An APA court case reference uses the format: Case Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year). URL. Use this free legal citation generator to structure your law references accurately according to APA 7th edition and Bluebook style.
How to Cite a Court Case in APA Style
APA legal style is adapted from the *Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation*, which is the standard legal citation guide. In APA format, court cases require the case name, volume number, reporter abbreviation, first page number, the deciding court name, the decision year, and an optional URL.
The basic format for a court case citation is:
APA Court Case Citation Examples
| Scenario | APA 7th Edition Reference Entry |
|---|---|
| US Supreme Court Ruling | Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/347/483 |
| Federal Court of Appeals Case | United States v. Windsor, 699 F.3d 169 (2d Cir. 2012). https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/161456.html |
| State Supreme Court Case | People v. Brophy, 49 Cal. App. 2d 15 (Cal. Ct. App. 1942). https://casetext.com/case/people-v-brophy |
Key Rules for Legal Citations
- Italics: Italicize only the parties' names in the Case Name (e.g., *Miranda v. Arizona*). Do not italicize the comma after it or the rest of the citation details.
- Reporter Name: Use the standard reporter abbreviations, such as "U.S." for United States Reports or "F.3d" for Federal Reporter, Third Series.
- Court abbreviations: In the parenthetical segment, identify the court that decided the case unless it is obvious from the reporter. For the US Supreme Court, just write the year: `(1954)`. For other courts, include the court name: `(Cal. Ct. App. 1942)`.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cite a court case in APA format?
To cite a court case in APA 7th edition, use: Case Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year). URL. For example: Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). https://supreme.justia.com/... Note that the case name is italicized in the text but not italicized in the reference list (except for the parties' names which are italicized: *Brown v. Board of Education*).
What are the main components of a court case citation?
Legal citations require: (1) Case Name: Names of the parties (e.g. *Brown v. Board of Education*), (2) Volume Number of the reporter, (3) Reporter abbreviation (e.g. U.S. for United States Reports), (4) First page number where the case starts, (5) Court name and Year of decision in parentheses, and (6) optional URL.
Do I list an author for court case references?
No. In APA format, court cases do not have authors listed. The parties' names (the Case Name) serve as the title of the work and are placed at the beginning of the citation entry.
Should the case name be italicized in my references?
Yes, the case name (the parties' names) should be italicized in both the reference list and in-text citations: *Brown v. Board of Education*, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). The volume, reporter, page, and court year information are not italicized.
Is this APA court case citation generator free?
Yes, this tool is 100% free with no limits on usage, and no signup is required.