Keith Mack
Case law citation is the practice of referencing legal decisions made by a court of law. The precise format of a case citation depends on various factors, including the jurisdiction, court, and type of case. The Bluebook, a uniform system of citation, is the most widely used style guide for legal citation and is supplemented by online resources. Case citations generally include the case name, reporter volume, reporter abbreviation, page number, court, and year. This can be followed by an optional URL. The specific format varies depending on the court and jurisdiction, with different rules for state and federal courts, as well as international cases.
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What You'll Learn
Case name, reporter volume, reporter abbreviation, page number
The precise format of a case citation depends on several factors, including the jurisdiction, court, and type of case. However, the basic format typically includes the case name, reporter volume, reporter abbreviation, and page number.
The case name is usually italicized or underlined in court documents, briefs, and motions. In academic legal writing, full case names are generally not underlined or italicized. The name of the case is abbreviated according to Rule 10.2. For example, the case name "Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Corley" is abbreviated as "Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Corley".
The reporter volume refers to the volume number of the reporter or publication in which the case is found. This is usually included in the citation to help locate the case within the reporter. For example, in the citation "Universal Pictures Co. v. Harold Lloyd Corp., 162 F.2d 354 (9th Cir. 1947)", the volume number is 162, indicating that the case can be found in volume 162 of the reporter.
The reporter abbreviation is the shortened form of the name of the reporter or publication. Common reporter abbreviations include "F." for Federal Reporter and "Cal. App." for California Appellate Reports. For example, in the citation "Harris v. Atlantic Richfield Co., 14 Cal. App. 4th 70, 17 Cal. Rptr. 2d 649 (1993)", the reporter abbreviation "Cal. App." is used for California Appellate Reports.
Finally, the page number indicates the specific page within the reporter volume where the case can be found. This is important for helping readers navigate directly to the relevant information. For example, in the citation "Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113, 164 (1973)", the page number is 113, indicating that the case starts on page 113 of the reporter volume.
In summary, the case name, reporter volume, reporter abbreviation, and page number are essential elements in formatting a case law citation. Each of these components follows specific formatting guidelines and abbreviations to ensure accurate and consistent referencing in legal documents.
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Jurisdiction, court, type of case
The precise format of a case citation depends on several factors, including jurisdiction, court, and type of case. Here are some guidelines and examples to help you understand how to format case law citations:
Jurisdiction
The jurisdiction refers to the geographic area or specific authority under which the court operates. Different jurisdictions may have their own specific rules and standards for case citations. For example, the standard case citation format in the United States follows a particular structure: "Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)". Here, "Roe v. Wade" is the abbreviated case name, with "Roe" typically representing the plaintiff or appellant, and "Wade" representing the defendant or appellee.
Court
The court involved in the case should be clearly indicated in the citation. This may include specifying the level of the court, such as a district court, appellate court, or supreme court. For instance, in the example "Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)", "U.S." indicates the United States Supreme Court. Additionally, some courts may have specific abbreviations or formats for citations, which can be found in resources like The Bluebook or OSCOLA.
Type of Case
The type of case refers to the nature or subject matter of the legal dispute. This can include categories such as criminal, civil, constitutional, or family law cases. The type of case may impact the specific format or reporting requirements for the citation. For instance, in the United Kingdom, there are different series of law reports for various types of cases, such as the Appeal Cases (AC), Chancery (Ch), Family (Fam), or Queen's Bench (QB).
It's important to consult reliable sources and style guides, such as The Bluebook in the United States or OSCOLA in the United Kingdom, to ensure accurate and consistent formatting of case law citations. These guides provide comprehensive instructions and tables for abbreviating court names, geographical terms, and other relevant information. Additionally, they offer guidance on citing cases from different jurisdictions and courts, helping to ensure your citations are clear and conform to the standards of the legal field.
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Specialist series, e.g. Lloyd's Law Reports
When citing case law from specialist series such as Lloyd's Law Reports, it is important to follow a consistent and clear format to ensure accurate and effective referencing. Here is a detailed guide on how to format citations for this specific series:
The basic structure of a citation for a specialist series report typically includes the party names, report abbreviation, series volume number, and the page number on which the case begins. For example, the citation format might look like this: [Party Names] [Volume] [Series Abbreviation] [Page number]. Let's break this down:
First, the party names should be included to identify the specific case within the report. These names are typically abbreviated to the first letter of each word, with a space between each abbreviation. For example, for the case National Westminster Bank Plc v Lloyds Bank Plc, the abbreviated party names would be 'Natwest Bank v Lloyds Bank'.
Next, include the volume number of the report. This is typically a yearly volume, identified by a number. For example, if the case was reported in the 2023 volume of Lloyd's Law Reports, the citation would include '2023' after the party names.
After the volume number, add the abbreviation for the specialist series. In this case, 'LL Rep' or 'Lloyd's Rep' can be used as an abbreviation for Lloyd's Law Reports. This abbreviation is standard across the industry and is easily recognizable.
Finally, include the page number on which the case begins. This is typically the page where the judge's decision and full reasoning can be found. For example, if the case 'National Westminster Bank Plc v Lloyds Bank Plc' started on page 123 of the report, the full citation might look like this: 'Natwest Bank v Lloyds Bank 2023 Lloyd's Rep 123'.
It is important to ensure that the formatting, including punctuation and spacing, is consistent with the style used in your jurisdiction or as instructed by your institution. This guide provides a general framework, but specific requirements may vary, so it is always advisable to consult the specific guidelines provided by your university, firm, or legal institution.
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European Court Reports (ECR)
The European Court Reports (ECR) are the official reports of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The CJEU is divided into two courts: the Court of Justice and the General Court (known as the Court of First Instance until 2009).
When citing cases from the ECR, the following format should be used:
Case number | case name | [year] | ECR | first page
For example:
C-39/94 SFEI v La Poste [2006] ECR I-3547
T-194/04 Bavarian Lager Co. Ltd v Commission [2007] ECR II-4523
If you are referencing a paragraph within a case, use the prefix "para" instead of brackets. For example:
[2002] ECR II-2905, para 5
It is important to note that the ECR is not always available for all cases. If there is no ECR reference, you should use the Common Market Law Reports (CMLR) unless the case has been reported in other major series such as Law Reports, The Weekly Law Reports, or the All England Law Reports.
Since 2012, cases are officially published online on EUR-Lex and are available on Curia, the court's website. Curia provides a database of all reported decisions dating back to 1954. The basic search option allows users to retrieve cases by party name, docket number, and date.
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Bluebook Rule 10
The Bluebook Rule 10 lays out how to cite courts' opinions. It contains extensive instructions on how to format case citations and also provides guidance on citing briefs, court filings, and transcripts.
Rule 10.2 provides guidelines for creating simple and straightforward case names from the list of parties given at the beginning of every case report. Rule 10.2 applies to both case names in textual sentences and citations and is divided into two sub-rules, designated rules 10.2.1 and 10.2.2. Rule 10.2.1 applies to case names in both textual sentences and citations, while rule 10.2.2 applies only to case names contained in citations. Rule 10.2 requires case names in textual and citation sentences to conform with 10.2.1, but citation sentences must also conform to the additional requirements set forth in Rule 10.2.2.
Rule 10.3.1 discusses parallel citations. Bluebook rule 10.3.1(b) states that citations to the appropriate regional reporter are preferred. Rule 10.3.1 provides an order of preference for opinions not found in public citation format.
Rule 10.4 describes what information must be included in the parenthetical after the reporter citation and pincite. The information required by the Bluebook can vary depending on whether a case was decided by a state or federal court and the level of the court within the hierarchy.
Rule 10.6.1 says that information about the weight of the opinion's authority can be added in a parenthetical after the date, but it is not required. Rule 10.6.3 states that after noting whether a case was cited or quoted, include the full case citation following the same rules and typeface conventions as any other case citation.
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Frequently asked questions
The basic format of a case citation includes the case name, the neutral citation (where appropriate), and the law report citation.
The Bluebook is a uniform system of citation that contains the rules governing the most widely used legal citation style.
A reporter is a publication containing the opinions of a particular court or jurisdiction, organized chronologically by date of decision.
In APA style, list the name of the case, volume, reporter, page number, court, year, and optionally the URL.
Case citations generally include the case name, reporter volume, reporter abbreviation, first page of the case, specific page for the cited material, and court abbreviation and date in parentheses (unless the court name is obvious from the reporter abbreviation).
