Always check the source in which abbreviation is found; many titles provide a unique list of abbreviations in front or back of the book or series. Check also the subscription database LexisNexis Academic for access to titles.

Abbreviation Stands For Location or Explanation
a. act Wisconsin Statutes
Aff'd OR Aff'g Affirmed OR Affirming appeals court upheld or is upholding a lower court decision
ARB (CCH) Labor Arbitration Awards Decisions Included KF3464.A6 C63
c. Chapter Wisconsin Statutes (old form of a.)
CA - 1-11 U.S. Court of Appeals, lst-11th Circuits Not Applicable
CB Internal Revenue Cumulative Bulletin Ref KF6200.5 .A5 1972-
Also see LexisNexis Academic
CCH Commerce Clearing House publishing company
CCH NLRB Commerce Clearing HouseNLRB Decisions Ref KF3464.A6 C626 1972-
(National Labor Relations Board)
cert. denied certiorari denied, higher court will not further consider the case
cert. dismissed certiorari dismissed, higher court will not further consider the case
CFR Code of Federal Regulations Ref KF70 .A3
Also LexisNexis Academic
C.J.S. Corpus Juris Secundum Ref KF65 .M3
Ct. Cl. Court of Claims Not Applicable
DC District Court federal trial court
D.C. Cir. U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia Not Applicable
E.D. Wis. Eastern District of Wisconsin federal district court
EEOC DECISIONS (CCH) U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Decisions In Employment Practices Guide
Ref KF3464.A6 E462
EPD Employment Practices Decisions Ref KF3464.A6 E46
F., F.2d Federal Reporter, (2ND) series Available interlibrary loan
FR Federal Register Gov. Pubs microfiche AE 2.106:
F.R.D. Federal Rules Decisions not owned, see LexisNexis Academic
F. Supp. Federal Supplement Available interlibrary loan
L./WIS.LAWS Laws of Wisconsin KFW2425 .W5
LC (CCH) Labor Cases Ref KF3464.A6 C62
L.Ed., L.Ed.2d Lawyers' Edition, U.S. Supreme Court Reports not owned, see LexisNexis Academic
Marq. L. Rev. Marquette Law Review In periodicals Dept., 1980-
NLRB National Labor Relations Board Government Publications LR 1.8:
N.W., N.W.2d North Western Reporter, (2ND) series not owned (Wisconsin cases found in WIS., WIS.2d)
OP.ATTY GEN. (OAG) Opinions of the Attorney General of the State of Wisconsin Government Publications WI Att.1:
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Act In Employment Safety and Health Guide Ref KF3568.4 E4
OSHD Occupational Safety and Health Decisions Ref KF3568.3.A2 023 1971-
P.L. Public Law, United States Statutes at Large Ref KF50 .U5 Also LexisNexis Academic
Rev. Rul. Revenue Rulings See Internal Revenue Cumulative Bulletin and also LexisNexis Academic
R.S. Revised Statutes of the State of Wisconsin KFW2430 .A2 Also LexisNexis Academic
SCR Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules Also in Wisconsin Court Rules and Procedures (state) Ref KFW2929. A1983 Ref KFW2929 .A4
S. Ct. Supreme Court Reporter not owned
SFTR (CCH) Standard Federal Tax Reporter Ref KF6285 .C67
Stat. United States Statutes at Large Ref KF50 .U5
T.C. Reports of the United States Tax Court KF6260.A2 T37
TCM (CCH) Tax Court Memorandum Decisions Ref KF6280.A2 C73
U.S. United States Reports KF8742.A4 U5
U.S.C. United States Code Ref KF62 .A1
U.S.C.A. United States Code Annotated Ref KF62 .W4
UST United States Treaties and Other International Agreements JX231 .A34
USTC (CCH) U. S. Tax Cases Ref KF6280.A2 C63
W.D. Wis. Western District of Wisconsin federal district court
Wis., Wis.2d Wisconsin Reports KFW2445 .W5
WIS. ADMIN. CODE Wisconsin Administrative Code REF KFW2445 1956 .A225
Wis. L. Rev. Wisconsin Law Review In Periodicals Dept., 1960-
Wis. Stat. Wisconsin Statutes KFW2430 .A2 (current edition in Reference)
W.S.A., WIS. STAT. ANN. Wisconsin Statutes Annotated Ref KFW2430 .A23

For more complete lists of legal abbreviations and additional information consult

  • Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations
  • Ref KF246 .B46 1993
  • The Bluebook: a Uniform System of Citation
  • Ref Desk KF245 .B58
  • Black's Law Dictionary Ref KF156 .B53 1999
  • Fundamentals of Legal Research Ref KF240 .J3 1990
  • Shepard's citations series (abbreviations unique to series)

Also consult Karrmann Library Guides

  • U.S. Supreme Court Decisions
  • Wisconsin Court Decisions
  • Wisconsin Statutes Annotated

How to read a legal citation

  • 384 Wis.2d 219
  • vol. pg.

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