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E.L.C.

LEGAL WRITING

CITATION GUIDE

1. Constitution

Incumbent {STATE OR COUNTRY} CONST. {subdivision}.


Constitution
Ex: PHIL. CONST. art. VII, § 11, ¶ 2.
Repealed {Year of adoption} {STATE OR COUNTRY} CONST. {subdivision} ({year superseded}).
Constitution
Ex: 1935 PHIL. CONST. art. I , § 1 (superseded 1973).

Id. may not be used to refer to the Constitution.

2. Codals

Initial Citation {Full title} [{Short title}], {statute number}, {subdivisions}, ({year}).

Ex: An Act Revising the Penal Code and Other Penal Laws [REVISED PENAL CODE], Act. No.
3815, art. 2 (1932).

*The “short title” is in SMALL CAPS font if the statute being cited is a code.

**If the code’s name includes “of the Philippines,” such is omitted.
Subsequent {SHORT TITLE}, {subdivision cited}.
citation
Ex: REVISED PENAL CODE, arts. 171-173.

*Id. may be used for subsequent citations when applicable. Supra is not used.

Ex: Id. art. 180, ¶ 2.

3. Statutes

Initial Citation {Full title} [{short title, if any}], {Statute number}, {subdivision cited} ({year}).

Ex: An Act Providing for the Recognition and Use of Electronic and Commercial and Non-
commercial Transactions and Documents, Penalties for Unlawful Use Thereof and Other
Purposes [Electronic Commerce Act of 2000], Republic Act No. 8792, § 33 (2000).

*The short title to be used is the one provided inside the code itself. If none is provided, do
not indicate any short title.

**If the statute has undergone amendments, place “as Amended” after the statute number, but
do not include “as Amended” in subsequent citations.

Ex: …Presidential Decree No. 442, as Amended, § 1 (1974).


Subsequent {Short title or abbreviated statute number}, {subdivision cited}.
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Citation
Ex: Electronic Commerce Act of 2000, § 34.

*Id. may be used but not supra.

**When citing multiple sections that are non-consecutive, use two section symbols (§§),
commas, and ampersand (&). If they are consecutive, use a hyphen (-).

Ex: §§ 1, 3, & 10; §§ 1-5

There is a space between § and the subdivision number and between the section number and the specific paragraph
is said section.

4. Cases

4.1 Reported Supreme Court Decisions

Initial Citation {Case name}, {volume number} {reporter} {first page}, {cited page} ({year}).

Example: Garcia v. People, 410 SCRA 582, 583 (2003).

*Use “v.” and not “vs.”

**If the case being cited is a consolidation of two or more actions, cite only the first case listed
case.
Subsequent {Abbreviated case name}, {volume number} {reporter} at {cited page}.
Citation
Ex: Garcia, 410 SCRA at 584.

*Id. may be used when proper but do not use supra subsequent citations.

**Do not select an abbreviate case name that is ambiguous.

4.2 Unreported Supreme Court Decisions

Initial Citation {Case name}, {case or G.R. Number}, {date}.

Example: People v. Fragrante, G.R. No. 182521, Feb. 9, 2011.

Subsequent {Abbreviated case name}, {case or G.R. Number}.


Citation Example: Fragrante, G.R. No. 182521.
*Id. may be used but not supra.

4.3 Bar Matters

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Initial Citation (same format as 4.2)

Ex: In Re: Petition to Take the Lawyer’s Oath by Arthur M. Cuevas, Jr., Bar Matter No. 810,
Jan. 27, 1998.
Subsequent (same format as 4.2)
Citation

4.4 Supreme Court Decisions Other Than The Majority Opinion

Initial Citation {Case name}, {volume number} {reporter} {first page}, {cited page} ({year}) ({Name of
Justice}, {separate/concurring/dissenting opinion}).

Ex: Garcia v. Philippine Airlines, 576 SCRA 490, 511-12 (2009) (J. Velasco, Jr., separate
opinion).
Subsequent (same as 4.1 plus ({Name of Justice}, {separate/concurring/dissenting opinion}).)
Citation:
Ex: Garcia, 576 SCRA at 511-12 (J. Velasco, Jr., separate opinion).

There is generally no need to indicate whether a decision is the majority opinion or was promulgated per curiam.
Nevertheless, if in the same work, other opinions have been referred to, indicate the fact that what is being cited is
the majority or the main opinion. This is also done through parentheticals.

4.5 Unreported Cases Available in the Supreme Court website

Initial Citation {Case name}, {case or G.R. Number}, {date}, available at {internet address} (last
accessed {date}).

Ex: Dulalia, Jr. v. Cruz, A.C. No. 6854, Apr. 27, 2007, available at
http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/april2007/6854.htm (last accessed Feb. 16,
2011).
Subsequent (same format as 4.2)
Citation

4.6 Unreported Cases Not Available in the Supreme Court Website

Initial Citation {Case name}, {case or G.R. Number}, {date} (unreported).

Ex: Malate Taxicab Garage, Inc. v. Del Villar, G.R. No. L-7489, Feb. 29, 1956 (unreported).
Subsequent (same format as 4.2)
Citation

4.7 Decisions of Other Philippine Courts in General

Initial Citation {Case name}, {volume number} {reporter} {first page}, {cited page} ({deciding court
abbreviation} {year}).

Ex: People v. Collantes, 37 O.G. 1804, 1805 (C.A. 1926).


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Subsequent (same format as 4.1)


Citation

If it is not evident from the reporter name or other detail, the deciding court must be indicated so as to distinguish
from binding precedents decided by the SC.

4.8 Unreported Decisions of the Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, and the Sandiganbayan

Initial Citation {Case name}, {case number} ({deciding court} {date}).

Ex 1: Tanedo v. Tanedo, CA-G.R. CV No. 76382, Dec. 8, 2006.

Ex 2: Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, CTA Case


No. 6003, Aug. 2, 2004.

Ex 3: People v. Estrada, et al., SB Crim. Case No. 26558, Sep. 12, 2007.

*The name of the deciding court need not be indicated if it can be gleaned from the docket
number of the case.
Subsequent {Abbreviated case name}, {case number}.
Citation
Ex: Tanedo, CA-G.R. CV No. 76382.

5. Books

5.1 Single Author

Initial Citation {AUTHOR}, {TITLE}, {cited page} ({year of publication} or {edition number} {year of
edition}).

Ex: JOAQUIN G. BERNAS, S.J., THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE
PHILIPPINES: A COMMENTARY 1195 (2009 ed.).
Subsequent {AUTHOR}, supra note {footnote number of the initial citation}, at {page number
Citation using cited}.
Supra
Ex: BERNAS, S.J., supra not 51, at page 1198.

*Id. may be used when proper.

5.2 Single Author with Multi-Volume Work

Initial Citation {Volume number} {AUTHOR} {TITLE} {cited page} ({year of publication} or {edition
number} {year of edition}).

Ex: 2 OSCAR B. HERRERA, REMEDIAL LAW 150 (2007 ed.).


Subsequent (same as 5.1)
Citation using
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Supra

5.3 Two Authors

Initial Citations {FIRST AUTHOR} & {SECOND AUTHOR}, {TITLE} {cited page} ({year of publication} or
{edition number} {year of edition}).

Ex: JUSTICE JOSE C. VITUG & JUDGE EUGENE ERNESTO D. ACOSTA, TAX LAW AND
JURISPRUDENCE 150 (3d ed. 2006).
Subsequent (same format as 5.1)
Citation using
Supra Ex: VITUG & ACOSTA, supra note 53, at 175.

5.4 More Than Two Authors

Initial Citation {FIRST AUTHOR}, ET AL., {TITLE} {cited page} ({year of publication} or {edition
number} {year of edition}).

Ex: NARCISO PENA, ET AL., REGISTRATION OF LAND TITLES AND DEEDS 200 (2008 ed.).
Subsequent (same format as 5.1)
Citation
Ex: PENA, ET AL., supra at note 54, at 225.

6. Journals

6.1 Consecutively Paginated Journals

Format {Author}, {title}, {volume number} {JOURNAL} {first page}, {cited page} ({year}).

Ex: Dawn Nagtani, US-Japan Enhanced Initiative as an Instrument of Change: The Efficacy of Japan’s
Latest Effort at Telecommunication Deregulation, 22 ASIAN-PAC. LAW & POL’Y J. 291, 296 (2001).

*A journal is consecutively paginated if the works are paginated in sequence throughout the
whole volume.

**The “journal name” is abbreviated.

6.2 Non-consecutively Paginated Journals

Format {Author}, {title}, {volume number} {JOURNAL}, {date, month, quarter, period, or year}
at {cited page}.

Ex: Victor L. Streib, Sentencing Women at Death, CRIM. JUST., Spring 2000, at 23.

6.3 Citation of Student Works in Law Journals

Format {Author}, {Comment, Note, Case Note}, {title}, {volume number} {JOURNAL} {first
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page}, {cited page} ({date, month, quarter, period of year}).

Ex: Bernard Joseph B. Malibiran, Note, Psychological Incapacity Revisited: A Review of Recent
Jurisprudence, 52 ATENEO L.J. 392, 416 (2007).

6.4 Subsequent Citation Using Supra

Format {Author}, supra note {footnote number of initial citation}, at {page number cited}.

Ex: Nagtani, supra note 61, at 293.

*Id. may be used also.

7. Online Sources

7.1 Internet Sources in General

Format {Author or organization, if any}, {Title}, available at {internet address} (last accessed
{date}).

Ex: Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Tamaraw Conservation Project, available at
http://www.pawb.gov.ph/progs/tamaraw.htm (last accessed Dec. 27, 2002).

7.2 New Articles Online

Format {Author, if availbale}, {headline}, {ABBREVIATION OF NEWSPAPER}, {date of


publication/report}, available at (internet address) (last accessed {date}).

Ex: Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, House bill seeks to criminalize plagiarism, PHIL. DAILY INQ., Nov. 25,
2010, available at http://newsinfor.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20101125-
305275/House-bill-seeks-to-criminalize-plagiarism (last accessed Jan. 24, 2011).

*Use only the official website of the news publication.

**The format for signed newspaper articles above is followed. The URL and last accessed date,
however, are added and the page number is omitted.

7.3 Paginated Unpublished Materials Online

Format {Author} {Title}, ({description of material}) {page number cited}, available at {internet
address} (last accessed {date}).

Ex: Rita Simmons, Political Inclusion and Decentralization (An Unpublished Paper Submitted to
the Canadian Democratic Forum) 37, available at
http://www.canadiandemocratic.com/467390/papers/simmons/poloticalinclusion17288.pdf
(last accessed July 9, 2010).

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*If the online material has a published/printed version, cite that instead.

7.4 Non-Paginated Unpublished Material

Format {Author}, {Title}, ({description of material}) available at {internet address} (last


accessed {date}).

*The format is basically the same as 7.3 except the page number is omitted.

**If the online material has a published/printed version, cite that instead.

***These unpublished materials may be in the form of Working Papers, Discussion Papers, and
the like.

7.5 Subsequent Citation Using Supra

Format {Author or organization or website}, supra note {footnote number of initial citation}, at
{page number cited, if any}.

Ex: Dalangin-Fernandez, supra note 72.

8. Id.

- Used when citing the immediately preceding authority within the same footnote or when citing the authority
in the immediately preceding footnote and such footnote indicates only ne authority (otherwise, use the
short specific citation form)
- Cannot be used to refer to Constitution but it may be used for all laws, jurisprudence, and secondary
authorities

Format Id. at {cited page}.

Ex:
1. Macalintal v. Commission on Elections, 405 SCRA 614, 643-44. (2003).
2. Id. at 645.
3. Id. at 643-44 (citing Transcripts of Senate Proceedings, Oct. 1, 2002.
4. Macalintal, 405 SCRA at 644.

*If Id. has been used for 5 consecutive times, use the specific short citation form for the sixth
consecutive similar citation.

**“At” is not used if another subdivision will be cited. Instead, the format will be: Id.
{subdivision cited}.

Ex: Id. § 2.

***Introductory signals may not precede Id. Instead, the short citation is used. Nevertheless, Id.
may be used when an immediately preceding footnote which has an introductory signal is the
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same authority for the cited text.

Ex:
1. Veneracion v. Mancilla, 495 SCRA 712, 714 (2006).
2. See generally Veneracion, 495 SCRA 712.
3. See Mancop v. Court of Appeals, 277 SCRA 57 (1997).
4. Id.

Id. may also be used when there are quoted passages in the footnote text. When the direct
quote is less than 50 words, Id. may be properly used by placing it right after the direct quote.

Ex: PHIL. CONST. art. XI, § 1. This section provides that “[p]ublic office is a public trust.
Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with
utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead
modest lives.” Id.

If the direct quote is 50 words or more, Id. may be properly used by placing it on the next line
after the direct quote.

Ex: PHIL. CONST. , art. II, § 12. This section provides –


The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a
basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of
the unborn from conception. The natural and primary right and duty of parents in the rearing
of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall receive the
support of the Government.
Id.

9. Supra

- May be used to subsequently cite an authority which has been fully cited previously, but not in the
immediately preceding footnote, excluding statutes, cases, constitutions, legislative materials, and regulations

Format {AUTHOR’S LAST NAME}, supra note {footnote number of initial citation}, at {cited
page}.

Ex: BALANE, supra not 90, at 76.

*If the author is an institution, use the full institutional name. If no author is indicated, use the
title of the work.

CONTENTS OF A DEMAND LETTER

1. Action being demanded


2. Background on why it is demanded
3. Consequences for non-payment
4. Period within which to comply with the demand

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