What component is always included at the beginning of federal case citations?

In federal case citations, the title of the case is always included at the beginning. This title typically consists of the names of the parties involved in the litigation, reflecting who is appealing and who is the appellee. For example, in "Brown v. Board of Education," "Brown" is the appellant and "Board of Education" is the appellee. Including the title at the forefront of a citation serves to clearly identify the specific legal dispute that is being referenced, making it easier for readers to recognize the case discussed.

The other components mentioned in the question, such as the circuit court, the year of the case, and the names of the judges, are important for full context and reference but they do not appear at the very beginning of the citation. The circuit court indicates where the case was appealed, the year provides temporal context, and the names of judges would follow afterward in the citation format. Therefore, the title of the case is essential and foundational in establishing the identity of the case from the outset.