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)