The year 2025 brought about the new edition of The Bluebook–the 22nd edition! The last time a new edition came out, it was 2020, so it doesn’t happen too often.
You can read the preface from the editors to the 22nd edition here, where they describe that they “made hundreds of edits, large and small.”
Below are some major changes to take note of:
- Rule 18 on the Internet, Electronic Media, and Other Nonprint Resources: Lots of changes here, including rules around AI-generated content. You won’t want to skip re-reading Rule 18. For AI-generated content, you must save a PDF and keep it on file; you cannot just share a URL. For any URL you use for a webpage, you must include an archived link (like Perma.cc) as well. Edition 21 just encouraged this, but Edition 22 requires it. Need help getting set up on Perma.cc? Check out my blogpost on that here.
- Rule 1.2 on Signals: There’s a new signal you may use: Contrast!
- Rule 14.4 is new, covering State Administrative Material examples.
- Rules 22 and 23 are new. Rule 22 covers tribal nations. Rule 23 covers sources from archives.
- For the Blue pages (which is what you use for 1L legal writing), Rule B5.3 is new and allows writes to use a “(citation modified)” parenthetical where appropriate.
If you need Bluebook assitance, you may visit the Reference Desk or email me at HickmanA@law.byu.edu.