Cecily Zamora
When citing legal sources in APA style, such as materials from Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute (LII), it is essential to follow specific guidelines to ensure accuracy and consistency. Cornell Law’s LII is a widely trusted resource for legal information, offering access to statutes, case law, and secondary sources. To APA cite Cornell Law, begin by identifying the type of legal material you are referencing, such as a statute, court case, or legal guide. For online resources, include the author (if available), publication date, title, and the URL or DOI. For example, if citing a statute, use the format: *Title of the Act*, *Section Number*, *U.S.C.* § *Section Number* (Year). Always verify the most current APA guidelines, as legal citations may have unique requirements compared to standard academic sources. Proper citation not only ensures academic integrity but also helps readers locate the referenced material with ease.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Citation Style | APA 7th Edition |
| Source Type | Legal Information Institute (LII) Website |
| Website Name | Cornell Law School - Legal Information Institute |
| URL | https://www.law.cornell.edu/ |
| Citation Format | Author Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title of the page. Website Name. URL |
| Example Citation | Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). U.S. Code. Cornell Law School - Legal Information Institute. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text |
| In-Text Citation | (Legal Information Institute, n.d.) |
| Notes | - Use "n.d." (no date) if publication date is not available - Italicize the title of the webpage - Include the full URL in the citation |
| Reference List Entry | Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). Title of the specific page or resource. Cornell Law School - Legal Information Institute. Retrieved from https://www.law.cornell.edu/specific-page-url |
| Special Cases | For specific statutes or laws, include the title, section, and year in the citation |
| Example Special Case | 18 U.S.C. § 2511 (2018). Wiretap Act. Legal Information Institute. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2511 |
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What You'll Learn
APA Basics for Legal Sources
When citing legal sources in APA style, it's essential to understand the specific guidelines for formatting references and in-text citations. The American Psychological Association (APA) style, while primarily used in social sciences, provides a framework for citing legal materials, including cases, statutes, and legal websites like Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute (LII). To APA cite Cornell Law or any legal source, you must identify the type of legal material you are referencing and follow the corresponding APA format.
For court decisions, the APA format requires you to include the names of the parties involved, the year of the decision, the volume and reporter numbers, and the court and jurisdiction. For example, a citation for a U.S. Supreme Court case would look like this: *Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954)*. If you are referencing this case in-text, you would use the parties’ names and the year: (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). This structure ensures clarity and allows readers to locate the source easily.
When citing statutes or laws, the APA style requires you to include the title of the statute, the source (if applicable), the section or chapter number, and the year. For instance, a citation for a federal statute might appear as: *Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 42 U.S.C. § 14135a*. In-text citations for statutes typically use the title and the year, such as (Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, 1994). If the statute is commonly known by an abbreviated name, you may use that in the in-text citation.
For legal websites like Cornell Law’s LII, the APA citation includes the author (if available), the publication year, the title of the webpage, the website name, and the URL. For example, if you are referencing a specific legal guide on the LII website, the citation might look like: *Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). How to research a legal topic. Cornell Law School*. In-text citations would use the title in quotation marks or the website name if there is no clear title: (“How to Research a Legal Topic,” n.d.) or (Legal Information Institute, n.d.).
Finally, constitutions are cited by including the document title, the article and section numbers (if applicable), and the publication year. For the U.S. Constitution, a citation might appear as: *U.S. Const. amend. I*. In-text citations typically use the document title and the year, such as (U.S. Const., 1787). If referencing a specific amendment, include that in the in-text citation: (U.S. Const. amend. I, 1791).
Mastering APA basics for legal sources ensures that your citations are accurate, consistent, and compliant with academic standards. Whether you are citing court cases, statutes, legal websites like Cornell Law, or constitutional documents, adhering to APA guidelines enhances the credibility and professionalism of your work. Always double-check your citations against the latest APA manual or reliable online guides to ensure precision.
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Citing Cornell Law Website Pages
When citing pages from the Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute (LII) website in APA style, it is essential to follow the guidelines for electronic sources. The Cornell Law website is a valuable resource for legal information, and proper citation ensures academic integrity and allows readers to locate the source easily. Here's a step-by-step guide to citing these web pages.
Author and Date: Begin your citation with the author's last name and the publication date of the web page in parentheses. If the author is the Cornell Law School or a specific department, use that as the author. For example: (Cornell Law School, 2023). If there is no individual author, start the citation with the title of the web page.
In-Text Citation: When referring to the Cornell Law website in the body of your text, use a parenthetical citation with the author (if available) and the year. For example: (Cornell Law School, 2023) states that... If there is no author, use a shortened version of the title and the year.
Reference List Entry: The full citation in the reference list should include all the elements mentioned above. Here's a sample citation:
Cornell Law School. (2023). *Example legal topic*. *Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute*. https://www.law.cornell.edu/example-topic
Remember, APA style requires a hanging indent for reference list entries, and the citation should be double-spaced. This format ensures that your citation is clear and provides all the necessary information for readers to find the exact web page you referenced.
For multiple pages from the same website, you can use the same format, ensuring each citation is unique and corresponds to the specific page referenced in your work. Consistency and attention to detail are key when citing electronic sources like the Cornell Law website.
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Formatting Legal Case Citations
When formatting legal case citations in APA style, it is essential to follow specific guidelines to ensure accuracy and consistency. According to the APA Style Manual (7th edition) and resources like the Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute, legal citations require a distinct format compared to standard APA references. The basic structure for citing a legal case includes the case name, the volume and reporter (if applicable), the page number, the court that decided the case, and the year of the decision. For example, a case citation might appear as *Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954)*. This format prioritizes clarity and accessibility for legal professionals and researchers.
The case name is the foundation of the citation and should be italicized, with the plaintiff’s name listed first, followed by "v." (for *versus*), and then the defendant’s name. If the case name is too long or includes multiple parties, it can be shortened using standard abbreviations, such as *United States v. Smith*. Following the case name, include the volume number of the reporter where the case is published, the abbreviation for the reporter, and the starting page number of the case. For instance, *347 U.S. 483* indicates volume 347 of the United States Reports, starting on page 483. If the case is not published in an official reporter, cite the regional or unofficial reporter instead.
After the reporter information, include the court that decided the case in parentheses, using standard abbreviations. For example, "U.S." represents the United States Supreme Court, while "Cal." might represent the California Supreme Court. Following the court abbreviation, place the year of the decision in parentheses. This format ensures that readers can quickly identify the jurisdiction and timeline of the case. For example, *(1954)* in the citation above indicates the year the case was decided.
In APA style, legal case citations are typically referenced in-text rather than included in a traditional reference list. When citing a case in the body of your work, use the shortened case name and the year, such as (*Brown v. Board of Education, 1954*). If you need to include a pinpoint citation to refer to a specific page within the case, add the page number after the year, separated by a comma and a space, for example (*Brown v. Board of Education, 1954, p. 490*). This precision helps readers locate the exact information you are referencing.
For more complex scenarios, such as citing cases from international courts or unpublished opinions, additional rules may apply. For instance, if citing a case from the European Court of Human Rights, include the court’s full name and the case number. Unpublished opinions should be cited with the phrase "unpublished" in brackets after the case name. Always consult the APA Style Manual or authoritative legal citation guides, such as *The Bluebook*, for specific examples and exceptions. Properly formatted legal citations not only adhere to academic standards but also enhance the credibility and professionalism of your work.
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In-Text Citation Rules for Laws
When citing laws in APA style, the in-text citation rules are designed to clearly and concisely direct readers to the corresponding entry in the reference list. For laws, the in-text citation typically includes the name of the law (or a shortened version) and the year it was enacted. If the law is commonly known by an abbreviated name, you may use that abbreviation in the in-text citation, provided it is clearly understandable to your audience. For example, the *Americans with Disabilities Act* can be cited as *ADA* (1990) if the abbreviation is introduced in the text or in the reference list.
If you are referring to a specific section or title of a law, include the section number or title in the in-text citation. For instance, if citing Section 504 of the *Rehabilitation Act of 1973*, the in-text citation would appear as (*Rehabilitation Act*, 1973, §504). This format ensures that readers can easily locate the exact portion of the law being referenced. When the law’s name is long or complex, it is acceptable to use a shortened version in the in-text citation, as long as it matches the reference list entry and remains unambiguous.
In cases where the law does not have a specific author or is a collective work, the in-text citation should focus on the title of the law and the year. For example, if citing the *Civil Rights Act*, the in-text citation would be (*Civil Rights Act*, 1964). If multiple laws are cited from the same year, use lowercase letters to differentiate them (e.g., *Civil Rights Act*, 1964a; *Voting Rights Act*, 1964b). This ensures clarity and avoids confusion for the reader.
When quoting directly from a law, include the page or section number in the in-text citation, if applicable. For example, (*USA PATRIOT Act*, 2001, §102, p. 4). This level of detail helps readers locate the exact quote within the legal document. If the law is accessed online through a platform like Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute (LII), the in-text citation remains focused on the law itself, not the website, though the reference list entry will include the URL.
Finally, if you are citing a law that has been amended, include the year of the amendment in the in-text citation, if relevant to your discussion. For example, (*Clean Air Act*, 1970, as amended in 1990). This practice ensures that your citation reflects the most accurate and up-to-date version of the law being referenced. Always prioritize clarity and consistency in your in-text citations to maintain the integrity of your academic or professional work.
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Reference List Entry for Legal Materials
When creating a reference list entry for legal materials in APA style, it's essential to follow specific guidelines to ensure accuracy and consistency. According to the APA Style Manual (7th edition) and resources like the Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute, legal citations require careful attention to detail. For statutes, codes, and session laws, the general format includes the name of the statute or code, the title, section, and any relevant subsection, followed by the year in parentheses. For example: *U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 241 (2018)*. If citing a specific session law, include the volume and page numbers of the session law publication.
For case law, the reference list entry typically includes the names of the parties involved, the volume and reporter abbreviation, the page number, and the court and year of the decision. For instance: *Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954)*. If the case is unreported or accessed online, include the court and date of the decision, followed by the URL or database information. For example: *Smith v. Johnson, No. 12-3456 (N.D. Cal. 2020), https://www.courtlistener.com*.
When citing constitutions, the reference list entry should include the document title, article, section, and clause numbers, followed by the year of the constitution. For the U.S. Constitution, the format would be: *U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 3*. If referencing a state constitution, include the state abbreviation before "Const." For example: *Cal. Const. art. XIII, § 3*.
Administrative regulations are cited by including the agency name, the title of the regulation, the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) title and section, and the year. For example: *Environmental Protection Agency, National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, 40 C.F.R. § 141 (2021)*. If the regulation is not codified in the CFR, provide the Federal Register citation instead, including the volume, page number, and date.
Lastly, for legal dictionaries and encyclopedias, treat them as you would any other reference book. Include the author or editor, publication year, title in italics, edition (if applicable), and publisher. For example: *Garner, B. A. (Ed.). (2019). Black’s law dictionary (11th ed.). West*. If accessed online, add the DOI or URL. For instance: *Burrill, A. J. (1860). *A law dictionary and glossary* (2nd ed.). https://www.law.cornell.edu*. Following these guidelines ensures that legal materials are properly cited in APA style, maintaining clarity and credibility in academic and professional writing.
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Frequently asked questions
To APA cite a legal case from the Cornell Law website, include the case name in italics, the volume number, the reporter abbreviation, the page number, and the year in parentheses. For example: *Brown v. Board of Education*, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). Additionally, provide the URL of the specific case page from Cornell Law’s Legal Information Institute (LII).
When citing a statute from Cornell Law’s LII in APA format, include the title of the statute, the source (U.S. Code or other), the section, and the year. For example: Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12112 (2006). Add the URL of the statute’s page on Cornell Law’s website.
To APA cite a legal article or commentary from Cornell Law’s website, follow the standard APA format for online articles. Include the author’s last name and publication year in parentheses, the article title, the website name (Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute), and the URL. For example: Smith, J. (2022). *The Impact of Digital Privacy Laws*. Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. https://www.law.cornell.edu/article-url.
