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.
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