Anaya Nolan
The American Psychological Association (APA) style is commonly used for writing and citing sources in the social sciences. When citing legal sources, such as court cases and laws, in APA style, there are specific guidelines to follow. This includes listing the name of the case, the volume, reporter, page number, court, year, and optionally, the URL. Court decisions are often found in publications called case reporters, and legal citations frequently use abbreviations to make them more concise. This paragraph provides an introduction to the topic of writing and citing law cases in APA style, which can be a complex process with specific nuances to consider.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Case name | Italicized for in-text citations |
| Case name | In standard type for reference list citations |
| Reporter | Publications in which cases are documented |
| Volume | Number |
| Reporter | Abbreviated name |
| Page number | Single page number instead of a full page range |
| Court | Name |
| Year | Year of the decision |
| URL | Optional |
| Court abbreviation | Not required if the reporter abbreviation identifies a specific court |
| Public law number | Used only in special cases |
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What You'll Learn
Case name and citation style
When citing a law case in APA style, it is important to note that the style is different from other APA citations. Generally, legal citations do not list authors, and abbreviations are used to keep them concise.
The case name is a crucial element in APA citations for law cases. In the in-text citation, the case name should be italicized. For example, the case name for "Canada Post v. Lepine, 2009" would be written in italics as such: "*Canada Post v. Lepine* (2009)". However, in the reference list citation, the case name is written in standard type without italics. The case name is also written in standard type in the reference citation when following the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation (McGill Guide).
When citing a law case, the name of the case should be listed first, followed by the volume and abbreviated name of the reporter, the page number, the name of the court, the year, and optionally, the URL. The "v." or "versus" in the case name can be written as "v." or "vs.", depending on whether the citation is within or outside the context of a legal document. For example, the Supreme Court's decisions are reported in the United States Reports, abbreviated as "U.S.".
In some cases, the court abbreviation can be left out if the reporter abbreviation clearly identifies a specific court. For instance, if the abbreviation is for a reporter series dedicated to a single court. However, if an issuing court abbreviation is needed, the state abbreviation and court name should be used for state courts.
It is worth noting that the URL is not mandatory in APA Style reference entries for legal sources. However, including it can be helpful for readers who want to retrieve the source.
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Court decisions and case reporters
Court decisions are often found in publications called case reporters. Abbreviations are frequently used in legal citations. For example, F. Supp. stands for Federal Supplement, which publishes decisions from the U.S. District Court. Another example is Mass., which stands for Massachusetts Reports, publishing decisions from the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts.
When citing a court decision, you will need to identify the volume number, the name of the reporter, and the first page of the case. For instance, a citation statement might indicate that a court decision can be found on page 418 of volume 627 of the Federal Supplement. The court will be in parentheses, such as (Tex. App.) for a decision from the Texas Courts of Appeals.
Decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court are published in the United States Reports, while other reporters may also publish Supreme Court decisions. It is recommended to cite Supreme Court decisions as published in the United States Reports. If the case has not yet been published in the United States Reports, cite the Supreme Court Reporter.
Decisions from the U.S. Circuit Court are published in the Federal Reporter, which has appeared in three series: "F.", "F.2d", and "F.3d". There are 13 circuit courts, so specify which one you are citing in parentheses, e.g., (1st Cir.).
Decisions from the U.S. District Court are published in the Federal Supplements, which have also appeared in three series: "F. Supp.", "F. Supp. 2d", and "F. Supp. 3d". As there are many district courts, specify which one is being cited in parentheses, e.g., "N.D. Ohio."
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Citing federal laws
To cite federal laws, also known as statutes or acts, in APA style, you must include the name of the law, the abbreviation "U.S.C." (United States Code), the title and section number of the code, and the year. The year you include should be the year the law was published in the source consulted, not necessarily when it was passed or amended.
The United States Code is divided into parts called "titles", which are further divided into sections. No symbol is used for the title in your reference, but the section number is preceded by the "§" symbol.
"Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974, 42 U.S.C. §§5101-5106."
If the law has not yet been codified (published) in the United States Code, you should cite it using its public law number and information about where it was published. For example:
"Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. No. 109-58, 119 Stat. 594 (2005)."
In some cases, you may need to cite a law that is spread across non-consecutive parts of the Code. In this case, you would also use the public law number and information about its location in the Statutes at Large.
Additionally, if the law spans a range of sections, you can add "et seq." after the U.S.C. number to indicate "and what follows."
For in-text citations, the format is similar to other APA style references. You would typically cite the name of the statute and the year. For example:
"According to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974..."
Remember that the specific format may vary depending on the version of APA style you are using (e.g., 6th or 7th edition), and you can refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for detailed guidelines.
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In-text citations
The Basics of In-Text Citations
- Case Name or Style of Cause: The case name or style of cause is written in italics for in-text citations, unlike the reference list entry where it is in standard type. For example, Wue v. Yang.
- Date: Include the year of the decision or publication of the law case. For example, (Year); or if you're directly quoting, (Year, para. #).
- Page or Paragraph Number: Provide the page or paragraph number if needed. It is preferable to use paragraph numbers if they are available. For example, p. # or para. #.
Here's how it looks when you put it all together: (Case Name or Style of Cause, Year, Page or Paragraph Number).
Examples of In-Text Citations
Now, let's look at some examples to illustrate the structure:
- (Canada Post v. Lepine, 2009) – Referring to a case with the case name and year of decision.
- (Canada Post v. Lepine, 2009, para. 5) – Directly quoting from a case, referring to the 5th paragraph.
- (Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v. Canada, 1996, p.3) – Referencing a specific page in a case decision.
- (U.S. Supreme Court case, 2022) – Citing a U.S. Supreme Court case with the court name and year.
- (Exec. Order No. xxxxx, 2022) – Citing an executive order with the order number and year.
Special Considerations
There are a few special cases and considerations to keep in mind:
- Court Decisions and Case Reporters: Court decisions are often published in case reporters or law reports. In such cases, you need to identify the volume number, the name of the reporter (abbreviated), and the first page of the case. For example, (F. Supp. 627, p. 418) for a decision published in volume 627 of the Federal Supplement starting on page 418.
- Federal Laws and Statutes: When citing federal laws or statutes, include the name of the law, "U.S.C." (United States Code), the title and section of the code, and the year. For example, (Name of Law, U.S.C., Title §, Year). The URL is optional.
- Public Law Number: In most cases, the public law number is not included in the citation. However, if the law is not included in the United States Code or is spread across non-consecutive parts, use the public law number and publication information.
- URLs: While URLs are not required for legal sources, you may include them to help readers retrieve the source more easily.
Remember to consult the APA Publication Manual (7th edition) and specific guides like the McGill Guide for more detailed instructions and variations in citation styles.
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Reference lists
When writing a law case in APA format, the reference list should include the following information:
Court cases are documented in publications known as "reporters". To cite a court case or decision, you must provide the following details:
- Name of the case (in italics in the in-text citation, but not in the reference list)
- Volume
- Abbreviated name of the reporter
- Page number (only the first page number, where the case begins)
- Name of the court
- Year
- URL (optional, include if it aids the reader in retrieving the source)
Burriola v. Greater Toledo YMCA, 133 F. Supp. 2d 1034 (N.D. Ohio 2001). https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp2/133/1034/2293141
To cite a federal law, include the name of the law followed by "U.S.C." (United States Code). If the law spans multiple consecutive sections, add "et seq." (Latin for "and following") in italics after the initial section number. Here is an example:
Fess–Kenyon Act, 29 U.S.C. § 31 et seq. (1920).
When citing an Act, include the short title of the Act in italics, followed by the year in italics and the jurisdiction abbreviation in brackets. Here is an example:
Yarra River Protection (Wilip-Gin Birrarung Murron) Act 2017 (Vic)
For bills, provide the short title of the bill (without italics), the year (without italics), and the jurisdiction abbreviation in brackets. Here is an example:
Disability Services Safeguards Bill 2018 (Vic)
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