PART 1: STYLE - RULES 1-5

Question 1

When is small caps used?

Answer 1

Articles and headings;
Book titles in text;
Book authors in footnotes;
Book titles in footnotes;
Journal/ periodic titles in footnotes;
Constitution in footnotes;
Codes in footnotes;
Records/ journals of constitutional commissions in footnotes;
Rules of court in footnotes

(Rule 1.2.)

Question 2

Typeface for: Articles and headings;

Answer 2

Small caps and bold

Question 3

Typeface for: Book titles in text

Answer 3

Small caps

Question 4

Typeface for: Book authors in footnotes;

Answer 4

Small caps

Question 5

Typeface for: Journal/periodic titles in footnotes;

Answer 5

Small caps

Question 6

Typeface for: Constitution in footnotes

Answer 6

Small caps

Question 7

Typeface for: Records/ journals of constitutional commissions in footnotes

Answer 7

Small caps

Question 8

Typeface for: Rules of court in footnotes

Answer 8

Small caps

Question 9

When shall italics be used?

Answer 9

Bylines;
Opening quotes;
In-text emphases;
Citing titles of articles or cases in text;
Short form of case titles in footnotes;
Short form of book titles in text. (Rule 1.2.)

Question 10

Typeface for: bylines

Answer 10

italics

Question 11

Typeface for: opening quotes

Answer 11

italics

Question 12

Typeface for: in-text emphases

Answer 12

italics

Question 13

Typeface for: short form of case titles in footnotes

Answer 13

italics

Question 14

Typeface for: short form of book titles in text

Answer 14

italics

Question 15

When is bold typeface used?

Answer 15

Article titles and headings;
Article subheadings

Question 16

Typeface for article headings

Answer 16

bold and small caps

Question 17

Typeface for article subheadings

Answer 17

bold

Question 18

When is a paper to be denominated as an “Article” or “Essay”?

Answer 18

Only when the author is already a lawyer; or
if they are deemed an expert in their field (e.g. with a masters or doctorate degree) which is also the topic of the paper (Rule1-A.1.).

Question 19

What do we call papers submitted by students?

Answer 19

“Note.”

When the author is a student or an underbar at the time of submission of the paper, the same shall always be classified as a “Note” (Rule1-A.1.).

Question 20

When a paper has multiple authors where one of them is a lawyer, how shall the paper be called?

Answer 20

“Article”

In cases of multiple authors, the papers will still be referred to as an “Article” as long as at least one of the authors falls under the classifications under Rule 1-A.1. (Rule 1-A.1.1.)

As long as one. of the authors is a lawyer or an expert at the time of submission

Question 21

Differentiate “Article” from “Essay”

Answer 21

A paper shall be denominated as an “Article” when it devotes substantial space to situating itself within existing research, and often frames its arguments as comprehensive analyses of a given subject. An “Article” tends to be more formal in its tone and its obligation to ground arguments in comprehensive substantive support via consistent citation.

An “Essay,” on the other hand, while still grounded in legal scholarship, tends to differ in that it enjoys more structural, stylistic, and substantive flexibility; an author of an “Essay” has the leeway to experiment with writing style and tone. (Rule 1-A.2.)

Question 22

What is the rule when the author refers to the paper itself in his paper?

Answer 22

capitalize the first letter

When the author is referring to the paper itself, always capitalize the first letter (e.g. Article, Note, or Essay). (Rule 1-A.3.)

Question 23

Must the word “author” be capitalized when the author refers to himself in his paper?

Answer 23

No.

If the author is referring to themselves, there is no need to capitalize the first letter of “author.” (Rule 1-A.3.)

Question 24

What is the general rule regarding the use of the author’s middle initial?

Answer 24

Omit the middle initial unless an author is popularly known by it.

In general, cite an author’s name as the source lists it, but omit the middle initial unless an author is popularly known by it. (Rule 2.1.)

Question 25

What is the rule when there are two authors?

Answer 25

When there are two authors, cite them using an ampersand (&). (Rule 2.2.)

Example: Mark Dennis Joven & William Varias

Note: no comma is needed when there are only two authors.

Question 26

When there are more than two authors, how should we cite?

Answer 26

Either:

(1) cite the name of the first author and add “et al.” OR (2) list all the author’s names.

When there are more than two authors, either cite the name of the first author and add “et al.” or list all the author’s names. When there is a need to save space, the former is more preferred. Include all author’s names when doing so is particularly relevant. When listing all the names, separate the names with commas, but use an ampersand to set off the last name. Note the period in “et al.”; a comma does not precede this phrase. (Rule 2.3.)

Question 27

When do we use “et al.”?

Answer 27

Et al. is used when there are more than two authors and there is a need to save space.

When using et al., it must be important to note the location of the period – “et al.” and that a comma does not precede the phrase. (Rule 2.3.)

Question 28

How do you cite proper nouns (juridical persons, businesses, government agencies, and organizations)?

Answer 28

For proper nouns (e.g juridical persons, businesses, government agencies, and organizations), use the full name, but apply the abbreviations below in the body text. However, in the body text, never abbreviate the first word of a name. Note that the Journal has specific rules for proper nouns in the citation of case titles (See Rule 11). Note further that the Journal abbreviates all words appearing in Table 1 when they appear in footnoted case names. The word “Philippine” and “Philippines” are abbreviated to “Phil.” when they appear in footnoted case names. (Rule 2.4.)

Question 29

What is the rule when mentioning the name of a cited author in the body of text?

Answer 29

State full name in the first instance, then proceed to using the last name in subsequent mentions. Recommended to use position as well when relevant.

When an author of any of the materials cited in the paper is mentioned in the body, state the full name in the first instance then proceed to using the last name for subsequent mentions. It is recommended that the position or title of the cited author be used as well (e.g. professor, senator, etc.), but only if relevant to the purpose of the citation. (Rule 2.5.)

Question 30

Do we abbreviate the name of the month?

Answer 30

Only when it is used in the footnote but not when it is used in the body text.

Use (month) (day), (year) format. Do not abbreviate the name of month in the body text. However, for footnotes, abbreviate the names of months to the first three letters only, except for “June,” “July,” and “Sept.” Refer to Table 2. (Rule 3.1.)

Example in body: March 1, 2012
Example in footnotes: Mar. 1, 2012

Question 31

What is the format for writing dates?

Answer 31

Use (Month) (day), (year) format (Rule 3.1.)

Question 32

Where do we place dates in citations?

Answer 32

Dates are usually placed at the end of a citation in parentheses and often shortened to the year only. They are not enclosed in parentheses when necessary to identify a source, as in letters, emails, unofficial or unpublished decisions, and treaties. (Rule 3.2.)

Note: SCRA is an unofficial reporter, hence, the dates are necessary to identify the source and not enclosed in parenthesis. PRA, however, is the official case reporter. Hence, it is enclosed in parenthesis, and often reduced to the year only.

Question 33

What is Rule 4?

Answer 33

Rule 4. Quotations, Corrections, Omissions, and Emphases

Question 34

What is the rule for quotations less than 50 words?

Answer 34

Double quotation marks (“”); should not be blocked or set off from the rest of the text (xpn: poems or dialogues); quoted portions within quotation use single quotation marks (‘’); footnote immediately after double quotation marks unless placing elsewhere would be more accurate

For quotations of less than 50 words: The quotation should be enclosed in double quotation marks (“ “). However, the quotation should not be blocked or set-off from the rest of the text except when the material quoted would commonly be set-off such as dialogues or poems. Quoted portions within the quotation should be enclosed only in single quotation marks (‘ ‘). If the entire quotation is quoted in itself, only one set of double quotation marks should be used. The footnote number should also follow immediately after the closing double quotation marks, unless placing it elsewhere is more accurate. (Rule 4.1.1)

Question 35

What is the rule for quotations of at least 50 words?

Answer 35

The quotation should be blocked— indented on the LR; single-spaced; and without double quotation marks.

punctuations marks and quotations marks within the block quote should appear as they do in the original.

Footnote citation number should follow immediately after the final punctuation of the quotation.

Generally, the font size for the blocked quotation should be one unit less than that for the body text. (Rule 4.1.2)

Question 36

What is the rule for a block quote consisting of multiple paragraphs?

Answer 36

In a block quote consisting of several paragraphs, indicate the paragraph structure by indenting the first line of each paragraph.

However, it is not necessary to indent the first line of a quoted paragraph if it is not the first line of the paragraph being quoted.

Remember that this rule only applies in block quotes consisting of several paragraphs. If the block quote consisting of only a single paragraph, there is no need to indent the first line thereof. (Rule 4.1.3.)

Question 37

Where should you place commas and periods when using quotations?

Answer 37

Always place commas and periods inside the quotation marks. Place other punctuation marks inside the quotation marks only if they are part of the original text. (Rule 4.1.4)

Note: these could apply to semicolons, exclamation points, colons, question mark.

I think an example could be: How can we be sure that Juan actually said “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”?

Question 38

When do we enclose letters, words, case of a letter, and other marks in brackets?

Answer 38

When we change or insert them in a quotation.

A change in the case of a letter, inserted words, letters, and other marks should be enclosed in brackets. (Rule 4.2.1)

E.g. According to the Court, “[T]he [unwarranted] decision of the unemployment commission ‘forces her to choose between following the precepts of her religion and forfeiting benefits, on the one hand, and abandoning one of the precepts of her religion in order to accept work, on the other hand.’”

Note that this example ends with single and double quotation marks, applying the rule in quotations of less than 50 words that quoted portions in a quotation should be encosed with single quotation marks.

Question 39

When do we enclose footnote number in brackets?

Answer 39

When adding footnotes to a quote, enclose the footnote number found in the body in brackets. (Rule 4.2.2)

Question 40

When do we use [sic]?

Answer 40

Substantial mistakes in the original should be followed by “[sic]” but otherwise left as they appear in the original. (Rule 4.2.3)

E.g.
According to the Court: “The un-warranted [sic] decision was uncalled for.”

NB: There is a space between the word and “[sic]”

Question 41

How do we indicated omitted letters or punctuations in a quotation?

Answer 41

**Omitted letters or punctuations **must be indicated with empty brackets []. However, do not omit letters or punctuations resulting from grammatical errors. In such cases, apply the immediately preceding Rule [Rule 4.2.2., use of “[sic]”]. For omitted words, follow the immediately succeeding Rule [Rule 4.3.2 use of ellipsis “[…]”].(Rule 4.3.1.)

Question 42

What is the rule in case of omission of a word or words?

Answer 42

**Omission of a word or words **is generally indicated by the insertion of an ellipsis: three periods set-off by a space before the first and after the last period [ … ], which take the place of the word or words omitted.

The ellipsis is enclosed in brackets and the three consecutive therein must be separated by nonbreaking spaces. An ellipsis is never used when individual words are merely altered, in which case the applicable rule is Rule 4.2.1 [enclosing the alteration in brackets] above. (Rule 4.3.2.)

Question 43

What is the rule when we omit words at the start of a quotation?

Answer 43

Use Rule 4.2.1. where the alteration of the case of the letter is enclosed in a bracket.

A quotation should never begin with an ellipsis. In lieu of an ellipsis, Rule 4.2.1. applies.

Example:
According to the Court: “[T]he decisions was uncalled for.”

NOT
According to the Court: “[…] the decision was uncalled for.”

Question 44

What is the rule for omissions in block quotes?

Answer 44

In block quotes, when the omission consists of one or more paragraphs, use three asterisks, center-aligned and separated by single spaces, not superscripted, to indicate the omission. (Rule 4.3.4)

Question 45

Is a sign required when we end a quotation in the middle of a paragraph?

Answer 45

No

No sign is necessary if the portion quoted ends in the middle of a paragraph. (Rule 4.3.5.)

Question 46

What is the method of emphasizing texts in a quote?

Answer 46

Italics

For consistency, use italics to emphasize parts of a quoted text. Never underline. As far as practicable, all other methods of emphasis in a quoted text (e.g., bold lettering, underline, etc.) must be converted into italics. (Rule 4.4.1.)

Question 47

Where do we insert parentheticals such as “emphasis supplied,” “emphasis omitted,” or “emphasis in the original?”

Answer 47

We insert them in the footnote.

Insert all parentheticals (i.e., “emphasis supplied,” “emphasis omitted,” “emphasis in the original,” “citations omitted,”) in the footnote at the end of the citation. Capitalize the first word and end the parenthetical with a punctuation mark (e.g. “Emphasis supplied.”). Enclose everything in parenthesis. (Rule 4.4.2)

Example

According to the Court: “[T]he decision was uncalled form.”[1]

Note that there is no period after the close parenthesis.

1. Id. (Emphasis supplied.)

Question 48

Spot the error:

It has been stated at the bar that the appellate jurisdiction may be exercised in a variety of forms, and that, if it be the will of the legislature that a mandamus should be used for that purpose, that will must be obeyed. This is true, yet the jurisdiction must be appellate, not original.[22] (Emphasis supplied, citations omitted.)

Answer 48

Error: Parantheticals were included directly after the quote. It should be placed in a footnote. Hence, there should be a footnote referring to note 22:

22. Id. (Emphasis supplied, citations omitted.)

Question 49

What are the covered under Rule 5. Othe Rules?

Answer 49

Rule 5. Other Rules
* Capitalization (Rule 5.1.)
* Italicization (Rule 5.2.)
* Abbreviations & Acronyms (Rule 5.3.)
* Numbers & Numberals (Rule 5.4.)
* Special Rules on Spacing (Rule 5.5.)
* Case Names In-Text (Rule 5.6.)

Question 50

What is the capitalization rule for titles?

Answer 50

Use of Title Case: In titles and headings, capitalize words. Articles, conjunctions, and prepositions with less than five letters should not be capitalized, but always capitalize the initial word and the first word following a colon. (Rule 5.1.1.)

Example
Time is Up: Assessing the Life Tenure System in the Amrican Supreme Court and the Mandatory Retirement System in the Philippine Supreme Court

But

A Human Rights Discourse on Campaign Finance in the Philippines: An Analysis of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and International Human Rights Law

“An” is a preposition but it is capitalized since it comes after a colon

Question 51

What are the rules on capitalization on nouns?

Answer 51

Nouns pertaining to a specific person and entity must always be capitalized, but not when they are used in a common or generic sense. (Rule 5.1.2.)

Example
The President of the Commission agreed to the proposal.
The presidents publicly assented to the proposal.

Question 52

What is the capitalization rule for laws and courts?

Answer 52

The titles of specific laws, the names of specific courts, and titles of specific persons must be capitalized.

Example
The Migrant Workers Act was passed in 1995.
The Regional Trial Court of Cebu convicted the accused.
Chief Justice Warren penned the two Brown decisions.

But
The judgments of the regional trial courts do not have stare decisis effects.

Note: See that the word “Brown” is italicized because it is a case name. “Stare decisis” is also italicized because it is a latin term. The noun “regional trial courts” have not been capitalized since it does not refer to a specific court; hence, it is not a proper noun.

Question 53

What is the rule of style when using non-English phrases or words?

Answer 53

Apart from emphasis and style, words and phrases are italicized when they are non-English, unless they have been incorporated into common English usage or are used as proper nouns. However, long Latin phrases, “id.,” and procedural phrases should remain italicized. Filipino words, such as those quoted in case transcripts, shall always be italicized. (Rule 5.2.1.)

Example
Reclusion perpetua
Alevosia
Compania Maritima
Ex turpi causa non oritur actio.

But
Mandamus
Radio Veritas

However
Ignorantia legis non excusat.
In re Shoop

Question 54

When do we italicize the lower case letter “l”?

Answer 54

The lowercase letter “l” should be italicized when used as a subdivision to distinguish it from the numeral “1.” (Rule 5.2.2.)

Example
Rep. Act No. 8042 (1995), § 6(l), amended by Rep. Act No. 10022 (2010).

Question 55

Do we italicize case names in-text?

Answer 55

Yes.

Case names, when used in-text, should be italicized even when using the abbreviated case name. (Rule 5.2.3.)

Note: rule applies when case name is in-text. Does not apply when FN.

Question 56

Are we allowed to use bold lettering or underlining when emphasizing words or phrases in a text?

Answer 56

No.

When emphasizing words, use italics and not any other method of emphasis (e.g., bold lettering, underlineing). By way of exception, if the author makes use of the other methods to provide for a hierarchy in emphasis, the use of the other methods of emphasis may be used, subject to the approval of the Board. (Rule 5.2.4.)

Note: other methods of emphasized allowed only when providing for a hierarchy in emphasis.

Question 57

How do we write the name of juridical entity whose name is long?

Answer 57

In case of a long name of a juridical entity, add a parenthetical containing an abbreviation or acronym after the name, then use the shortened name thereafter. (Rule 5.3.1.)

Example
The contracting-out of work was recently regulated in a memoranum issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). In the issuance, the DOLE…

Question 58

How do we write abbreviations?

Answer 58

Generally, abbreviations are not punctuated by periods, whether they are used in the body text or footnotes. However, when the acronym or abbreviation is used as a reporter name, periods must be used, unless convention or other rules hold otherwise.

Example
The US Supreme Court
National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC)

But
1 C.A. Rep. 23

However
50 SCRA 23

Question 59

When do we enclose abbreviations in quotation marks? (“ABBV”)

Answer 59

If the abbreviation is the one officially used by or for the juridical entity, do not enclose it in quotation marks. If the abbreviation to be used for the entity is not official, enclose it in quotation marks. For a list of abbreviations of Philippine government agencies, refer to Table 7. (Rule 5.3.3.)

Example
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

But
University of the Philippines College of Law (“UP Law”)

Question 60

What is the rule for long names of other nouns which are not juridical entities?

Answer 60

In case of any other long name, add a parenthetical containing an abbreviation after the name, and then use the shortened name thereafter. The abbreviaiton must be enclosed in quotation marks, even for documents commonly and officially known. for their abbreviations. (Rule 5.3.4.)

Example
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (“UNCLOS”)

The treaty is commonly known as UNCLOS but still we need to enclose it

Question 61

What is the rule when using abbreviations?

Answer 61

We must introduce the abbrevation at least once in the abstract, body text, and footnotes– but only if we will use it therein. Thus, no need to introduce the abbreviation in the abstract if it is not necessary.

For the two preceding rules (Rule 5.3.3 and 5.3.4), the abbeviation must be introduced at least once each in the abstract, body text, and the footnotes if it will be used therein. This is due to the assumption that one may choose to read an article without going through the footnotes. (Rule 5.3.5.)

Answer 62

Countries that are commonly identified by their acronyms (e.g., the United States and United Kingdom) may be abbreviated when used as an adjective without having to first use the full name. For all other uses, Rules 5.3.1 and 5.3.2 apply. (Rule 5.3.6.)

Example
The UK law would allow same-sex couples…
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) treated the said law as an act of aggression…

5.3.1 - long name of juridical entity; 5.3.2. - abv not punc by period

Question 63

Are there latin abbreviations that we do not italicize?

Answer 63

Yes

The abbreviations “i.e.” and “e.g.” are not italicized; both should be followed by a comma. (Rule 5.3.8.)

Question 64

As a general rule, do we italicize and abbreviate the titles of judges or justices?

Answer 64

No. We italicize and abbreviate them only when they are used in a parenthetical reference or a footnote.

When used in a parenthetical reference, titles of judges and justices are abbreviated and italicized. Otherwise, their full titles are spelled out. (Rule 5.3.9)

Example
Justice Carpio-Morales, writing for the Court in Francisco…

“It takes the risk of reeking of an objectionalbe air of supreme judicial arrogance.”
Carpio-Morales, J., dissenting in De Castro v. Jud. & Bar Council, G.R. no. 191002, 618 SCRA 639, 664, Apr. 20, 2010.

Note: her family name is not italicized in the FN, just the title

Question 65

When do we spell out numbers and when do we write their numeral form?

Answer 65

Generally, the numbers less than 10 are spelled out, but when the first word of any setntence begins with a number, the number must be spelled out. This rule is likewise applicable to ordinal numbers. (Rule 5.4.1.)

Example
Twenty-three petitioners similarly went to the Supreme Court.
Eighteenth century literature was characterized by the spirit of realism.

But
The Supreme Court received petitions from 23 other parties.
The literature of the 18th century was characterized by the spirit of realism.

Question 66

Regardless of the number (n>10; or n < 10), when do we write the number in numeral form?

Answer 66

When a number is a negative integer, or when it has a decimal, numerals must be used. (Rule 5.4.2.)

Example
The temperature was -2 degrees Fahrenheit.
He lost 8.5 pounds.

Answer 67

For consistency, when a series includes numbers both less than 10 and greater than or equal to 10, numerals must be used. (Rule 4.3.)

Example
The accused minors were aged 9, 12, and 15.

Question 68

How do we write numbers of thousands and more?

Answer 68

Numerals with four or more digits must use commas to separate every thousandth decimal place. Note that numerals are written without interrupting spaces. (Rule 5.4.4.)

Example
1,234,567

Question 69

What is the rule on succeeding numbers?

Answer 69

For succeeding numbers, spell out the first. (Rule 5.4.5.)

Example
Fifty-five 100-meter dash runners

Note that in this case, the 100 in 100-meter dash is used as a noun.

Question 70

What is the rule on currencies? When do we write it using ISO 4217 three-figure currency code, and when do we spell it out?

Answer 70

For exact currency amounts, begin with proper ISO 4217 three-figure currency code followed by the amount using numerals. However, for estimates or large numbers (millions and above), append the currency, spelled out, at the end of the estimate.

Example
GBP 10,550
PHP 10,550
USD 10,550

But
1 million dollars
5 billion pesos

Question 71

When do we superscript the abbreviations for ordinal numbers written in numeral forms?

Answer 71

When ordinal numbers are not spelled out, do not superscript the abbreviations (e.g., -st, -nd, -rd, -th), except when they appear in the footnotes. (Rule 5.4.7.)

Example

Question 72

What is the rule of style of an en dash, em dash, and hyphen? When do we use them?

Answer 72

An en dash is preceded and followed by a space, except when used in footnotes, while an em dash and a hyphen are not.

Generally, an en dash (the width of an “n;” –) is used to connect values in a range and is often used as a substitute for “to”;

an em dash (the width of an “m;” —) is an informal separator of a parenthetical reference;

and a hyphen (-) connect compound words. (Rule 5.5.1.)

Example
[En dash] Only those 40 – 70 years old may be appointed to the Supreme Court.
[Em dash] The rule admits one—and only one—exception to the rule.
[Hyphen] The Judge who rendered the decision was criticized as narrow-minded.

But in footnotes
[En dash] REV. PEN. CODE, art. 4–7.
[En dash] Lopez v. Ct. of Appeals,G.R. No. 26549, 34 SCRA 116, 126–27.

NB: REV. PEN. CODE should be small caps; no need to write “1” in 126-27.

Question 73

What. isthe rule of style when writing % signs?

Answer 73

The percent sign (%) immediately follows the numbers to which they pertain.

Example
97%

Note: no space between “97” and “%.”

Question 74

How do we use abbeviated case names? And when do we use the parenthetical “hereinafter”?

Answer 74

We cite full case name first, then abbreviated case name thereafter. The parenthetical “hereinafter” is only written in the footnotes.

After using the complete case name once, the abbreviated case name may be used without the need of using a parenthetical with “hereinafter” like in footnotes.
The abbreviated case name is commonly the first party name, unless the second more clearly identifies the case. Both the complete case name and the abbreviated case name should be italicized when used in the body. (Rule 5.6.1.)

Example
In Mendoza v. COMELEC,[7] Leonardo Roman was elected as governor of Bataan and served in full the term of 1988 – 1992.

In Mendoza, the justices were divided.

Footnote:
7 [Hereinafter “Mendoza”], G.R. No. 149736, Dec. 17, 2002.

NB: range of year applied en dash;