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AGLC4 Referencing

Instructions and links for Referencing support

Citing Cases

A reported case is a judgment that is published in a law report series. According to AGLC4 Rule 2.2.2, the authorised version of the report should always be used where available. For more information, see AGLC4 Rule 2.

Elements

Party Names (Year) Volume Law report abbreviation Page number, Pinpoint (Judicial Officer)

eg, Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) 158 CLR 1, 291 (Deane J).

Party names Year Volume Law report abbreviation Page number Pinpoint Judicial Officer
Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) 158 CLR  1 , 291 (Deane J)
  • Case name — italicise party names
  • (Year) — place in brackets
  • Volume number - [in square brackets if the law report series is organised by year]
  • Abbreviation of law report series
  • Commencing page number
  • Pinpoint — this is the specific page number or paragraph you are referring to in the judgment
  • Judicial officer — where a pinpoint is used, you should also indicate the judge or judges in round brackets

Examples

  • R v Tang (2008) 237 CLR 1.
  • R v Reid [2007] 1 Qd R 64.
  • Bakker v Stewart [1980] VR 17, 22 (Lush J).
  • Andrew Shelton & Co Pty Ltd v Alpha Healthcare Ltd (2002) 5 VR 577.

An unreported case is a decision which has not been published in a law report series. Nowadays unreported judgments use a medium neutral style as shown below. For more information, see AGLC4 Rule 2.3.

Elements

Party names Year Court abbreviation Judgment number  Pinpoint
Quarmby v Keating [2009] TASSC 80 [11]
  • Party names — italicize party names
  • [Year] — place in square brackets
  • Pinpoint — the pinpoint should be to a paragraph number, and enclosed in square brackets.

Examples

  • Sheehy v Hobbs [2012] QSC 333 [46].

Rule 2.1.14 has details and examples of how to shorten cases to popular names or for subsequent referencing.  Short title rules in general follow Rule 1.4.4, but for cases the short title should be:

  • the popular case name (eg 'Tasmanian Dam Case');
  • the first-named party (with exceptions - see Rule 2.1.1);
  • the second named party when the first-name is the Crown (see Rule 2.1.4); or
  • the name of the ship in an admiralty case (eg 'The Maria Luisa', see Rule 2.1.12)

Some countries have important details that help identify what court, jurisdiction or report series the decision was published in.   Use Part V -  'Foreign Domestic Materials' in the AGLC4 for examples and descriptions for citing cases from the following countries:

  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • Hong Kong
  • Malaysia
  • New Zealand
  • Singapore
  • South Africa
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

Many pre-1990s unreported judgments will not use a medium neutral citation. See Rule 2.3.2 for clarification.

Elements

Case Name (Court, Judge(s), Full Date) pinpoint

Barton v Chibber (Supreme Court of Victoria, Hampel J, 29 June 1989) 3.

Party names Court Judge(s) Full date Pinpoint
Barton v Chibber (Supreme Court of Victoria, Hampel J, 29 June 1989)  3

 

  • Party names - italicise
  • Round bracket before name of the court
  • Court, Judge and date to be separated by commas
  • Round bracket after the date