Home PublicationsCracking the Code Submission Guidelines

ABI reserves the right to edit all articles for content and style. All are welcome to submit articles to this online-only newsletter.

Suggested Article Length

500-1,200 words. Articles should be timely and topical to promote online discussion.

Submitting Your Article

All articles must be submitted in electronic format, preferrably via e-mail. ABI does not retype articles. Documents can be saved as WordPerfect or Microsoft Word. You are welcome to use images, but please enclose the originals. E-mail the attached document to Carolyn Kanon at ckanon@abiworld.org.

Format

Headlines: center at top of page, bold. NO all caps or small caps. Always include a headline.

Bylines: center and italicize the following beneath the title. Always include a byline.

Margins: one inch on top, bottom, left and right.

Quotes

Indicate quotes with quotation marks. If applicable, indicate emphasis added in parenthesis at the end of the quote. If you are omitting the beginning, end or any part of a sentence, use the ellipsis (...).

Italics

Italicize names of cases. Use italics for emphasis (do not use underlines or bolds).

Headers/Footers

Do not include headers or footers.

Cases

Titles: always italicize case names.

Cites: cite according to West Bankruptcy Reporter using B.R.; otherwise, use Blue Book Form.

Acronyms

When utilizing an acronym, refer to the item, bill or organization initially by its full title and the acronym in parentheses. On second, third, etc., references, the acronym stands alone (e.g., The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) is headquartered in Alexandria. ABI holds two major meetings per year).

ABI Members

If you mention a current ABI member, bold the full name.

Capitalization

Lowercase "state" in all references; lowercase titles unless they precede the person's name

Commas

• In a simple series, omit the comma before the conjunction (e.g., The flag is red, white and blue).
• Use the serial comma if an integral element of the series requires a conjunction (e.g., I had orange juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast).
• Omit comma before Inc., Corp., Co., Ltd., L.P., P.C., etc. (e.g., Smith & Smith Inc.).
• Omit comma after name and before suffix (e.g., John A. Doe Jr.; John A. Doe Sr.; John A. Doe III).
• Omit comma following a month and preceding a year (e.g., February 1994 (not February, 1994)).
• Include commas when listing a full date (e.g., On February 18, 1994, ABI announced its meeting).

Terminology

the Bankruptcy Code
the Code
the Bankruptcy Act (prior to 1978)
chapter 7, chapter 11, etc. (NOT capitalized)
Title 11
U.S. Trustee
panel trustee
bankruptcy judge
bankruptcy court
district court
Section 1031 (at the beginning of a sentence)
§1031 (within a sentence)
bankruptcy case (NOT bankruptcy proceedings for the case-in-chief)
adversary proceeding (NOT adversary case)
contested matters (if not actually initiated by filing of separate adversary)
out-of-court
parties in interest (NOT parties at interest)
pre-petition
post-petition
debtor-in-possession (use DIP on second reference)

Cities and States

When referring to a city, list the city and state unless the city is one of the following, in which the city stands alone:

In listings of cities and states, all states should be abbreviated except Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah.

Abbreviations:

Spell out the names of the states when they stand alone in textual material (e.g., The floods in Missouri were devastating).

If you have any questions about Cracking the Code guidelines, please contact Carolyn Kanon (ckanon@abiworld.org) at (703) 739-0800.