How to Cite Court Cases
Learn how to properly cite court cases and legal decisions in APA format.
Basic Format
Party v. Party, Volume Source Page (Court Year).
Party v. Party, Volume Source Page (Court Year). URL
Examples
Supreme Court Case
Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
Federal Circuit Court Case
United States v. Windsor, 570 F.3d 744 (2d Cir. 2009).
State Supreme Court Case
People v. Anderson, 6 Cal. 3d 628 (1972).
Key Elements
Case Names
- Use the names of both parties, separated by "v."
- Italicize the "v." in the citation
- Abbreviate common terms (e.g., "United States" to "U.S.")
- Remove "et al." from case names
Court Information
- Include the court name in parentheses
- Use standard abbreviations for courts
- Add the year of the decision
- Include jurisdiction if relevant
Reporter Information
- Cite the official reporter when available
- Include volume number and page number
- Use parallel citations when necessary
- Follow The Bluebook format for reporter abbreviations
Special Cases
Additional Guidelines
- For unreported cases, use docket numbers and court information
- Include "cert. denied" or "cert. granted" information if relevant
- Note if the case was overruled or amended
- For pending cases, indicate current status
In-Text Citations
First Citation
Use the full case name:
In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Court ruled...
Subsequent Citations
Use a shortened form:
The Brown decision established...
Online Sources
Digital Access
- Include URLs for cases from online legal databases
- Use official court websites when possible
- Add database information for subscription services
- Include retrieval dates for online sources that may change
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don't confuse different reporter systems (e.g., F.3d vs. F. Supp.)
- Don't omit parallel citations when required
- Don't forget to indicate subsequent history
- Don't use informal case names in formal citations
- Don't mix citation styles (stick to either APA or legal citation style)