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Periods

1.  Periods should be placed inside quotation marks. Periods always go inside quotation marks, even if they did not appear in the original quote. The same rule applies to commas; however, all other punctuation belongs outside the quotation mark, unless it appeared in the original quotation.
 
Incorrect: The judge did not believe the prosecutor's claim that the evidence was seized in "exigent circumstances".
Correct: The judge did not believe the prosecutor's claim that the evidence was seized in "exigent circumstances."

2.  If a period follows the end of a sentence, place two spaces after the period and before the next character. This rule applies as well to citation sentences: at the end of a full citation sentence, place a period followed by two spaces. However, if a period ends an abbreviation not at the end of a sentence, place one space after it. And if the period is in the middle of a single abbreviation, place no space after it. All four of these rules are illustrated in the following examples.

Incorrect (seven errors):
 

Justice White's legacy is uncertain. His jurisprudence defies simple labels. Compare City of Richmond v. J. A. Crosson, 488 U. S. 469 (1989) with University of California Regents v. Bakke, 438 U. S. 265 (1978). His decisions often seem unreconcilable.
Correct:
Justice White's legacy is uncertain. His jurisprudence defies simple labels. Compare City of Richmond v. J.A. Crosson, 488 U.S. 469 (1989) with University of California Regents v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978). His decisions often seem unreconcilable.

3.  Place periods outside parentheticals if they are at the end of a sentence but within parentheticals if they follow a sentence, standing alone.
 

Incorrect: At her deposition, Jones stated that she had worked for the defendant corporation for twelve years (R. 94.).

Correct: At her deposition, Jones stated that she had worked for the defendant corporation for twelve years (R. 94).


Also Correct:

At her deposition, Jones stated that she had worked for the defendant corporation for twelve years. (R. 94.)
Incorrect: The court appointed counsel for the defendant. (She was indigent).
Correct: The court appointed counsel for the defendant. (She was indigent.)