How do I cite a court case in APA?

To cite a court case in APA (7th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What is the APA format for a court case citation?

The APA format for a court case is: Case Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year).

What does the in-text citation look like for a court case in APA?

In APA, the in-text citation for the example above is (Case Name, Year)

How to Cite a Court Case in APA (7th edition)

Learn how to cite a court case or legal decision in APA format (7th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

APA Reference List Format

Here is the standard APA format for citing a court case in your reference list:

Case Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year).

APA Example for a Court Case

A complete APA reference for a court case, formatted by the official APA CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:

Harrington v. Board of Regents, 812 F.3d 455 (9th Cir. 2016).

Matching in-text citation: (Harrington v. Board of Regents, 2016)

APA In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(Case Name, Year)

Narrative

In Case Name (Year), the court held...

Key APA Formatting Rules

Case names are italicized in the text but not in the reference list.
Include volume, reporter abbreviation, and first page.
Include court name and year in parentheses.
For US Supreme Court cases, use U.S. as the reporter.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your court case.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the APA (7th edition) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match APA requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

CSL style record: apa.csl

Metadata to collect

case name (the parties)
volume number
reporter abbreviation
first page
court
decision year

Common metadata traps

Use the official reporter citation rather than a database URL when one exists.
Check whether your style italicizes the case name in the text but not in the reference entry.

Editorial sources

APA Style — references →

Read the detailed source guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a court case in APA?: To cite a court case in APA (7th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the APA format for a court case citation?: The APA format for a court case is: Case Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year).
What does the in-text citation look like for a court case in APA?: In APA, the in-text citation for the example above is (Case Name, Year)