Overview
This lecture explains how to properly cite Supreme Court cases in APA 7 style, covering both reference list entries and in-text citations.
Reference List Entries for Supreme Court Cases
- Reference entries must include: case name (Name v. Name), volume number, US (United States Reports), page number, year, and URL (optional).
- Format: Name v. Name, Volume U.S. Page (Year), URL.
- Court case names are not italicized in the reference list.
- Use three underscores (___) for the page number if it is unavailable.
- Include parallel citations if the case is published in multiple sources.
In-Text Citations
- Two types: narrative (case name in text, year in parentheses) and parenthetical (case name and year in parentheses).
- In-text case names are italicized.
- Parenthetical example: (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954).
- Narrative example: Brown v. Board of Education (1954).
- Place the period after the parenthesis for parenthetical citations at the end of a sentence.
Finding Case Information
- Key citation elements: case name, volume number, reporter (US), page number, year, and optional URL.
- Online sources (like Oyez.org) provide all required citation information.
- Example: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/347us483
Additional Resources
- The Publication Manual of the APA (7th edition), pages 357–361, has more legal citation examples.
- The "Blue Book: A Uniform System of Citation" offers in-depth citation rules.
- Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute provides free online guidance.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Reference list entry — the full citation of a source, listed at the end of your paper.
- Narrative citation — citation format where the case name is part of the text.
- Parenthetical citation — citation format where the case name and year appear in parentheses.
- Parallel citation — listing of a case’s publication in multiple reporters.
- United States Reports (US) — official reporter of Supreme Court decisions.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review APA 7th edition pages 357–361 for more examples.
- Consult the Blue Book or Cornell’s Legal Information Institute for advanced citation help.
- Contact a Columbus State reference librarian for citation questions.
- Practice creating reference entries and in-text citations for Supreme Court cases.