How do I cite a court case in PLOS?

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

What is the PLOS format for a court case citation?

The PLOS format for a court case is: 1. Harrington v. Board of Regents. F.3d. 2016. p. 455.

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

In PLOS, the in-text citation for the example above is [1]

How to Cite a Court Case in PLOS (current)

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

PLOS Reference List Format

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

PLOS Example for a Court Case

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

1. Harrington v. Board of Regents. F.3d. 2016. p. 455.

Matching in-text citation: [1]

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 PLOS (current) 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 PLOS 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: plos.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.

Read the detailed source guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a court case in PLOS?: To cite a court case in PLOS (current), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the PLOS format for a court case citation?: The PLOS format for a court case is: 1. Harrington v. Board of Regents. F.3d. 2016. p. 455.
What does the in-text citation look like for a court case in PLOS?: In PLOS, the in-text citation for the example above is [1]