North Carolina cases are reported in the South Eastern Reporter series (S.E., S.E.2d). North Carolina still publishes official reporters — North Carolina Reports (N.C.) for the Supreme Court and North Carolina Court of Appeals Reports (N.C. App.) for the Court of Appeals. Under Bluebook Table T1, cite North Carolina cases to the South Eastern Reporter.
The Supreme Court of North Carolina is abbreviated "N.C." and the North Carolina Court of Appeals is abbreviated "N.C. Ct. App." in Bluebook citations. North Carolina is an important jurisdiction for banking law (given its status as a major financial center), employment law, and business litigation.
| Court | Bluebook Abbreviation | Reporter |
|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court of North Carolina | N.C. | S.E.2d (S.E.) |
| Court of Appeals | N.C. Ct. App. | S.E.2d |
North Carolina Supreme Court
State v. Carter, 605 S.E.2d 676 (N.C. 2004)
Court of Appeals
Scarborough v. Dillard's, Inc., 693 S.E.2d 640 (N.C. Ct. App. 2010)
Supreme Court (Landmark)
Leary v. N.C. Forest Prods., Inc., 157 S.E.2d 566 (N.C. 1967)
Cite to the South Eastern Reporter (S.E.2d for modern cases) under Bluebook rules.
Use "N.C. Ct. App." in the date parenthetical.
Not under Bluebook rules, but North Carolina courts may require them in filings.
Stop formatting citations by hand. Use Briefly's AI-powered Bluebook Citation Generator to get full citations, short forms, and Id. format for North Carolina cases in seconds.
Explore Bluebook citation guides for other Southeast states.
Format Bluebook citations for Alabama Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals decisions.
Format Bluebook citations for Arkansas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions.
Format Bluebook citations for Delaware Supreme Court, Court of Chancery, and Superior Court decisions.
Master Bluebook citations for Florida Supreme Court and District Courts of Appeal decisions using the Southern Reporter.
Master Bluebook citations for Georgia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions using the South Eastern Reporter.
Format Bluebook citations for Kentucky Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions.
Format Bluebook citations for Louisiana Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal decisions.
Format Bluebook citations for the Supreme Court of Maryland and Appellate Court of Maryland decisions.
Format Bluebook citations for Mississippi Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions.
Format Bluebook citations for South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions.
Format Bluebook citations for Tennessee Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals decisions.
Master Bluebook citations for the Supreme Court of Virginia and Court of Appeals using the South Eastern Reporter.
Format Bluebook citations for the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia decisions.
Disclaimer: While this guide follows Bluebook 21st edition rules, always verify citations with official Bluebook resources or your institution's requirements. This content is for educational assistance only.
Our generator handles the formats you use most, but legal writing courses grade you against the rule itself — and professors ask you to defend a citation by number. Check which edition your school requires before ordering; it's the one book where the wrong edition genuinely costs you points.
As an Amazon Associate, Briefly earns from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page are affiliate links — if you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never affects what we recommend.