Proper Citation of LIS

Foronda & Yason

Feliciano
Philippine Manual of Legal Citations
by Myrna S. Feliciano
PRIMARY SOURCES
General Rule: Surname of the parties, volume of the report title, and page of Examples:
reports, and the year of promulgation. Reyes v. Tinga, 255 Phil. 88 (1989)

1. When used in the text, underscore or italicize the title of the case
and place the citation in the footnote.
2. If two or more actions are considered in one decision, cite only the
first listed.

Exceptions: Ngo Bun Tiong v. Sayo NOT Ngo v. Sayo

Una Kibad v. Commission on Elections
1. Islamic, Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese names are cited in full. NOT Kibad v. Commission on Elections
Christian names follow the general rule.
Abad Santos v. Auditor General NOT
2. Compound names are cited in full. Santos v. Auditor General

3. Cite names of corporations, associations, business firms and Mata v. Rita Legarda, Inc.
partnerships in full. Words that may be abbreviated: &, Ass’n, Bros., Allied Workers Ass’n. Of the Phil. v.
Co., Inc., Ltd. Republic Trading Corp.

COURT DECISIONS (Case Names)

Exceptions: Examples:

4. Cite cases involving the Government of the Philippines and criminal Commonwealth v. Corominas
cases with the PH government as the plaintiff (Sec. 2, Rule 110, ROC) People v. Santos

5. Cases involving public officers or offices are cited as follows: City of Manila v. Subido NOT City of
a. The person is names in his official capacity, give the name of the Manila v. Abelardo Subido, in his capacity
as Civil Service Commissioner
person only
Collector of Internal Revenue v. Tan Eng
b. Where the office is named, give the complete name of the office Hong

6. Cite municipalities or provinces as they appear in the decisions. Province of Nueva Ecija v. Imperial
Mining Co., Inc.

7. Cite case names beginning with procedural terms like Ex parte, Ex rel Ex parte Tan
and In re as they appear in the decisions. In re Lozano
Use in re instead of “in the matter of,”, “petition of”

COURT DECISIONS (Case Names)

SUPREME COURT DECISIONS Examples:
1. When the decision is already found officially published in the Philippine Diaz v. Estrera, 78 Phil. 637 (1947).
Reports, indicate only the Philippine Reports (Phil.) citation.

2. Official Gazette - cite G.R. docket no. and date of promulgation before the Espiritu v. Riverra, G.R. No. 17092,
O.G. citation. September 30, 1963, 62 O.G. 7226 (Oct.
1966).
3. General Register - Advanced decisions of the Supreme Court are cited as Estepa v. Diansay, G.R. No. 14733,
G.R. No., date of promulgation, omitting the L (referring to post-liberation September 30, 1960.
decisions)

4. Unofficial Reporters - if a decision is found in SCRA or SCAD, cite the People v. Simon, G.R. No. 93028, July
page where the case can be located 29, 1994, 234 SCRA 555 (1994).

5. Disciplinary cases against attorneys-at-law are cited as Adm. Case No., Alcantara v. De Vera, Adm. Case No.
date of promulgation 5859, November 23, 2010.

For judges: A.M. (Administrative Matter) Santos v. Bravo., A.M. No. MTJ-1612,
August 30, 2006
For personnel of the judiciary: Cite as A.M. No. P- and date of decision Perez v. Sabalza, A.M. No.
P-99-1348. October 15, 2009.

CASE REPORTS
COURT OF APPEALS DECISIONS Examples:
1. Appellate Court Reports - Cite as volume. C.A. Rep page (year) 1. Chunaco v. Singh, 8 C.A. Rep.
488 (1947)
2. Court of Appeals Reports, 2nd Series - Cite as volume. C.A. Rep page
(year) 2. Flores vs. Valpena, 2 CA Rep 2d
64 (1962)
3. Court of Appeals General Register - (C.A. - G.R.) - Cite as C.A.-G.R. No.
____-R, CV, CR, or SP, date of promulgation 3. Caliboso v. Bueno, C.A. - G.R.
No. 20401-R, April 8, 1960
4. Official Gazette - Cite as C.A. - SP or CR or CV No. ___, date of
promulgation, volume O.G. page (month and year of issue) 4. Manila Electric Co. v. Allarde, C.A.
- SP No. 11850, May 15, 1987

CASE REPORTS
 Examples:
OTHER COURTS
1. People v.Sabarre, Sandiganbayan
Crim. Case No. 001, December 12,
1. Sandiganbayan Decisions - Cite as: Sandiganbayan Crim. Case No.____, 1979, 1, Sandiganbayan Rep. 305
date of promulgation, volume, Sandiganbayan Rep. page (year of issue) (1979)

2. Court of Tax Appeals Decisions - Cite as: CTA Case No. ____, date of 2. Abad v. Commissioner of Internal
promulgation. Revenue, CTA Case No. 717,
June 4, 1963

3. Regional Trial Court Decisions - Cite as: RTC (place and branch no.) 3. People v. Johnson, RTC (San Jose,
Crim. Case or SP No. R-____, date of promulgation. Occidental Mindoro, Br. 45) Crim
Case R-1681, August 6, 1984

4. Metropolitan Trial Court Decisions - Cite as: MeTC (place and branch no.) 4. Shell Distribution Co., Inc. v.
Civil or Criminal Case No. R -____, date of promulgation. Balmaceda, MeTC (Manila,
Branch X) Civil Case No. 59563,
July 20, 1982
5. Municipal Trial Court and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts - Cite as: MTC or
MCTC (Place) Crim Case No. ____, Date of promulgation. 5. People v. Soliven, MCTC (Paoay,
Ilocos Norte) Crim. Case No.
992-C, November 11, 1983
6. Shari’ah District and Circuit Courts - Cite as: Shari-ah Dist. or Circ. Ct.
(place), Date of promulgation 6. Al-Awadhi v. Rulona, Shari’ah
Dist. Ct. (Marawi City) Special
Proceeding No. 011-87,
CASE REPORTS September 15, 1988.

.
ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS Examples:

1. Cite by the name of the agency, case number, date of promulgation 1. Tinio v. Dizon, DANR Case No. 2743,
April 24, 1967

CASE REPORTS
STATUTORY MATERIALS
Cited in caps and small caps by reference to the ARTICLE, SECTION and Examples:
PARAGRAPH
CONST. (1935), art. III, sec. 1, par. (3)
When the Constitution is no longer in force, put the year in a parenthesis CONST. Art. VII.

If using a foreign Constitution or publication, indicate the country in abbreviated U.S. CONST., art. VII, sec. 1.
form before the Constitution.

CONSTITUTION
 Examples:
1. Public Laws (1900-1934) Act. No. 1150 (1904), art. 3.

2. Commonwealth Acts (1935-1945) Com. Act. No. 50 (1936), sec. 2(b).

3. Presidential Decrees (September 21, 1972 - February 20, 1986) Pres. Decree No. 602 (1975)

4. Batas Pambansa (July 23, 1984-February 1, 1986) Batas Blg. 80 (1981)

5. Executive Orders (February 23,1986-July 26, 1987) Exec. Order No. 329 (1950)

6. Republic Acts (1946-1972 and July 27,1987 to date) Rep. Act No. 1792 (1957), sec. 4

SESSION LAWS
 Examples:

- As a general rule, cite the name of the code (Big and Small Caps), CIVIL CODE, art. 297
article number or section number without any indication of date.
However, if the code is no longer in force or has been subsequently CIVIL CODE (1889), art. 67.
revised, put the year of effectivity in parentheses.

CODES
 Examples:
EXECUTIVE ORDERS Exec. Order No. 329 (1950)
Exec. Order No. (year)

PROCLAMATIONS Proc. No. 784 (1961)

Proc. No. (year)

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS Adm. Order No. 21 (1966)

Adm. Order No. (year)

PRESIDENTIAL ACTS & ISSUANCES

 Examples:

1. S. No. 5, 6th Cong, 1st Sess. (1966)

1. Congress of the Philippines (1946 - 1972; 1987 - Present) - House of
origin, serial report number, the Congress, session, and year in H. No. 15085, 5th Cong, 4th Sess.
parentheses. (1965)

For committee reports, give the name of the committee. S. Res. 1, 4th Cong., 1st Session
(1958)

Comm. on National Defense and

Security, H. Rpt. 28, 5th Cong., 1st
Sess. (1962)

2. Batasang Pambansa (1978-1986) - Origin of Bill, bill number, number of 2. P.B. No. 2878, 1st Batasan, 5th Sess.
the Batasan, number of the session and the year in parentheses. (1983)

BILLS, RESOLUTIONS and COMMITTEE REPORTS

.
SECONDARY SOURCES
General Rule: Volume (if more than one), Author (complete first name and Examples:
surname), Title of book (as it appears on the title page), page, section, Manuel Moran, Comments on the Rules of Court
edition, and date in parenthesis 195 (6th ed., 1964).

1. If there are 2 authors, cite their names as indicated in the order found in Jose Feria & Maria Noche, Civil Procedure
the title page, separated with an ampersand Annotated 158 (2001).

2. If there are two or more authors, cite the first author’s name followed by CHRISTIAN RAMOS, ET. AL. THE PROCESS
ET AL. or list all of the author’s names. OF LEGAL RESEARCH, 128 (2d ed. 1989).

3. For unofficial reports of cases, cite by volume, abbreviated citation of the Cruz v. Apolinario, G.R. No. 324345, August 25,
Reports as indicated by publisher, page and year. 2010, 629 SCRA 453 (2010).

BOOKS & PAMPHLETS

General Rule: Materials published in periodicals which are paged Examples:
consecutively through a volume are cited by the name of the author in
regular roman, title of the article in italics, volume, name of periodical in King Foronda, Undoing Marriage, 34 IVP J. 73
large and small capitals using the standard abbreviation, initial page and (March, 2009).
year in parenthesis. If the part being quoted is found in the middle of the
article, always cite the first page of the article and then the particular page Alec Vega, War Crimes Against Women: An
where the quoted part is located. Asian Perspective, 2009 LAWASIA J. 113-334

The author’s surname followed by a comma and the author’s initial name,
the title of the article (in italics) and the inclusive pages of the periodical
title in big and small capitals should be cited.

If an article appears in 2 or more parts, indicate and give the first page of each Gonzalo Omar, A Critical Survey of Legal
part. Education in the Philippines (pts. 1-2). PHIL L.J.
54, 102 (1934).

PERIODICAL ARTICLES
 Examples:
Materials appearing in newspapers are generally cited in the same manner as Gonzalo Gonzales, A Critical Survey of Legal
those found in non-consecutively paginated periodicals. Education in the Philippines (pts. 1-2), PHIL. L.J.
54, 102 (1934).

If it is an “Editorial” or a “Letter to the Editor” U.N. Weighs In a BIrth Control Debate, MANILA
TIMES, August 5, 2010, at A 1-2.

A signed article (but not a news report) is cited by the complete author’s name Rae Reposar, House Leaders To Ensure Quorum
and title of the article. During RH Vote, PHILIPPINE STAR, August 1,
2012, at 5.
ANNOTATIONS

Discussions in case reports cited by volume number, title of case report, page Tan, 29 SCRA 300 (1934).
number of the beginning of the annotation, date of publication of the volume. If Martin Senador, Annotation, Right to Take
the annotations is signed and has a distinctive title, follow the rule on periodical Deposition at a Former Proceeding, 546 SCRA
article. 349 (2004).

NEWSPAPERS and ANNOTATIONS

 Examples:
Indicate whether it is a letter or memorandum, the name of the letter writer, Letter of Apolinario Mabini to Emilio Jacinto,
and his correspondent or recipient, title of letter writer if any and the date Decembre 18, 1923 in LETTER OF
the letter was written. Indicate where the said letter is on file and if APOLINARIO MABINI (1965).
published, include citation to a printed work if available.

For interviews, cite the person interviewed, his designation, if any, place of Interview with Manuel C. Roura, Chief of
interview and date. Polygraph Division, National Bureau of
Investigation, Manila, February 29, 1945.

For speeches which have no title, cite the speaker, occasion, place and date and Address by Justice Caleb Lauredo, 8th
if found in a printed work, include the citation to it. For speeches which have Anniversary Celebration of the Bulacan Bar
titles, follow the rule on periodical articles. Association Manila. November 8, 1945, 2
ATENEO L.J. 204-453 (2004).

Louis L. Tan, Challenges for the Judiciary in the

21st Century (8th National Convention --
Seminar of the Philippine Women Judges
Association, Manila Hotel, March 12, 1999), 4
CT. Systems J. 1(June, 1999).

LETTERS, SPEECHES AND INTERVIEWS

 Examples:

Indicate the volume number in Arabic, the title of the encyclopedia as 89 C.J.S. Telecommunications, § 264 (1994).
abbreviated in the form stated by the published (in caps and small caps) the 81 AM. JUR. 2d Wills § 8 (1945).
topic (in italics or underscored), the section number or page number and
the date of publication in parenthesis.

ENCYCLOPEDIAS
 Examples:
If the information is accessed only by electronic storage medium, it should U.P. Women Lawyer’s Circle, Inc., University of
be cited to that medium the Philippines, College of Law: 100 Years of
Excellence. 2012 (CD).

When citing CD-ROM or other similar media, include the title of the material, the THEODORE TE, LEGAL FORMS (CD ASIA, CD
publisher of the CD-ROM, the version searched, and the date of the material, if ROM) Sept. 2002.
available, or the date of the version searched. The information may be provided
in a source-date parenthetical or, if the information is voluminous, as related
authority.

CD ROMS AND OTHER ELECTRONIC MEDIA

Citation is made as if to the original print source (without the URL). Examples:

But if the cited information is available in print but such copies are unavailable,
indicating the online citation of the copy used with the URL directly at the end of
the citation or by citing the printed source first then introduced with the phrase
“available at”

AUTHOR Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. Stock

When available, provide the name of the author. If none, omit the author’s name Information: Holim Philippines,, Inc. (HLCM).
unless there is a clear institutional owner to the domain. (January 29, 2008, 10:05am),
http://www.pse.org.ph.

TITLE Poll Finds Worldwide Agreement That Climate

Title (in italics) should be used to indicate the location of the page being viewed Change is A Threat,
in relation to the rest of the site. Capitalization should conform to the title as it http://worldpublication.org/pipa/articles/home_pag
appears on the website. e/329.php.

DATE AND TIME

The date should be provided as it appears on the internet site. If no date is Michael Macta, Kyoto Co2 project scheme seen
indicated, “last updated” or “last modified” should be supplied as time-stamps. swayed by politics, Reuters, 3 June 2010,
http://www.reuters/articlesidUSL9038740918674?

INTERNET SOURCES
FOREIGN SOURCES
General Rule: Cite cases as they may appear at the beginning of the pinion Examples:
in the official report. When in doubt as to how foreign names should be Sheppard v. Maxwell, 382 U.S. 333 (1966).
cited, the running title in the official report may be followed. If two or more Burns v. Graham, 4 D.L.R. (Ontario Supreme
actions are consolidated in one decision, cite only the first listed. Court) 111 (1933).

Exceptions:
Cite administrative action by the reported name in full of the first listed private
party or by the official subject matter title if no party is named. Alabama Intrastrate Fares, 2S-I.C.C. 133 (1944).

If the sovereign is a party, use the appellation found in the first cited report, The King v. Casement, 1. K.B. 98 (1910).
whether “R”, “Rex,” “Regina” “The King,” or “The Queen”

For American citations, omit the name of a state and “of”, only following “State”, State v. Brown
“Commonwealth” or “”People” when citing decisions of the court of that State. People v. Witenski

COURT DECISIONS
 REPEATING CITATIONS

A full citation is always used the first time a source is cited in

the paper. After that, a short citation is used only after the
source has been cited once in a full citation format.
 id.
An all-purpose short form citation
that may be used for any cited
authority except internal
cross-references.
refers to the immediately proceeding
cited authority, either in the same
footnote or the previous footnote so
long as it is the only authority cited in
the proceeding footnote.
Sweatt v. Painter, 339 U.S. 629,
632 (1950).
Id.
supra
"Supra" may be used to refer to certain types of
previously cited materials as well as internal
cross-references. Rule 4.2 contains a complete,
detailed list of which materials may and may not
be cited to using "Supra." Note, however, that in
general most forms of primary legal authority
(cases, statutes, etc.) should not be referred to
using "Supra."
Supra" citations are most commonly used for
secondary authority, such as books and
periodicals.
Internal cross-references begin with the signal
"See."
15. Philip D. O'Neill, Jr., Verification in an
Age of Insecurity: The Future of Arms
Control Compliance 45 (2010).
25. O'neil, supra note 15.
infra
“infra" is used to cite subsequent material.
Internal cross-references are used to cite to
text and notes within the same work.
Internal cross-references may point the
reader to specific pages, designate parts
and sections, paragraphs, or footnotes, as
well as figures, charts, and graphs. The
rules for an appropriate citation to this
material is discussed in greater detail in
elsewhere in this guide at "Pages,
paragraphs, and pincites".
See cases cited infra note 121.
See infra Figure 5.
BLUEBOOK CITATIONS (19TH ED)
Citation Format for Footnotes
● Times New Roman, Size 10, 1 line spacing, Justified.
● Add full stop after every footnote.
● Months should be written in abbreviated forms: Jan., Feb., Mar.,
Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.
● Tables given at the end of the Bluebook should be referred to for
abbreviated forms. Eg. Abbreviations of geographical terms,
periodicals, publishing terms etc.

GENERAL RULES
Volume No. (if any) NAME OF AUTHOR, TITLE OF THE BOOK pg. cited (Editors/Translators Name,
edition cited year).

Example:

2 FREDERICK POLLOCK & FREDERIC WILLIAM MAITLAND, THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH LAW
205-06 (2d ed. 1911).

CHARLES DICKENS, BLEAK HOUSE 49-55 (Norman Page ed., Penguin Books 1971) (1853).

BOOKS
RULES AND EXCEPTIONS

● Follow the font format as has been illustrated above, for e.g. name of author must be
in SMALL CAPS.

● The first name must always be written before the surname.

● For two authors, write both their names separated by „&‟.

● In case of citing a book that has been edited, write „ed. or „eds. after the name of the
editor. If translated, write trans. after name of translator. If both, then first write
editor’s name and then translator’s name.

BOOKS
RULES AND EXCEPTIONS

● For more than two authors, editors or translators write the name of the author, editor
or translator that appears first followed by “ et al.”

● Do not add „p‟ or „pp‟ before the page number. Just write the numerical.

● In case the book is being published by more than one publishing house, write the
name of the publisher cited after the name of the editor in sentence case.

BOOKS
 Consecutively Paginated Journals

Where the periodical is organised by volume and page numbers continue throughout the volume, it is a consecutively
paginated periodical

Name of Author, Title of Article, Journal volume no. ABBREVIATION OF JOURNAL Page on which Article
Begins, Page Cited (Year).

Example:

Charles A. Reich, The New Property, 73 YALE L.J. 733, 737-38 (1964).

JOURNAL ARTICLE
RULES AND EXCEPTIONS (PAGINATED)

● For two authors, write both their names separated by „&‟.

● For more than two authors write the name of the author that appears first followed by

“et al.”

JOURNAL ARTICLE
 NON-Consecutively Paginated Journals

works appearing in periodicals that are separately paginated within each issue

Name of Author, Title of Article, ABBREVIATION OF JOURNAL, date of issue as

appears in the cover, at first page of work, page cited.

Example:

Barbara Ward, Progress for a Small Planet, HARV. BUS. REV., Sept.-Oct. 1979, at 89, 90.

JOURNAL ARTICLE
 Name of the Author, Name of article, INSTITUTIONAL OWNER OF DOMAIN (Month date, year, time), URL.

Example:

Eric Posner, More on Section 7 of the Torture Convention, THE VOLOKH CONSPIRACY

(Jan. 29, 2009, 10:04 AM), http://www.volokh.com/posts/1233241458.html.

* When an authenticated official or exact copy of source is available online, citation can be made as if to the original print
source without any URL info appended

INTERNET
 RULES AND EXCEPTIONS

● Format for time as illustrated.

● Don‟t write available at or at before the URL.

● Write the entire URL as appears in the address bar of the browser, remove hyperlink.

INTERNET
 Author’s name, Name of Article/news report, ABBRV. OF NAME OF NEWSPAPER, Month Date, Year,
at pg. no.

Example:

Ari L. Goldman, O'Connor Warns Politicians Risk Excommunication over Abortion, N.Y. TIMES, June
15, 1990, at A1.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
 U.S. Law

Official name of act, U.S.C. title number Abbreviation of Code cited,

sections symbols and span of sections containing statute (Date of
Code edition cited).

Example:

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and

Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601-9675 (2006).

CASES