Research Guides: Colorado Law Review LibGuide: Constitutions

Rule 11

Say you wanted to cite to section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Here is the format:

If you are citing the federal constitution, use the abbreviation "U.S." before the word "Const." For a state constitution, provide the official abbreviation of the state name (See Table T10.1), and then use the word "Const."

If you were citing to an article of the Constitution, you would use:

This cite refers to the first article of the U.S. Constitution, section 9, clause 2. Article 1, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution prohibits Congress from legislating in certain areas. Clause 2 refers to the privilege of habeas corpus.

So, U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2 provides "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."

State Abbreviations: Table 10.1

Alabama	Ala.
Alaska	Alaska
Arizona	Ariz.
Arkansas	Ark.
California	Cal.
Colorado	Colo.
Connecticut	Conn.
Delaware	Del.
Florida	Fla.
Georgia	Ga.
Hawaii	Haw.
Idaho	Idaho
Illinois	Ill.
Indiana	Ind.
Iowa	Iowa
Kansas	Kan.
Kentucky	Ky.
Louisiana	La.
Maine	Me.
Maryland	Md.
Massachusetts	Mass.
Michigan	Mich.
Minnesota	Minn.
Mississippi	Miss.
Missouri	Mo.
Montana	Mont.
Nebraska	Neb.
Nevada	Nev.
New Hampshire	N.H.
New Jersey	N.J.
New Mexico	N.M.
New York	N.Y.
North Carolina	N.C.
North Dakota	N.D.
Ohio	Ohio
Oklahoma	Okla.
Oregon	Or.
Pennsylvania	Pa.
Rhode Island	R.I.
South Carolina	S.C.
South Dakota	S.D.
Tennessee	Tenn.
Texas	Tex.
Utah	Utah
Vermont	Vt.
Virginia	Va.
Washington	Wash.
West Virginia	W.Va.
Wisconsin	Wis.
Wyoming	Wyo.

So, a citation to the South Carolina constitution would appear as:

S.C. Const. art I, § 12. This refers to article 1, section 12 of the South Carolina constitution, or the double jeopardy clause.