When To Use Block Quotes Legal Writing

If the quote is in the body of the text the footnote number goes at the end.

When to use block quotes legal writing. In apa and mla styles you indent block quotes 05 inches from the left and add an in text citation after the period. See bluebook rule 51. And sometimes block quoting key statutory text can allow readers to get re anchored in the relevant language by flipping or scrolling back to it without having to consult an appendix. The block quotes should always be indented and be started off in a new line.

For quotations of 50 words or more the following formatting instructions should be followed. A block quote is a long quotation set on a new line and indented to create a separate block of text. Only indent the quote if the quote itself is the beginning of a paragraph. You have to use a block quote when quoting more than around 40 words from a source.

Note that block quotations should be used sparingly. Dont startend the quote with quotation marks. You should not end a paragraph with a block quotation because any quotation you use as evidence in your writing should be followed by analysis in your own words as part of the same paragraph. No quotation marks are used.

And every now and then a court makes a point so perfectlyand aptlyto your argument that presenting the statement word for word will give powerful effect to the words youve used to make your assertion. Should be single spaced indented on both sides justified and without quotation marks. Indent the entire quotation five spaces from the left and right margins. This is the case when using the mla formatting style is required.

Instead if at all possible try to quote smaller portions of the piece of text and incorporate these into your own voice. If statutory language is at issue or is crucial to your analysis a block quotation is appropriate. Occasionally you will need to quote four or more lines 50 or more words of text from a key source such as when the precise wording matters of say a particular statute or regulation. Block quotations tend to take over the voice of the paper often overshadowing the voice of the author with that sources voice.

Guidelines for using block quotations. If the quote is in the footnotes the citation goes on the line following the quote but is not indented. Things to remember about block quotes. Any internal quotes should be double quotes.

Block quotations can be used when the quotation is made up of more than four lines.