Human Rights Regionally: Bluebook Guide for International Law

Rule 21.5.1

The International Court of Justice (I.C.J.), also known as the World Court, replaced the Permanent Court of International Justice (P.C.I.J.) in 1946.

Cite a case before the International Court of Justice by:

1. the case name 
2. the parties' names, if any 
3. the characterization of the decision (Preliminary Objection, Provisional Measure, Advisory Opinion, Judgment, etc.), if relevant;
4.  the volume and name of the publication in which the decision is found
5. the page or case number
6. the pincite, if any, with preference for paragraph number when available (indicated by the pilcrow symbol "¶"); and
7.  the date 

Example: Military and Paramilitary Activities in and Against Nicaragua (Nicar. v. U.S.), Judgment, 1986 I.C.J. Rep. 14, ¶ 190 (June 27).

Separately published pleadings.

Cite separately published pleadings by:

1. the designation given in the document itself, followed by the name of the case;
2. the names of the parties in a parenthetical;
3. the volume number and name of the publication; and
4. the full date of the pleading.

Separately published pleadings before the I.C.J. are published in Pleadings, Oral Arguments, Documents (I.C.J. Pleadings),  

Court rules and acts.

1.  title
2. volume number 
3. name of publication, and
4. the page or document number.

I.C.J. rules and acts are published in Acts and Documents Concerning the Organization of the Court (abbreviated I.C.J. Acts & Docs.).

Online materials.

 I.C.J. materials that have not been published may be cited to International Legal Materials (I.L.M.) or to the I.C.J. website http://www.icj-cij.org

Rule 21.5.7

Cite cases of international criminal tribunals (e.g., the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon) as follows:

1. case name (include only one party on each side of the “v.” and include only the last name of individuals);
2. case number;
3. type of ruling (include only the last name of judges);
4. paragraph number, if necessary; and
5. date. If the tribunal’s name is not contained in the case number, add the tribunal’s name before the date.

20.2 Non-English-Language Documents

21.4 Treaties and Other International Agreements

21.7 United Nations Sources

21.9 European Union

21.10 Council of Europe

21.13 Other Intergovernmental Organizations

21.14 International Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Rule 21.5.2

Cite a case before the Court of Justice of the European Union (formerly the Court of Justice of the European Communities) or the General Court (formerly the Court of First Instance) by:

1. case number;
2. the names of the parties, abbreviated according to rule 10.2 and table T6; and
3. the official reports of the Court, including the year of the decision. A parallel citation to a private service may be made, if necessary 

For cases before the Court of Justice since 1989, the case number will contain the prefix “C”; older cases will not have a prefix.

Cases lodged before the General Court, created in 1989, will carry the prefix “T,” and the Civil Service Tribunal will carry the prefix "F."  Where the Commission, Council, or Parliament of the European Union is one of the parties, give its name as “Commission,” “Council,” or “Parliament,” respectively.

Example: Case T-198/98, Micro Leader Bus. v. Comm’n, 1999 E.C.R. II-3989.

Rule 21.5.3

Cite cases before the European Court of Human Rights to European Court of Human Rights, Reports of Judgments and Decisions (Eur. Ct. H.R.). Reports of Judgments and Decisions were discontinued after 2015.

For cases after 2015, cite the Court’s official website, HUDOC (rule 18.1). Citations of HUDOC should include:

1. the parties’ names;
2. the application number for the case;
3. a pincite (using paragraph numbers, if available, rather than page numbers);
4. the date; and
5. the document URL

Rule 21.5.6

Cite cases of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea Reports of Judgments, Advisory Opinions and Orders (ITLOS Rep.). Cite cases before the Tribunal by:

1. the case name and the names of the parties in a parenthetical, abbreviated according to table T10;
2. the case number;
3. the type of ruling and date;
4. the volume number,
5. the name of the publication, 
6. the page number;
7. the pincite, if any, with preference for paragraph numbers where available

Rule 21.5.4

Cite cases before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to the Annual Report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (Inter-Am. Comm’n H.R.). The citation should include:

1. the case name;
2. the case number;
3. the volume name;
4. the report number, which includes the year of the decision;
5. the series and docket numbers;
6. the paragraph number, if applicable; and
7. the year of the reporter

Example: Tortrino v. Argentina, Case 11.597, Inter-Am. Comm’n H.R., Report No. 7/98, OEA/Ser.L./V/II.98, doc. 7 rev. ¶ 15 (1997).

Cite the English version whenever possible. If an official report is not yet available, cite the Commission’s official website.

Rule 21.5.5

For cases before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, cite the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Decisions and Judgments (Inter-Am. Ct. H.R.). The citation should include:

1. the case name;
2. the volume number;
3. the series;
4. the case number;
5. the page number, if needed; and
6. the date.

Cite the English version whenever possible.

 Advisory Opinions:

1. the name of the opinion; “Advisory Opinion” and opinion code;
2. the report and volume number;
3. the pincite, if any; and
4. the date. 

Contentious Cases:

1. the name of the case;
2. the matter of decision;
3. the type of opinion;
4. the report and volume number;
5. the pincite, if any; and
6. the date. 

Provisional Measures:

1. the name of the case or matter; “Provisional Measures”; and
2. the type of opinion.

When citing the print reports, cite Series E with:

• the volume number and
• the first page of the decision;
• the section name in quotes;
• the pincite, if any; and
• the date.

When citing an online version:

•  cite the section name in quotes;
• the pincite, if any;
• the court 
• the date; and
• the website URL 

 Compliances with Judgment:

1. the name of the case; “Monitoring Compliance with Judgment”; and
2. the type of opinion.

When citing the print reports:

•  cite the volume number,
• the report name, and
• the first page of the decision;
• the section name in quotes;
• the pincite, if any; and
• the date.

When citing an online version:

• cite to the section name in quotes;
• the pincite, if any;
• the court and date; and
• the website URL