Which element identifies the source of the proposition in the citation?

Which element identifies the source of the proposition in the citation?

• A. Franklin v. FCC
• B. 562 U.S. 140
• C. 2012
• D. Ineffective assistance of counsel

Answer: (A)

In legal citations, the authority for a proposition is identified by the case name. The case Franklin v. FCC tells you which decision is asserting the proposition, so it is the source of the proposition itself. The other parts—such as 562 U.S. 140 (the pinpoint page in the reporter), 2012 (the year), and Ineffective assistance of counsel (the issue or doctrine at stake)—are locating or descriptive details, not the source of the proposition. The reporter citation helps you find the decision, the year helps with dating, and the issue describes what the case is about, but the actual source of the proposition is the case name.

In legal citations, the authority for a proposition is identified by the case name. The case Franklin v. FCC tells you which decision is asserting the proposition, so it is the source of the proposition itself. The other parts—such as 562 U.S. 140 (the pinpoint page in the reporter), 2012 (the year), and Ineffective assistance of counsel (the issue or doctrine at stake)—are locating or descriptive details, not the source of the proposition. The reporter citation helps you find the decision, the year helps with dating, and the issue describes what the case is about, but the actual source of the proposition is the case name.