WRITING MANUAL - Supreme Court - State of Ohio

SECTION EIGHT: DATES IN TEXT
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Months are spelled out in text. When the date is a full one, i.e., month, day, and year, a
comma always follows the day. A comma also follows the year unless (1) the date is
being used as an adjective or (2) the year ends the sentence. If only the month and the
year are used, do not use a comma or the word “of” after the month.
HOW TO USE DATES IN TEXT
The journal was first issued on August 25, 1948.
NOTE: August is not abbreviated in the above example.
The building was completed in July 1983.
NOTE: There is no comma and no “of” between July and 1983.
On July 7, 26 days later, the petitioner filed the first motion for
protection.
On February 2, 1984, the appellant received the January order.
June 23, 1981, was the date of the journal entry.
NOTE: In a phrase of month, day, and year, put a comma after the year, unless
the phrase is used as an adjective. See next example.
The plaintiff was not a party to the April 3, 1963 agreement.
NOTE: Do not follow a date used as an adjective with a comma.
from August 22, 1973, to December 1973
July or August 1977
The hearing was held on July 16, August 14, and August 15, 1980.
The hearing was held on March 13, 14, and 15, 2007.
during the 1980-1981 school year
since the 1950s
The Supreme Court of Ohio 91 Writing Manual