The Indigo Book: A Manual of Legal Citation - 2nd Edition

Reviewed by J. S., Assistant Professor, Community College of Philadelphia on 6/18/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The work serves as a valuable supplement to, and free implementation of, The Bluebook. The freely adaptable resource implements the same Uniform System of Citation that is implemented in The Bluebook. The work’s scope parallels that of The Bluebook’s “Bluepages”. Beyond the Bluepages, the resource includes additional citation guidance for bills and legislative history. The resource’s coverage does not extend to loose-leaf reporters, foreign legal materials, or international publications.

The resource includes a collection of other readily available and linked citation guides as well as both Forward and Reverse Lookups with links to The Indigo Book and analogous provisions in The Bluebook.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The resource is stated to be in beta release. The work was created under the direction of Professor Christopher Jon Sprigman, research assistant Daryl Steiger, and a team of students at the New York University School of Law. The last documented update was on May 2, 2016. The web-based resource includes an email address to report errors. Bluebook references are to the 20th Edition, not the 21st.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

This document is in beta release and was last modified on May 2, 2016. Bluebook references are to the 20th edition, not the 21st. The resource will help users draft briefs, memoranda, law review articles, and other legal documents that use citations compatible with the Uniform System of Citations.

Clarity rating: 5

The resource includes a hyperlinked Table of Contents. Section headers are in a larger and bolded font. The resource also includes a number of “Indigo Inklings” that provide additional guidance and insights regarding The Bluebook as compared with The Indigo Book as well as citation tips and recommended best practices. “Indigo Inklings” are set off in boxed text and provide useful commentary and context for many of the shared citation rules.

Consistency rating: 5

The resource maintains a consistent terminology.

Modularity rating: 3

The resource is not modular. A linked Table of Contents is included. The work is distributed as a single document developed using HTML 5.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The resource's organization is logical and clear. Section headings provide additional clarity.

Interface rating: 3

A hyperlinked Table of Contents supports navigation.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The resource is clearly presented and well written.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text is a citation manual and, as such, examples are restricted to citation format. The authors clarify that they have opted for the color Indigo (rather than Royal Blue commonly associated with The Bluebook) to express solidarity with the ryots of Bengal.