HTML Format Variations

The HTML Content Format page describes the standard Midpage Format. Opinion content is currently divided into three formats:

62% — Midpage Format
37% — Harvard XML
1% — Legacy formats

The examples below show the markup used by each format.

Case Header

Midpage Format — Structured <details> with data attributes.

<details class="midpage-case-info" open>
  <summary>Case Information</summary>
  <p class="midpage-case-name" shortName="Doe v. Acme">DOE v. ACME CORP.</p>
  <p class="midpage-docket" docket="23-1456">No. 23-1456</p>
  <p class="midpage-court" court="9th Cir.">United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit</p>
  <p class="midpage-date" date="2024-03-15">March 15, 2024</p>
</details>

Harvard XML — Uses an <opinion> element rather than a Midpage case-information block.

<opinion type="majority">
  <author id="b34-24">MARKUS, J.</author>
  <p id="b35-4">Opinion text...</p>
</opinion>

Legacy — Some of the remaining older opinions use an unstructured <details> block with raw styled text from the source document.

<details class="midpage-case-info">
  <summary class="midpage-case-info-summary">Case Information</summary>
  <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">No. 05-13-01080-CV
    BRETT SHIPP, Appellant V. DR. RICHARD MALOUF, Appellees</span></p>
</details>

Page Numbers

Midpage Format — Custom <midpage-ps> element.

<midpage-ps n="124"/>

Harvard XML — XML <page-number> element.

<page-number citation-index="1" class="midpage_page_number_303" label="303">*303</page-number>

Legacy — Some older PDF/OCR content uses a <span>.

<span class="star-pagination" source="midpage-pdf-parser">*124</span>

Some legacy HTML has no page markers.

Footnotes

Midpage Format — Custom elements with bidirectional anchor links.

<midpage-fnmark id="fnref-1" n="1"><a href="#fn-1">1</a></midpage-fnmark>
...
<section class="midpage-footnotes">
  <midpage-fn id="fn-1" n="1">
    <a class="midpage-fn-backlink" href="#fnref-1">1</a>
    The footnote text...
  </midpage-fn>
</section>

Harvard XML — Anchor-based marks and footnote containers.

<a class="footnote midpage_footnotemark_fn1" href="#fn1" id="fn1_ref">1</a>
...
<div class="footnotes">
  <h3>Notes</h3>
  <div class="footnote midpage_footnote_fn1" id="fn1" label="1">
    <a class="footnote" href="#fn1_ref">1</a>
    <p>The footnote text...</p>
  </div>
</div>

Legacy — Older Midpage content may use simpler self-closing marks with no anchor links.

<midpage-fnmark n="1"/>
...
<midpage-fn n="1">The footnote text...</midpage-fn>

Older PDF/OCR content may use class-based <sup> and <p> elements.

<sup class="midpage_footnotemark_183">[1]</sup>
...
<p class="midpage_footnote_183">[1] The footnote text...</p>

Blockquotes

Midpage Format — Standard <blockquote> element.

<blockquote>
  <p>All disputes shall be resolved by binding arbitration.</p>
</blockquote>

Harvard XML — Also uses structural <blockquote> elements, often with an identifier from the source document.

<blockquote id="b478-4">
  <p>Quoted material...</p>
</blockquote>

Some legacy HTML uses indentation or <pre> blocks instead.

Case Citations

Midpage Format — Structured <midpage-case> with metadata attributes.

<midpage-case case="Smith v. Jones" cite="262 F.3d 305" pinpoint="320"
  court="4th Cir." date="2001">
  <i>Smith v. Jones</i>, 262 F.3d 305, 320 (4th Cir. 2001)
</midpage-case>

Harvard XML — Citations enriched by Eyecite use <midpage-case> elements with source-specific metadata.

<midpage-case source="eyecite" volume="500" reporter="Pa." page="465"
  opinion_id="1955023" case_name="In re Appeal of Owen J. Roberts School District"
  confidence="high">500 Pa. 465</midpage-case>

Legacy — Some older PDF/OCR opinions have no citation markup.

<i>Ashcroft v. Iqbal</i>, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009)

HTML Content Format

Citator