How do I cite a court case in Harvard?

To cite a court case in Harvard (Cite Them Right), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What is the Harvard format for a court case citation?

The Harvard format for a court case is: Case Name [Year] Volume Reporter Page.

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

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

How to Cite a Court Case in Harvard (Cite Them Right)

Learn how to cite a court case or legal decision in Harvard format (Cite Them Right). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

Harvard Reference List Format

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

Case Name [Year] Volume Reporter Page.

Harvard Example for a Court Case

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

Harrington v. Board of Regents (2016) F.3d.

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

Harvard In-Text Citation

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

Parenthetical

(Case Name, Year)

Narrative

The court held in Case Name (Year)...

Key Harvard Formatting Rules

Italicize the case name, with the parties separated by v.
Give the year in square brackets when it is needed to find the report, or in round brackets when it is not.
Include the volume, law report abbreviation, and first page.
Add the court in parentheses if the report series does not make it clear.
Cite the case name and year in the text.

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 Harvard (Cite Them Right) 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 Harvard 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: harvard.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

Read the detailed source guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

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