Library Guides
Library Guides
APA 7th edition uses the Bluebook as the basis for legal referencing. The Bluebook is specific to American legal referencing.
This guide uses the Australian Guide to Legal Citation 4th ed. [AGLC4] for formatting reference list sources only. Use this page for citing primary legal sources; that is legislation and cases. For commentary on law including books, dictionaries and journal articles use the standard APA formatting for those sources; that is journal articles that are not case law and books about the law.
In text citations follow the standard APA 7 format.
APA recommends citing legislation in accordance with the Bluebook, which is designed to deal with American legislation. In Australia, the Australian Guide Legal Citation 4th ed. [AGLC4] is used to cite Australian legislation. Use this style for your reference list only. Use standard APA7 format for in text citations (follow the pattern for works with no author).
| Format: Australian legislation |
Title Year (jurisdiction abbreviation) Pinpoint abbreviation. Notes: The short title of the Act should be used. The long title should only be used if there is no short title listed in the Act. See AGLC4 p. 67. Jurisdiction abbreviations: see AGLC4 p. 68. Pinpoint: This refers to the particular section or division or other part of the named Act. See AGLC4 p. 69-72 for how the different sections or parts of Acts are abbreviated. |
| Australian legislation: examples |
Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act 1993 (Qld) s 67. Anti‑Money Laundering and Counter‑Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth) pt 3. In text: Section 67 of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act (1993) describes the circumstances where an authorised officer may board a vehicle. Part 3 indicates the reporting of suspicious activities requirements for institutions (Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act, 2006). |
APA recommends citing legislation in accordance with the Bluebook, which is designed to deal with American legislation. In Australia, the Australian Guide Legal Citation 4th ed. [AGLC4] is used to cite Australian legislation. Use this style for your reference list only. Use standard APA7 format for in text citations (follow the pattern for works with no author).
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Format, foreign legislation: United Kingdom |
Title and Year Jurisdiction Regnal Year and Chapter Pinpoint Notes: Omit the 'The' from the title. See AGLC4 p. 257 Jurisdiction should be included except for legislation enacted prior to January 1, 1963 unless the jurisdiction is the Imperial Parliament. See AGLC4 p. 258 Regnal year and chapter should only be used if the legislation was enacted prior to January 1,1963. Regnal year is the number of years a monarch had reigned when the legislation was enacted. See AGLC4 pp. 258-259 Pinpoint references should follow the same rules for Australian legislation. See AGLC4 pp.69-72 |
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UK legislation: example |
NHS Funding Act 2020 (UK) s 1. Diseases of Animals Act 1950 (UK) 14 Geo 6 c 36, s 4. In text: The NHS Funding Act (2020) sets out the minimum funding arrangements for the NHS for the next 4 years. The legislated powers of the Minister to commit funds for the purpose of eradication of diseases needs to be considered (Diseases of Animals Act, 1950). |
APA recommends citing legislation in accordance with the Bluebook, which is designed to deal with American legislation. In Australia, the Australian Guide Legal Citation 4th ed. [AGLC4] is used to cite Australian legislation. Use this style for your reference list only. Use standard APA7 format for in text citations (follow the pattern for works with no author).
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Format, Foreign legislation: US legislation: Code |
Statute Title, Title, Chapter or Volume Number Abbreviated Code Name Pinpoint Publishers Name Year of Code and Supplement See AGLC4 pp. 272-278 |
| US legislation example |
17 USC § 403 (2008). In text: Notice of copyright ownership on a published work should be visible (17 USC, 2008). |
APA recommends citing legislation in accordance with the Bluebook, which is designed to deal with American legislation. In Australia, the Australian Guide Legal Citation 4th ed. [AGLC4] is used to cite Australian legislation.
Bills in Australia are regarded as unpublished works, so the title is not italicised. Follow the format for Acts in all other aspects. Use standard APA7 format for in text citations (follow the pattern for works with no author).
Australian Bills available online:
| Format |
Name of Bill Year (jurisdiction abbreviation) pinpoint abbreviation. See AGLC4 Rule 3.2 (page 74) |
| Examples |
Marriage Act Amendment (Recognition of Foreign Marriages for Same-Sex Couples) Bill 2013 (Cth). University Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 (Qld) ch 2 pt 3. |
APA recommends citing legal sources in accordance with the Bluebook, which is designed to deal with American law. In Australia, the Australian Guide Legal Citation 4th ed. [AGLC4] is used to cite Australian cases/law report series. For details about finding case law and legal abbreviations of law report series see the relevant tabs in the JCU Law Guide.
Australian cases:
| Format |
First Named Plaintiff v First Named Defendant (year) volume Law Report Title starting page. Note: If the report series is organised by volume then the year is enclosed by (round brackets). If the report series is organised by year then the year is enclosed in [square brackets]; these report series may also have volume numbers. In medium neutral citations, usually assigned by courts, the year is always in [square brackets]. |
| Examples |
Mabo v Queensland (1989) 166 CLR 186. Minister for Immigration v Khawar (2002) 187 ALR 574. |
| In text examples |
According to the precedent set in Mabo v Queensland (1989), it is possible to claim... The role of protection visas in domestic violence cases involving minority groups has been a contentious issue (Minister for Immigration v Khawar, 2002). Note: The case name is the party names. Use the case names in italics and the year for in text references. |
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