12. MISCELLANEOUS REFERENCES
12.1 Correspondence
The basic form is:
► Letter from [or “Memorandum from”] [name and abbreviated title of author] to [name and
abbreviated title of recipient] (date), [appended URL] (explanatory parenthetical).
► Letter from [or “Memorandum from”] [name and abbreviated title of author] to [name and
abbreviated title of recipient] (date) (physical location of letter) (explanatory parenthetical).
For staff members of the Florida Legislature, include a reference to “Fla. H.R.” or “Fla. S.” in the member’s title. Identify state legislators by “Sen.” or “Rep.” unless a legislator’s title clearly identifies which chamber he sits in.
► Letter from Jared W. Perdue, Sec’y, Fla. Dept. of Transp., to Pete Buttigieg, Sec’y, U.S. Dept.
of Transp. (Nov. 13, 2023), https://fdotwww.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity/docs/default-
source/communications/11-13-23-fdot-response-letter.pdf?sfvrsn=d1b28bcc_1.
► Letter from David K. Coburn, Staff Dir., Fla. H.R. Majority Office, to Carroll Webb, Exec.
Dir., Fla. Legis. J. Admin. Procs. Comm. (Oct. 16, 1990) (on file with House Speaker’s
office).
► Memorandum from Kathleen Passidomo, Pres., Fla. S., to all senators (Aug. 16, 2024),
https://www.flsenate.gov/PublishedContent/Offices/2022-2024/President/
Documents/8_16_24_Memo_Regarding_Condominium_Safety_and_Affordability.pdf
[https://perma.cc/4VF2-7PZS] (regarding condominium safety and affordability).
12.2 Interviews
The basic form is:
► Interview with [name and abbreviated title of the person interviewed], in [location of interview if conducted in person] (date of interview) (physical location of notes or recording).
The guidelines for correspondence apply to interviews: For staff members of the Florida Legislature, include a reference to “Fla. H.R.” or “Fla. S.” in the member’s title. Identify state legislators by abbreviating the house the legislator is a member of (“Sen.” or “Rep.”), followed by the member’s name.
Additional rules apply if the interviewee is a lobbyist: After the interviewee’s title, identify the individual as a “lobbyist for [the appropriate group, abbreviated, and as recorded in the Lobbyist Registration book prepared by the Clerk of the Florida House of Representatives.]”
► Interview with Karen Stolting, Staff Dir., Fla. Legis. J. Comm. Info. Tech. Res. in Tallahassee,
Fla. (Mar. 28, 1996) (recording available at Fla. Dep’t of State, Fla. State Archives,
Tallahassee, Fla.).
► Interview with Rep. Elaine Gordon in Orlando, Fla. (Apr. 1, 1990) (notes on file with
author).
► Telephone Interview with Wade Hopping, Att’y, lobbyist for ITT Cmty. Dev. Corp. and
Gulfstream Land & Dev. Corp. (July 10, 1985).
► Telephone Interview with Steve Metz, representing Fla. Lumbermen & Material Dealers Ass’n
(Aug. 1, 1989) (notes available at Fla. Dep’t of State, Fla. State Archives, Tallahassee, Fla.).
12.3 Press Releases
The basic form is:
► Press Release, [name of sender with office and title abbreviated], [title of press release] (date
of press release), [appended URL] (explanatory parenthetical).
► Press Release, [name of sender with office and title abbreviated] (subject of press release) (date
of press release) (physical location) (explanatory parenthetical).
► Press Release, Paul Renner, Speaker, Fla. H.R., Florida House Unleashes Largest Expansion of
School Choice in the Nation (Mar. 17, 2023), https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/
Documents/loaddoc.aspx?DocumentType=Press%20Release&FileName=857.
12.4 Location
When a citation requires the inclusion of the location of the document, report, or other item, use the formats given below.
(a) Online
For online sources, append the URL and provide a permanent archive link in brackets whenever possible. See FSM Rule 11.
(b) Committee-Produced Document
The form is:
► (on file with comm.)
(c) Florida State Archives
If the document is located at the Florida State Archives, use the following form:
► (available at Fla. Dep’t of State, Fla. State Archives, ser. [number], carton [number],
Tallahassee, Fla.)
► Memorandum from Bob Crawford, 1988 President-designate, Fla. S., to Members, Advisory
Comm. (Oct. 17, 1988) (available at Fla. Dep’t of State, Fla. State Archives, ser. 157, carton
153, Tallahassee, Fla.) (discussing the Advisory Committee).
For cited materials that may be difficult to obtain, no series or carton numbers are required:
For a detailed proposal of such an assisted living program, see K. Wilson, Assisted Living: The Merger of Housing and Long-Term Care Services (unpublished paper, available at Fla. Dep’t of State, Fla. State Archives, Tallahassee, Fla.).
(d) Legislative Library
The form is:
► (available at Fla. Legis. Libr., Fla. Dep’t of State, Div. of Libr. Servs., Tallahassee, Fla.)
(e) State Library
The form is:
► (available at Fla. Dep’t of State, Div. of Libr. Servs., Tallahassee, Fla.)
(f) Law Reviews and Journals
If a legal publication has a copy of the item on file, then indicate this in the following manner:
► (available at Fla. St. U. L. Rev., Tallahassee, Fla.)
(g) Other Forms
Consult abbreviation tables in the Manual and Bluebook to devise an appropriate short form for the location of other documents, reports, or materials. If the item is held by the office that created or received the item, use the form “on file with” to introduce the location. If the item is held by a library, archives, or other such repository use the form “available at.”
12.5 Florida Newspapers
(a) General form
Citation to Florida newspapers follows the format of Bluebook Rule 16.6. For abbreviations, see FSM Table 7.
Legal Documents:
► Craig Crawford, Ask Right Question, Answer May Follow, Orlando Sent., Feb. 20, 1995, at
A14.
► Study: Cuts in Benefits Are Needed, St. Pete Times, Dec. 31, 1994, at A7.
Scholarly Works:
► Craig Crawford, Ask Right Question, Answer May Follow, Orlando Sent., Feb. 20, 1995, at
A14.
► Study: Cuts in Benefits Are Needed, St. Pete Times, Dec. 31, 1994, at A7.
12.6 Florida Law School Publications
(a) General form
Citation to Florida Law School Journals follows the format of Bluebook Rules 16.2–16.4. For abbreviations, see FSM Table 6.
Legal Documents:
► Ruth Gana Okediji, The Alien-Citizen Paradox and Other Consequences of U.S. Colonialism, 26
Fla. St. U. L. Rev. 1, 27 (1998).
Scholarly Works:
► Ruth Gana Okediji, The Alien-Citizen Paradox and Other Consequences of U.S. Colonialism, 26
Fla. St. U. L. Rev. 1, 27 (1998).