MLA Legal Citation Guidelines: How to Cite Laws, Cases, and Regulations Easily
Legal citations can feel confusing, especially when you are writing a paper in the humanities or social sciences. You might find laws, court cases, or government regulations you want to use, but how do you cite them in MLA style?
MLA (Modern Language Association) style has its own way of citing legal sources. While it is different from styles used by lawyers, it helps students and researchers give credit clearly and consistently.
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Why MLA Legal Citations Matter
Citing legal sources correctly helps your readers find your references quickly. Laws and court decisions are not like books or articles. They use titles, numbers, sections, and jurisdictions that can easily confuse readers.
When you use MLA format for legal materials, you make your work clear, credible, and easy to follow. It shows that:
You have done your research
You respect copyright and academic honesty
You can communicate legal information in a simple, consistent way
The MLA Style Center explains that writers outside law school should use MLA’s regular structure when citing legal sources.
<ProTip title="💡 Pro Tip:" description="Think of a citation like an address, it should tell your reader exactly where to find the law, case, or regulation you used." />
How MLA Legal Citations Are Different
In law schools, people often use the Bluebook system. But in MLA, the focus is on clarity for general readers. That means:
MLA emphasizes the title of the law or case instead of complex court abbreviations.
MLA puts the year and jurisdiction in plain language.
MLA citations fit neatly into a Works Cited list, alongside books, websites, and articles.
If your paper is for a general audience or a humanities course, MLA legal citations are the best fit.
Understanding the Building Blocks of MLA Legal Citations
Every MLA legal citation has several core parts. You’ll see these repeated in all examples:
Element | What It Means |
Title | The name of the law, case, or regulation |
Jurisdiction | Who made or decided it (U.S., state, agency) |
Number or Code | The law or case reference number |
Date | When it was passed or decided |
Source | Where it was published or found |
URL / Access Date | For online materials |
Let’s go step by step through the four major legal source types you’ll cite in MLA.
1. Statutes and Codes (Laws)
Statutes are written laws passed by a government. They may appear in collections called “codes.”
Basic Format
Government Name. Title of Law. Code or Statute Number. Year.
Example (Federal Law):
United States. Public Law 115-16: Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act. 2017.
If you access the law online, add the URL and the access date:
United States. Public Law 115-16: Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act. 2017. Congress.gov, congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/255. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
In-Text Citation Example
(“Promoting Women” sec. 5)
This means: use a shortened version of the title in quotation marks, followed by the section number.
<ProTip title="💡 Pro Tip:" description="Always include the section (§) number. It helps readers locate the exact part of the law you are referring to." />
2. Court Cases
Court cases are decisions made by judges. Each case has a name (like Brown v. Board of Education) and a citation showing where it was published.
Basic Format
Case Name (italicized). Volume Reporter Page (Year).
Example:
Brown v. Board of Education. 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
If viewed online:
Brown v. Board of Education. 347 U.S. 483 (1954). Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/347/483.
In-Text Citation Example
(Brown 485)
This tells readers that the information is from page 485 of the Brown decision.
<ProTip title="📘 Pro Tip:" description="Italicize case names, but not law titles. Always include the page or paragraph number for clarity." />
Why This Matters
Court cases are key sources that interpret laws. Correctly formatted case names and page numbers make your references professional and verifiable.
3. Regulations and Administrative Materials
Regulations are rules created by government agencies under authority from laws. Examples include the Clean Air Act or EPA regulations.
Basic Format
Title of Regulation. Title of Code of Regulations (CFR). Section Number. Publisher, Year. URL (if online).
Example:
Clean Air Act. 40 CFR §§ 50–99. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1970. epa.gov/clean-air-act. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
In-Text Citation Example
(Clean Air Act 40 CFR § 50)
<ProTip title="💡 Pro Tip:" description="When a rule or regulation has been updated, note the year or version you used. Laws can change, cite the one you read." />
Why This Matters
Regulations explain how laws are applied. Using the exact code and section number helps ensure your readers can verify your claims.
4. Legislative Materials (Bills, Hearings, Debates)
Legislative materials include bills, debates, or hearing transcripts from Congress or a state legislature.
Basic Format
Title. Legislative Body, Session Number, Year. Publisher (if available). URL (if online).
Example (Bill):
American Innovation and Manufacturing Act. U.S. Congress, 116th Cong., 2019. Congress.gov, congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2754. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
In-Text Citation Example
(American Innovation sec. 3)
For Hearings and Debates
You can cite the title of the hearing and the committee name as the container title.
Example:
Climate Change and National Security. Hearing before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, 116th Cong., 1st sess., 2019. govinfo.gov, www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-116shrg40745/pdf/CHRG-116shrg40745.pdf.
<ProTip title="📄 Note:" description="When citing a hearing, treat it like a book chapter, include both the title of the hearing and the committee as its container." />
Formatting and Punctuation Tips
Here are some simple but important style rules:
Italics: Use italics for court case names only. Laws, regulations, or codes use regular font.
Punctuation: Separate parts of the citation with periods, not commas.
Dates: Include the year the law was passed or the case decided.
URLs: Always remove “https://” and include an access date for online materials.
Jurisdiction: Always note if it’s a federal, state, or local law.
Sections: Use the symbol (§) before section numbers.
Example difference:
Correct: Brown v. Board of Education. 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
Incorrect: Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
<ProTip title="📝 Reminder:" description="Keep your MLA legal citations consistent, use the same punctuation and italics rules across your whole Works Cited list." />
Examples Table (Quick Reference)
Type | Works Cited Example | In-Text Citation |
Federal Law | United States. Public Law 115-16: Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act. 2017. | (“Promoting Women” sec. 5) |
Court Case | Brown v. Board of Education. 347 U.S. 483 (1954). | (Brown 485) |
Regulation | Clean Air Act. 40 CFR §§ 50–99. U.S. EPA, 1970. epa.gov/clean-air-act. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025. | (Clean Air Act § 50) |
Bill | American Innovation and Manufacturing Act. U.S. Congress, 116th Cong., 2019. Congress.gov, congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2754. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025. | (American Innovation sec. 3) |
<ProTip title="💡 Pro Tip:" description="Save this table, you can reuse these formats as templates in your Works Cited page." />
MLA vs. Legal (Bluebook) Citations
You might see two main citation systems, MLA and Bluebook. Here’s how they differ:
Feature | MLA Style | Bluebook Style |
Focus | Reader clarity | Legal accuracy |
Main Use | Academic and humanities papers | Law journals and courts |
Format Style | Simple, title-based | Detailed, includes reporter info and abbreviations |
Ease of Use | Easy for students | Complex for non-lawyers |
When to Use Each
Use MLA for school essays, research papers, or reports in humanities and social sciences.
Use Bluebook only if your teacher or publisher requests it.
<ProTip title="⚖️ Reminder:" description="If you are not in law school, MLA is usually the right choice. It keeps your citations simple and easy to read." />
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Mistake | Fix |
Forgetting section or page numbers | Always include them, use § for sections and p. for pages |
Mixing up italics | Italicize cases only, not laws |
Leaving out the jurisdiction | Add “United States” or the state name |
Using commas instead of periods | MLA separates elements with periods |
Skipping the access date for online laws | Add “Accessed [date]” at the end |
Copying Bluebook format | Simplify it to MLA order: title → source → year → URL |
Checklist: Before You Submit
Use this quick checklist to confirm your MLA legal citations are correct:
Type of legal source identified (law, case, regulation, etc.)
Title and jurisdiction included
Italics used correctly (only for cases)
Section (§) or page number added
Year clearly stated
URL and access date (if online)
Consistent punctuation (periods, not commas)
Same style across all Works Cited entries
Every in-text citation matches your Works Cited entry
If every box is checked, your citations are good to go!
Master MLA Legal Citation Guidelines with Confidence
Learning MLA legal citations doesn’t have to be hard. Once you understand the MLA legal citation guidelines, creating accurate references becomes second nature.
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When your readers can easily locate your legal sources, your writing becomes both trustworthy and professional. These MLA legal citation guidelines help you communicate complex legal information in a way anyone can follow.