Overview of Authorised Law Reports

Authorised vs Unauthorised Law Reports

• Authorised Law Reports
  • Official and preferred versions of law reports.
  • Approved by a judge or their associate.
  • Should be used and cited if available.
• Unauthorised Law Reports
  • Used when authorised reports are unavailable.
  • Types in order of preference:
    1. Generalist unauthorised reports
    2. Subject-specific unauthorised reports
    3. Unreported with medium neutral citation
    4. Unreported without medium neutral citation

Citation Preferences According to AGLC

• Authorised Reports are prioritized.
• Medium Neutral Citation
  • A system that doesn’t depend on a publisher.
  • Example: Decisions on court websites with a judgment number.
• Judgments without Media Neutral Citation
  • Include the name of the court, the judge, and the date.

AGLC (Australian Guide to Legal Citation)

• Provides a preferential order for citing cases.
• Contains a full list of law report abbreviations.
• Authorised reports are marked with an asterisk.

Legal Research Tips

• Case Citator
  • Available in the law guide.
  • Use it to search and determine where a case has been published.
• Library Assistance
  • Seek help at the library for finding authorised reports.