Nested statutory subdivision
Original research draft · October 2026
Working pattern
[Title] [Code] § [section](a)(2)(B)(iii) ([version]).
Capture from the source
Every subdivision level; redesignation history; exact passage
Check before you use it
Walk the hierarchy from the section heading to the terminal subdivision.
Common error: Dropping one level can redirect the reader to a different rule.
Completed example
The hierarchy and neighboring alternatives in the official 2024 text were directly inspected October 8, 2026. No current fee entitlement, litigation outcome, later amendment, or controlling interpretation was determined.
5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(E)(ii)(I) (2024).
Read the supplied source facts
GovInfo's official 2024 edition of 5 U.S.C. § 552 includes a sequence within subsection (a), paragraph (4), subparagraph (E), clause (ii), and subclause (I). That terminal provision lists specified forms of relief in the definition of substantially prevailing for the subparagraph. The neighboring subclause (II) addresses a different route. The exercise asks for the locator to subclause (I), while leaving any entitlement to attorney fees for separate analysis. The page's indentation and successive labels make the full hierarchy visible when read upward from the target passage.
Why this works
Read the hierarchy from the section down and copy every level in order. Uppercase E, lowercase ii, and uppercase I are meaningful labels, not typography that can be freely normalized. Omitting (4) would break the path from subsection (a) to the selected subparagraph. Ending at (E) would identify a broader unit than the specific route assigned. The pinpoint also should not be made to bear more weight than its text supports: locating one definition does not establish every condition for a fee award. Keep the parent text and neighboring alternative available while drafting the proposition.
When the facts change
To identify both routes in the definition, cite § 552(a)(4)(E)(ii) rather than manufacturing a compressed range of dissimilar labels. To discuss only the neighboring alternative, change the terminal component to (II). When using a historical edition, verify that the same hierarchy existed at the relevant time; a terminal label cannot be carried backward across amendments or redesignations without checking.
Official source material
Apply the receiving court or publication’s requirements. These working forms do not establish citation permission, precedential weight, or support for a legal proposition.