A pinpoint citation is a citation in which the researcher cites not only the first page of a case, but also the page from which the quotation is taken.  For instance, our cite is:

Wilson v. Alvarez, 936 F.2d 1251 (9th Cir. 1993)

This case begins on page 1251 of volume 936 in the Federal Reporter, 2d series.  But the quote the researcher is planning on using in a brief appears on page 1259.  As a courtesy to the reader, the researcher cites the case as follows:

Wilson v. Alvarez, 936 F.2d 1251, 1259 (9th Cir. 1993)

The second page number, 1259, represents the page from which the quote is taken, the pinpoint citation!