Citation Guides
How to Cite Federal Court Rules
The national federal rule sets each have a standard abbreviation, cited by rule number with no section symbol. Local rules of individual district courts follow the court's own numbering.
The format
Fed. R. [set]. P. [rule]
Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6)
The pieces, in order
- Rule set. Fed. R. Civ. P. (civil procedure), Fed. R. Crim. P. (criminal procedure), Fed. R. Evid. (evidence), Fed. R. App. P. (appellate procedure), Fed. R. Bankr. P. (bankruptcy).
- Rule number. The rule and any subdivision in parentheses: Rule 12(b)(6), Rule 56(c)(1)(A). No § symbol and no year.
- Local rules. Cite the district's own abbreviation and numbering, e.g. C.D. Cal. L.R. 7-3 or S.D.N.Y. Local Civ. R. 56.1. Every federal district publishes its own set; CiteLaw's law library carries them by court.
Common mistakes
- Adding a section symbol: Fed. R. Civ. P. § 12 is wrong; rules are cited by number alone.
- Writing FRCP 12(b)(6) in formal documents. The abbreviation is fine in informal notes, but briefs use Fed. R. Civ. P.
- Citing a national rule when the point is governed by a local rule, or vice versa. Summary-judgment statement requirements, for example, usually come from the district's local rules.
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Formats follow standard Bluebook conventions. Individual courts may impose their own citation rules; always check the local rules of the court you are filing in. CiteLaw provides legal information, not legal advice.