The 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association offers some guidance on how to create APA Style legal references in Chapter 11. APA encourages users to refer to the Bluebook for additional assistance with legal citations. This guide has incorporated both sources.
Template
Name v. Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year). URL
(Name v. Name, year)
Example 1: U.S. Supreme Court case, with a page number
Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/347us483
(Brown v. Board of Education, 1954)
Example 2: U.S. Supreme Court case, without a page number
Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. ___ (2015). https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/14-556_3204.pdf
(Obergefell v. Hodges, 2015)
Template
Name v. Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year). URL
(Name v. Name, year).
Example 1: New Jersey Supreme Court (previously Court of Errors and Appeals)
De Vesa v. Dorsey, 134 N.J. 420, 634 A.2d 493 (1993). https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/supreme-court/1993/134-n-j-420.html
(De Vesa v. Dorsey, 1993)
Note that each state has different report locations. Refer to the Bluebook for more information on individual state courts.
Template
Name of Act, Title Source § Section Number (Year). URL
(Name of Act, year)
Example
Every Student Succeeds Act, 20 U.S.C. § 6301 (2015). https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/publ95/PLAW-114publ95.pdf
(Every Student Succeeds Act, 2015)
Template
Name of Act, Title Source § Section Number (Year). URL
(Name of Act, year)
Example: New Jersey State Statute
Homes for Animal Heroes Act, N.J. Rev. Stat. § 18A:3B-85 (2020). https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2020/title-18a/section-18a-3b-85/
Template
Title [if relevant], H.R. or S. bill number, xxx Cong. (Year). URL
Title [if relevant], H.R. or S. Res. resolution number, xxx Cong. (Year). URL
(Title, year)
Example
Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act, H.R. 1100, 113th Cong. (2013). https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/1100
(Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act, 2013)
Template for Senate
S. Res. xxx, xxx Cong., Volume Cong. Rec. Page (Year) (enacted) URL
(S. Resolution xxx, year)
Template for House of Representatives
H.R. Res. xxx, xxx Cong., Volume Cong. Rec. Page (Year) (enacted) URL
(H.R. Resolution xxx, year)
Example
S. Res. 438, 114th Cong., 162 Cong. Rec. 2394 (2016) (enacted) https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2016/04/21/senate-section/article/S2394-2
(S. Resolution 438, 2016)
Federal Regulation, codified
Template
Title or Number, Volume C.F.R. § xxx (Year). URL
(Title or Number, Year)
Example
Protection of Human Subjects, 45 C.F.R. § 46 (2009). https://hhs.gov/ohrp/sites/default/files/ohrp/policy/ohrpregulations.pdf
(Protection of Human Subjects, 2009)
Federal Regulation, not yet codified
Template
Title or Number, Volume F.R. Page (proposed Month Day, Year) (to be codified at Volume C.F.R. § xxx). URL
(Title or Number, Year)
Example
Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees, 81 F.R. 32391 (proposed May 23, 2016) (to be codified at 29 C.F.R § 541). https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/05/23/2016-11754/defining-and-delimiting-the-exemptions-for-executive-administrative-professional-outside-sales-and
(Defining and Delimiting, 2016)
Template
Exec. Order No. xxxxx, 3 C.F.R. Page (Year). URL
(Exec. Order No. xxxx, Year)
Example
Exec. Order No. 13,676, 3 C.F.R. 294 (2014). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2015-title3-vol1/pdf/CFR-2015-title3-vol1-eo13676.pdf
(Exec. Order No. 13,676, 2014)
Article of the U.S. Constitution
Template (same for parenthetical in-text citation and reference)
U.S. Const. art. xxx, § x.
Example
U.S. Const. art. XI, § 3.
(U.S. Const. art. XI, § 3)
Article of a State Constitution
Template (same for parenthetical in-text citation and reference)
State Const. art. xxx, § x.
Example (New Jersey State Constitution)
N.J. Const. art. II, § 3
(N.J. Const. art. II, § 3)
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Template (same for parenthetical in-text citation and reference)
U.S. Const. amend. xxx.
Example
U.S. Const. amend. XIX.
(U.S. Const. amend. XIX)