How to Cite Legal Cases and Court Documents
Citing legal materials requires special formatting that differs from standard academic citations. This guide explains how to cite court cases, legal opinions, and other legal documents in APA, MLA, Chicago, and Bluebook styles.
Understanding Legal Citations
Legal citations follow specialized conventions developed for legal writing. The standard system used in law schools and legal practice is the Bluebook (The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation), but academic styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago also provide formats for legal materials.
Key Elements of Legal Case Citations
- Case name - Names of parties involved (plaintiff v. defendant)
- Volume number - The volume of the reporter
- Reporter abbreviation - Where the case is published (e.g., U.S., F.3d)
- First page number - Starting page of the case
- Court and year - The court and year of decision
Bluebook Style (Legal Citation)
Basic Format
Full citation:
Case Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year).
Bluebook Examples
U.S. Supreme Court Case
Full citation:
Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
Short citation:
Brown, 347 U.S. at 495.
Federal Court of Appeals
Full citation:
United States v. Microsoft Corp., 253 F.3d 34 (D.C. Cir. 2001).
Short citation:
Microsoft, 253 F.3d at 50.
State Supreme Court
Full citation:
Johnson v. Smith, 123 Cal. 4th 456 (2020).
Federal District Court
Full citation:
Garcia v. Tech Industries, Inc., 789 F. Supp. 2d 123 (S.D.N.Y. 2015).
APA Style: Legal Cases
Basic Rules for APA 7th Edition
APA style provides a simplified format for legal citations that's more accessible to non-legal audiences while maintaining essential information.
Reference list format:
Case Name, Volume Source Page (Court Year). URL
APA Examples
Supreme Court Case
Reference list:
Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973). https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/
In-text citation (first mention):
Roe v. Wade (1973)
In-text citation (subsequent):
Roe (1973)
Federal Appeals Court Case
Reference list:
Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015).
In-text citation:
Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)
State Court Case
Reference list:
Williams v. Johnson, 234 N.Y.S.2d 567 (N.Y. App. Div. 2019).
In-text citation:
Williams v. Johnson (2019)
Citing a Specific Page
In-text citation:
Brown v. Board of Education (1954, p. 495)
MLA Style: Legal Cases
Basic Rules for MLA 9th Edition
MLA format for legal cases emphasizes the case name and decision date, with simplified citation elements.
Works cited format:
Case Name. Volume Source Page. Court, Year. Database, URL.
MLA Examples
Supreme Court Case
Works cited:
Miranda v. Arizona. 384 U.S. 436. Supreme Court of the United States, 1966. Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/384/436.
In-text citation:
(Miranda v. Arizona 445)
State Court Case
Works cited:
People v. Anderson. 6 Cal. 3d 628. California Supreme Court, 1972.
In-text citation:
(People v. Anderson)
Unreported Case (No Reporter)
Works cited:
Smith v. Jones. No. 12-3456. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 15 Mar. 2023.
In-text citation:
(Smith v. Jones)
Chicago Style: Legal Cases
Basic Rules for Chicago 17th Edition
Chicago style offers flexible formats for legal citations, adapting Bluebook conventions for general academic use.
Chicago Examples (Notes-Bibliography)
Supreme Court Case
Footnote/Endnote (full):
1. Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137 (1803).
Shortened note:
2. Marbury, 5 U.S. at 177.
Bibliography:
Marbury v. Madison. 5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137 (1803).
Federal Court Case
Footnote/Endnote:
3. United States v. Windsor, 570 U.S. 744 (2013).
Bibliography:
United States v. Windsor. 570 U.S. 744 (2013).
Common Legal Reporters and Abbreviations
| Reporter | Abbreviation | Court |
|---|---|---|
| United States Reports | U.S. | U.S. Supreme Court |
| Federal Reporter | F., F.2d, F.3d, F.4th | Federal Courts of Appeals |
| Federal Supplement | F. Supp., F. Supp. 2d | Federal District Courts |
| State Reporters | Cal., N.Y., Tex., etc. | State Courts |
Citing Other Legal Documents
Statutes and Legislation
APA Format
Reference list:
Name of Act, Title Source § Section (Year).
Example:
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (1990).
In-text citation:
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (1990)
MLA Format
Works cited:
Civil Rights Act of 1964. Pub. L. No. 88-352, 78 Stat. 241, 2 July 1964.
In-text citation:
(Civil Rights Act)
Constitutional Provisions
APA Format
In-text citation (no reference list entry):
U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2.
MLA Format
In-text citation:
(US Const., amend. 1)
Legislative Materials
Congressional Bills
APA example:
H.R. 1234, 118th Cong. (2023).
Congressional Hearings
APA example:
Climate Change Impacts: Hearing Before the S. Comm. on Environment and Public Works, 118th Cong. (2024).
Administrative and Executive Materials
Executive Orders
APA example:
Exec. Order No. 14008, 86 Fed. Reg. 7619 (January 27, 2021).
In-text citation:
Exec. Order No. 14008 (2021)
Federal Regulations
APA example:
Title, Volume C.F.R. § Section (Year).
Special Considerations
Case Names: Italics and v.
- Always italicize case names in APA, MLA, and Chicago
- Use "v." (not "vs." or "versus") between parties
- In Bluebook, case names are italicized in citations but not in textual discussion
Pinpoint Citations
When referring to a specific page or section, include a pinpoint citation:
Bluebook:
Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483, 495 (1954).
APA:
Brown v. Board of Education (1954, p. 495)
Parallel Citations
Some jurisdictions require parallel citations (multiple reporters). Check local rules:
Example:
People v. Johnson, 123 Cal. 4th 456, 789 P.3d 123, 234 Cal. Rptr. 3d 567 (2020).
Online Legal Databases
When accessing cases through online databases, you may include the database name:
- Westlaw
- LexisNexis
- Google Scholar
- Legal Information Institute (Cornell)
- Justia
APA with database:
Case Name, 123 F.3d 456 (2020). Westlaw.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using "versus" or "vs." instead of "v."
- Forgetting to italicize case names in academic styles
- Omitting the year of decision
- Incorrect reporter abbreviations - Use standard legal abbreviations
- Missing court information for lower court cases
- Using outdated citation formats - Check the current edition
- Confusing plaintiff and defendant order
Quick Reference: Key Differences
| Style | Case Name Format | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Bluebook | Case Name, Citation (Year) | Footnotes/Text |
| APA | Case Name, Citation (Year) | Reference list |
| MLA | Case Name. Citation. Court, Year | Works cited |
| Chicago | Case Name, Citation (Year) | Notes/Bibliography |
Resources for Legal Citations
- The Bluebook - Standard legal citation manual
- ALWD Guide to Legal Citation - Alternative legal citation system
- Cornell Legal Information Institute - Free online legal resources
- Google Scholar - Free case law database
- Court websites - Direct access to opinions
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