternatively,
the trial court erred in denying his motion for directed verdict.
Correct:
Defendant makes three arguments: (1) the trial court erred
in admitting evidence, (2) the error was not harmless, and
(3) alternatively, the trial court erred in denying his motion for
directed verdict.
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EXCEPTION: Colons may be used after verbs to introduce block
quotations only, e.g.,
ORS 123.456 provides:
“Now is the time for all good citizens to come to the aid of their
country.”
As part of that analysis, Justice Brennan observed:
“Under Article III of the Constitution, this Court may only adjudicate actual, ongoing controversies.”
If the quotation is not blocked, then use a comma.
ORS 123.456 provides, “Now is the time for all good citizens to come to the
aid of their country.”
2.
Use of Uppercase After Colons
If the material following a colon is not a complete sentence, then it does not
begin with an uppercase letter.
The court excluded three items: a gun, a ukelele, and a garden hose.
If the material following the colon is a complete sentence, then it does
begin with an uppercase letter.
The rain in Spain does not fall mainly on the plain: It mainly falls in the northern mountains.
The court did not deny defendant’s motion outright: It deferred its ruling until
the evidence was offered at trial.
C.
Commas
Remember the basic comma rule: Use a comma only when you know why you are
using one.
The following guidelines do not set out all the situations in which commas are
correctly used. They may be useful, however, in resolving some of the most frequent
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questions about when to use, and when not to use, commas. For more guidance, see The
Chicago Manual of Style; Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern American Usage;
and William A. Sabin, The Gregg Reference Manual.
1.
Items in a Series
A series of more than two items should be separated by commas. The
courts’ convention is to use the serial comma (i.e., a comma before the conjunction
in a series of more than two items), because it eliminates the possibility of
misreading:
Sheila invited Ben’s parents, friends, and coworkers.
I agree that defendant’s brief is well written, his analysis is cogent, and his
arguments are persuasive.
A series of only two items should not be separated by a comma, regardless
of the length of the items.
Plaintiff contends that the trial court erred when it granted defendants’ motion
for summary judgment on her claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress and when it denied her motion to exclude witnesses and reporters.
NOTE: It may be more clear to separate two items in a series with a comma when
the items themselves contain multiple elements, e.g.,
In support of his motion, defendant cited Oregon and Washington cases, and
state and federal regulations.
2.
Compound Predicates
A predicate is a part of a sentence that contains a verb, but not a subject.
Compound predicates are simply predicates that contain a series of verbs. They
should be treated like any other series: if there are three or more verbs, use
commas; if there are only two, do not.
The defendant objected to the introduction of Yost’s testimony, asked the court
to call a recess, and requested permission to file a memorandum in support of
her objection.
The court denied plaintiff’s motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict
and granted his motion for a new trial.
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3.
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses joined
by a coordinating conjunction. A clause consists of a subject and a predicate. The
most common coordinating conjunctions are and, but, or, and nor.
Independent Clause:
I will go to Elaine’s New Year’s Eve party.
[Coord. Conj.] Indep. Clause: [and] I will bring a bottle of champagne.
[Coord. Conj.] Indep. Clause: [or] I will stay home.
Not a Clause:
and dance on the table. [This is a second
predicate; see “compound predicates” above.]
The coordinating conjunctions in compound sentences should be preceded
by a comma.
Paul organized the outing, and everyone had a good time.
Defendant’s brief presented a difficult argument, but Gina understood it better
after she attended oral argument.
In the narrow factual context of this case, neither the attachment of the transmitter to the truck nor the subsequent monitoring of that transmitter’s location
invaded a privacy interest of defendant, and, it follows, no search implicating
Article I, section 9, occurred.
Exception: When the clauses are short and there is no danger of misreading, the
comma may be omitted.
Anna sang and Becca played the flute.
4.
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and one or
more dependent clauses. A clause is dependent when it is introduced with a
subordinating conjunction (e.g., because, although, if, after, before, until, since, so
that, unless, while, when, where, even though) or relative pronoun (who, whom,
whose, whoever, whomever, that, which).
Whether to use a comma between an independent clause and a dependent
clause depends upon the meaning of and relationship between the clauses. When
the dependent clause is restrictive–or necessary to the meaning of the sentence–
do not use a comma. When the dependent clause is nonrestrictive–or not necessary
to the meaning of the sentence–use a comma. (Those rules also explain when to
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use “that” and when to use “which.” See page 99. “That” is restrictive and is used
without a comma; “which” is nonrestrictive and is used with a comma.)
Those rules often lead to confusion, because the same sentence can be
punctuated more than one way and still be correct, depending on its meaning.
Restrictive:
John and Mary did not marry because they wanted money.
(Meaning: they married for some other reason.)
Nonrestrictive: John and Mary did not marry, because they wanted money.
(Meaning: they did not marry, and the reason was that they
wanted money.)
Restrictive:
I am not taking that course of action because I distrust Harry’s
motives. (Meaning: the reason I am not taking that action is
not distrust of Harry’s motives.)
Nonrestrictive: I am not taking that course of action, because I distrust Harry’s
motives. (Meaning: I am not taking that course of action, and
the reason is distrust of Harry’s motives.)
(No Comma): We first address defendant’s argument that the evidence should
have been suppressed because it derived from an unlawful
police-citizen encounter. (Here, the “because clause” explains
why the evidence should have been suppressed, not why it is
addressed first.)
(Comma):
We first address defendant’s argument that the evidence
should have been suppressed, because it is dispositive. (Here,
the “because clause” explains why the argument is addressed
first, not why it should have been suppressed.)
In some situations, use or omission of a comma can cue the reader about the
relationship between two clauses and accordingly prevent misreading. Compare
the following two examples:
Defendant argues that the trial court erred because he presented adequate
exculpatory evidence.
Defendant now argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion to controvert, because he failed to preserve any challenge to the suppression ruling.
In the first example, the “because clause” explains the “that clause” element
of the main clause (i.e., why the trial court arguably erred). By contrast, in the
second example, the “because clause” explains the main subject and verb of the
main clause (i.e., why defendant is making the argument).
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5.
Parenthetical Elements
a.
Interrupting Parenthetical Elements
Either use two commas or no commas to set off parenthetical
elements that interrupt a clause or phrase. (Parenthetical elements include
nonrestrictive appositives and nonrestrictive clauses.) Generally, longer
parenthetical elements should be set off by commas, while shorter
parenthetical elements may go without any.
Correct:
The state argues, as an alternative basis for its second
assignment of error, that the trial court should not have
suppressed the computer disk because it was in plain view
when the officers searched defendant’s apartment.
Correct:
The state argues alternatively that Article I, section 9,
does not require suppression in these circumstances.
Incorrect: The state cites as an alternative ground justifying suppression, Article I, section 9, of the Oregon Constitution.
Correct:
b.
The state cites, as an alternative ground justifying suppression, Article I, section 9, of the Oregon Constitution.
Introductory Parenthetical Elements
The longer the introductory parenthetical element, the more
helpful it is to set it off with a comma. If omitting a comma could lead to
misreading, include it.
Yesterday I finished cleaning out my desk.
First, defendant objects to the denial of his motion to strike.
ORS 123.456(7) sets out, in part, the following:
When this case was before the trial court for the first time, defendant
was sentenced to death.
c.
Setting Out “Inc.” Before Parentheticals
Usually “Inc.” is set out with two commas, e.g.,
Time, Inc., is the parent company.
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But when “Inc.” is followed by a parenthetical element, omit the
second comma, e.g.,
Defendants Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc. (Borg-Warner) and
Tenneco Automotive Operating Company, Inc. (Tenneco) allegedly
manufactured * * *.
6.
Appositives
An appositive points out the same person or thing by a different name.
Whether to use commas with an appositive depends on whether it is restrictive or
nonrestrictive, which is a question of meaning. Compare the following examples:
My sister Jill conducted firefighter qualification tests last weekend.
My mother, Doris, stands on her head every day.
In the first example, the absence of commas indicates that “Jill” is
restrictive (or necessary), because the author has more than one sister and so
“Jill” identifies which of the sisters is being referred to. In the second example,
the author has only one mother, so the commas indicate that “Doris” adds only
additional, parenthetical information.
D.
Dashes
Dashes are most commonly used to amplify and explain ideas, digress from the
main idea, or create an abrupt break or sudden change in a sentence:
He spent several hours explaining his case–a case that he knew could not be won.
The attorney–who had been waiting three hours for a ruling on the motion–entered the
courtroom in an angry mood.
A space can be added before and after a dash when used as punctuation in the text
of a slip opinion; however, when published in the Advance Sheets, those spaces will be
removed. In slip opinions, use two hyphens “--” not the typographical “–” dash.
See also Punctuating Parenthetical Elements, page 88.
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E.
Hyphens
1.
Do Not Hyphenate
a.
Words That Begin With the Following Prefixes:
anti, bi, bio, co, counter, extra, infra, inter, intra, macro, micro, mid,
mini, multi, non, over, pre, pro, pseudo, re, semi, sub, super, trans, ultra, un,
and under, e.g.,
antitrust, nonprofit, coworker, subconstitutional, pretrial
BUT
mid-nineteenth century.
b.
Factfinder
The factfinder took note of the witness’s demeanor.
c.
Patdown
The assailant put his hands over his head during the patdown.
When used as a verb, it should be shown as two words:
The officer pat down the suspect.
d.
Adjective Forms of Compounds in Which the First Word Is an
Adverb Ending in “ly,” e.g.,
her eagerly awaited homecoming
his totally incompetent performance
e.
Compound Modifiers That Appear After a Verb, e.g.,
Defendant’s examination was court ordered.
BUT
The court-ordered examination was inconclusive.
f.
Percentages When Used as Adjectives, e.g.,
10 percent increase, two percent annual pay raise
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2.
g.
The Word “email”
h.
The Words “well taken” Unless Used as a Compound Modifier
A Hyphen Is Used
a.
To Join a Prefix to a Word Beginning With a Letter in Uppercase or a
Number, e.g.,
un-American, Anti-Federalist, pre-1998
b.
To Join a Prefix to a Main Word When the Second Element Consists
of Two or More Words, e.g.,
pre-latency-period therapy, non-work-related activities
c.
When the Last Letter of the Prefix (Usually a Vowel) Is the Same
as the First Letter of the Following Word and the Result Improves
Readability, e.g.,
infra-area, non-neutral
BUT
preexisting
d.
To Avoid Confusion and Misreading, e.g.,
re-cover (to cover again), not recover (to get back or regain)
re-cite (to cite again), not recite (to read or declaim)
co-conspirator (not coconspirator); co-counsel (not cocounsel)
e.
With the Prefixes “Cross” and “Post” (in conformance with the
Oregon Rules of Appellate Procedure), e.g.,
cross-assign, cross-appellant, cross-appeals
post-conviction, post-trial, post-certification
f.
When Using:
9-1-1 I-5
case-in-chief
policy-making
decision-maker
second-guess
ex-husband self-defense
ex-wife
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g.
With Adjective Phrases Containing Numerals or With Compound
Modifiers That Appear Before the Word Modified to Prevent
Misreading, e.g.,
three-year-old victim, five-foot-tall tree, 18-year marriage, 25-year
minimum term, third-party beneficiary, case-by-case basis, full-time
work (but he worked full time), common-law wife, court-appointed
attorney, first-degree murder, death-penalty case, penalty-phase
proceeding; two- and three-year-old children, self-defense, right-ofway, time-barred (but the claim is time barred)
NOTE: For more information on compound modifiers and hyphenation, see
Garner, A Dictionary of Modern American Usage (on “phrasal adjectives”).
The idea behind hyphenating compound modifiers is to promote readability
and avoid misreading.
h.
When Adding Prefixes to Acronyms, e.g.,
pre-ORCP
NOTE: For more examples, see Word Pairs, page 90; and Word Functions, page 101.
F.
Punctuating Lists
Lists may be set out in several ways. Remember that lists that consist of items
that are themselves sentences can always be written as separate sentences. Otherwise, the
following guidelines may be helpful:
•
If a list is introduced by a complete grammatical thought, use a colon at the
end of the introductory sentence. If the list is not introduced by a complete
grammatical thought, then a colon may NOT be used.
Correct:
Defendant assigns error to three rulings: (1) the denial of his
motion to disqualify Dr. Demento as an expert; (2) the denial
of his motion to suppress chemical evidence; and (3) the
granting of plaintiff’s motion for a new trial.
Correct:
Defendant assigns as error (1) the denial of his motion to disqualify Dr. Demento as an expert; (2) the denial of his motion
to suppress chemical evidence; and (3) the granting of plaintiff’s motion for a new trial.
Incorrect:
Defendant assigns error to: (1) the denial of his motion to disqualify Dr. Demento as an expert; (2) the denial of his motion
to suppress chemical evidence; and (3) the granting of plaintiff’s motion for a new trial.
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•
Items in a list may be, but are not required to be, numbered.
•
Generally, items in a list, whether numbered or not and whether introduced
by a colon or not, may be separated by either semicolons or commas. If
the items are long or contain internal punctuation, it may be clearer to use
semicolons.
•
The first item in a list should not begin with an uppercase letter, unless the
items are full sentences. See also page 59.
The trial court announced three ground rules: Witnesses were to be excluded
from the courtroom; only three members of the press were to be allowed in the
courtroom at any time; and lions would be admitted only if accompanied by
tigers and bears.
See also pages 78 through 84 for discussion of the proper use of colons and
commas.
G.
Punctuating Parenthetical Elements
Nonrestrictive parenthetical elements (that is, parenthetical elements that give
additional information but are not necessary to identify the antecedent) can be set off
by commas, dashes, or parentheses. If a parenthetical element has a close logical and
syntactic relation to the rest of the sentence, then use commas. Dashes indicate a more
remote relation, and parentheses still more remote.
See also pages 83 to 84 for discussion of parenthetical elements.
H.
Semicolons
1.
Use a semicolon to separate two independent clauses not joined by a
conjunction, e.g.,
The defendant refused to testify; he later was convicted of murder in the first
degree.
2.
If the elements in a series are long and complex or contain internal
punctuation, then they are separated by semicolons, rather than by commas,
e.g.,
Defendant was charged with three counts of rape in the first degree, ORS
163.375; two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, ORS 163.427; two
counts of rape in the third degree, ORS 163.355; and one count of sexual abuse
in the third degree, ORS 163.355.
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3.
A semicolon precedes the words however, therefore, hence, thus,
accordingly, and besides, when used to introduce a clause. A comma
follows, e.g.,
The Supreme Court reversed and remanded the case; therefore, the Court of
Appeals had to decide the case for a second time.
The trial judge refused to suppress the evidence; thus, defendant was convicted on all counts.
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III. Word Usage and Conventions
A.
Word Pairs
A / An
The indefinite article “a” is used before words that begin with a consonant,
words with a pronounced h and a long u sound (eu) or with words such as “one.”
a historical; a habitual; a union; a Eucharist; a one-time deal
“An” is used before words beginning with a vowel or an unsounded “h.”
an eagle; an appellate judgment; an hour; an heir; an honor
The article that precedes an acronym or initialism depends on how the
abbreviation reads: If it is pronounced beginning with a vowel sound, then use
“an.” If it is pronounced beginning with a consonant sound, then use “a.” For
examples, see page 75.
A / From a
“Defendant appeals a judgment * * *.”
“Defendant appeals from a judgment * * *.”
Either is correct. If the authoring judge has a preference, then use the
construction that the judge prefers.
Absent / Without
“Without” or “in the absence of” is preferred.
Without any arguments against doing so, the trial court dismissed the jury.
or
In the absence of any arguments against doing so, the trial court dismissed the
jury.
NOT
Absent any arguments against doing so, the trial court dismissed the jury.
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Administrative Law Judge / Hearing Officer
In Oregon since 2003, the title “administrative law judge” is now used.
Affect / Effect
“Affect” is a verb that means to have an influence on, to bring about a
change in, or to touch or move the emotions of.
The trial was affected by the constant media attention.
“Effect” is most commonly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
As a noun it means something that is brought about by a cause or agent; a result or
outcome. As a verb it means to achieve a result, to execute, or to cause to occur.
Noun: Her closing argument had no effect on the jury’s final decision.
Verb: The attorney was unable to effect any change in the system.
Allow / Grant
Typically, allow is used to refer to a ruling on a petition.
Grant is used to refer to a ruling on a motion.
Alternate / Alternative
“Alternate” means every other or substitute, while “alternative” means
providing a choice.
She takes early lunch during alternate weeks.
An alternative approach is to take no lunch at all.
Although / While
“Although” more properly introduces an aside; “while” is more properly
used only in a temporal sense.
Although many people disagree, Ian thinks that coffee is good for you.
While I was in Paris, I decided to become a can can dancer.
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Amicus Curiae / Amici Curiae (Friend/s of the Court)
1.
Amicus curiae can be used in two different ways, either as an adjective
describing the brief, or as a noun designating the party or person
immediately following, e.g.,
J. Marcus Cool, of Cool, Hand and Luke, Portland, filed an amicus curiae brief
on behalf of American Theatre Institute.
Sherman Potter, of Potter & Daughter, P.C., Portland, filed a brief on behalf of
amicus curiae Oregon Tempest in a Teapot Association.
2.
Amici curiae is the plural form used in the same way.
J. Marcus Cool, of Cool, Hand and Luke, Portland, filed an amici curiae
brief on behalf of American Theatre Institute, Americans for Good Theatre
Association, and Oregon Actors Association.
Sherman Potter, of Potter & Daughter, P.C., Portland, filed a brief on behalf of
amici curiae Oregon Tempest in a Teapot Association, Oregonians-R-Us, Inc.,
and We are the World Foundation.
NOTE: The number of parties, not the number of briefs, dictates the use of
singular or plural. It is acceptable to use amicus curiae or amici curiae fo
This text is long and has been trimmed here. Open the source document for the complete record.
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.