How to Cite Legal Documents in APA Style: Court Cases, Laws, and Statutes
Citing legal documents in APA style is a little different from citing books or articles. Court cases, laws, and statutes follow their own rules, which can make them confusing if you’re used to the standard author–date format.
Knowing how to cite them properly makes your writing clearer and more professional. It also helps readers quickly find the exact legal sources you’re using.
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Why Cite Legal Documents Differently in APA Style
Legal sources don’t follow the usual author–date system because they’re designed for quick retrieval in legal research. Instead of focusing on the author, the citation points readers to the case name, law title, or statute number, which is how legal materials are organized in practice.
Why APA uses this system
Legal materials often have no clear “author.” Courts, legislatures, and agencies produce them collectively.
Citations need to match formats already used in the legal field, like the Bluebook, so researchers can find cases or statutes in official reporters.
APA adapts these conventions to fit academic writing while keeping them recognizable to anyone familiar with law.
<ProTip title="📚 Quick Reminder:" description="APA legal citations often skip authors because many legal sources are collective. Focus on case names, law titles, or statute numbers instead of forcing the author–date format." />
Why don’t legal citations follow the usual APA author–date format?
Because author–date works for books and articles but not for laws and cases. If you tried to cite a Supreme Court case with an “author,” it wouldn’t help readers find it. Listing the case name, reporter, and year makes it immediately searchable in legal databases.
How to Cite Court Cases in APA Style
Court cases in APA style follow this structure:
Format: Name v. Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year).
Court Type | APA Reference Entry | APA In-Text Citation | Explanation |
U.S. Supreme Court | (Bartnicki v. Vopper, 2001) | This entry shows the case name (italicized), the reporter (U.S. for Supreme Court), the volume (532), the page (514), and the year (2001). Since it’s a Supreme Court case, no court abbreviation is needed. | |
Circuit Court | (Lawrence v. Heller, 1962) | Federal appellate courts (circuits) require the circuit abbreviation in parentheses — here, 10th Cir. for the Tenth Circuit. This distinguishes it from other courts that use the same reporter (F.2d). | |
District Court | (Sohappy v. Smith, 1969) | District courts include the district abbreviation (e.g., D. Or. for District of Oregon). This signals where the case was heard, which is crucial because many district courts publish in the F. Supp. reporter. |
Key Points to Remember
Case names are always italicized in both reference entries and in-text citations.
The reporter abbreviation (e.g., U.S., F.2d, F. Supp.) shows where the case is published.
Parentheses contain the court and year; but if it’s the Supreme Court, only the year is needed.
Volume and page numbers help readers locate the case in the official reporter.
<ProTip title="⚖️ Citation Shortcut:" description="Always italicize the case name and include the volume, reporter abbreviation, and page number. This helps readers find the exact court decision quickly." />
How to Cite Laws, Statutes, and Regulations
Here’s how to format different types of laws in APA, each example linked directly to a primary source:
Type of Law | APA Reference Entry | APA In-Text Citation | Explanation |
Federal statute (U.S. Code) | (Anti-Smuggling Act, 1935) | The citation includes the law’s official name, title and section of the U.S. Code, and year. This matches legal conventions and helps readers find the text easily. | |
Uncodified law (Public Law) | Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, Pub. L. No. 111-2, 123 Stat. 5 (2009). | (Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, 2009) | When a law hasn’t been codified, APA requires referencing the Public Law number and Statutes at Large. This ensures accurate retrieval from official records. |
State law | (Va. Code § 8.01-243, 2025) | State statutes use their own code abbreviations—here, “Va. Code.” This tells readers the jurisdiction and where to locate the law. |
Key Points to Remember
Use the official legal name of the law in italics.
Include volume and section numbers (for codified laws) or stat page (for Public Laws).
Add jurisdiction details: the court, level of law, code abbreviation.
Link to authoritative sources (Cornell, GovInfo, state government) to support credibility and ease of access.
<ProTip title="📝 Formatting Tip:" description="When citing laws, use the official legal name in italics and include title or section numbers. This keeps your references clear and accurate." />
Step-by-Step: Creating a Legal Citation in APA
Legal sources have different formats depending on whether you’re citing a court case, statute, or regulation. Following these steps helps you apply APA rules consistently.
1. Identify the type of document
Start by confirming whether you are citing a court case, a statute, or a regulation. Each one uses its own citation pattern.
2. For court cases: assemble the essentials
Court case citations include:
Case name (italicized in the reference list)
Reporter volume and abbreviation (e.g., 532 U.S.)
Page number
Court and year
Example: Bartnicki v. Vopper, 532 U.S. 514 (2001).
This ensures the reader can quickly locate the opinion in the official U.S. Reports.
3. For laws: check if it’s codified or public law
Codified law (U.S. Code): cite the title, section, and year.
Public Law: cite the Public Law number, Statutes at Large volume, page, and year.
If the law is “on the shelf” (codified), cite its U.S.C. title and section. If it hasn’t been added to the shelf yet, cite its Public Law number and Stat. citation.
4. Include a URL when it helps readers
APA allows but doesn’t require URLs. Adding one improves accessibility, especially for lesser-known statutes. Use reliable sites like GovInfo, Cornell Law’s Legal Information Institute, or official state websites.
5. Apply italics correctly
In the reference list: italicize case names (Brown v. Board of Education).
In in-text citations: keep them plain, e.g., (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954).
This distinction ensures consistency and keeps your paper aligned with APA formatting.
Common Mistakes When Citing Legal Documents
Mixing author–date format → Legal citations don’t use authors, so applying APA’s book/article style leads to errors.
Leaving out jurisdiction → A missing court (e.g., 9th Cir.) makes the case harder to trace.
Incorrect abbreviations → Using the wrong reporter or punctuation can point to the wrong source.
Skipping URLs → While optional, a link helps readers quickly verify the law or case.
<ProTip title="🚫 Mistake to Avoid:" description="Do not mix APA’s book/article author–date format with legal citations. Legal references rely on case names, statutes, and reporters instead." />
Mastering APA Legal Citations Strengthens Your Academic Writing
Getting legal citations right in APA style shows precision and professionalism. Accurate references boost your credibility and help readers find the exact cases, statutes, or regulations you’ve used.
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Strong citations don’t just meet academic requirements, they make your writing sharper, clearer, and more persuasive.