What does S. Ct. stand for?

• A. United States Code
• B. Supreme Court Reporter
• C. South Western Reporter 2nd Series
• D. Code of Criminal Procedure

Answer: (B)

In legal citations, S. Ct. is the abbreviation used for the Supreme Court Reporter, the publisher that prints opinions of the United States Supreme Court. You’ll often see it in citations like 347 S. Ct. 483, where the volume comes from the Supreme Court Reporter and the page refers to that reporter’s pagination. This is different from United States Reports, which is the official U.S. Supreme Court volume, and different from reporters that cover state cases.

The other options point to statutes or other reporters: United States Code is the codified statutes, not a reporter of opinions; South Western Reporter 2nd Series covers certain state appellate decisions; and Code of Criminal Procedure is a procedural statute. So the term S. Ct. specifically denotes the Supreme Court Reporter, making it the correct fit for the abbreviation.