What Bluebook rule apples to citing “Twas the Night Before Christmas?”
In State v. Aponte, defense counsel wasn’t in the Christmas spirit.
At trial, counsel complained that the victim’s advocate “looked like Santa Claus there.”
Defense counsel objected to the bag of toys being placed at the child’s feet.
The trial court refused defense counsel’s request to remove the bag of toys, stating that it was “not going to disturb the … arrangements … that have been made to allow a minor child of these tender years to testify in a court of law.”
In the first footnote of the opinion, Justice Katz writes: “Santa: ‘Also known as St. Nicholas, Santa Claus carries a bundle of toys as gifts to children. See generally C. Moore, The Night Before Christmas (Holiday House 1980 Ed.).'”