Referencing and citing Law resources

• Introduction
• Abbreviations
• Citing within the body of an assignment
• Footnotes
• Bibliography
• Examples [PDF 102KB]
• Citing while Writing (online module)

Introduction

• The Law Faculty at the University of Wollongong follows the method of citation outlined in the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (2nd ed, 2002). A full copy of this publication is available for Download only.
• The Australian Guide to Legal Citation (2nd ed, 2002) is published by the University of Melbourne Law Review Association and is available in hard copy at a number of our campuses. The focus of the Australian Guide to Legal Citation is footnote construction.
• Citation systems are not necessarily complete. If you need to cite material not specifically discussed in the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (2nd ed, 2002), find an example of something similar and use that as a model.

Abbreviations

• The majority of legal citation methods use abbreviations for a variety of purposes. The Australian Guide to Legal Citation uses abbreviations for the titles of law reports. Abbreviations are outlined in the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (2nd ed, 2002). (See Appendix - Law Reports Abbreviations pages 117 or epage/Thumbnail 129 for the beginning of this appendix.)
• Journal titles are not abbreviated. The full journal title should appear in italics.
• Other rules about abbreviations are listed throughout the Australian Guide to Legal Citation. Please refer to the Index at the rear of the Australian Guide to Legal Citation. (see page149 or epage/ Thumbnail 161)
• The following resources may be of use if you cannot find a particular abbreviation in the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (2nd ed, 2002).
• • LexisNexis:AU follow the path below:
    click LexisNexis AU > CaseBase and Journal Articles > Help (in right hand panel) > abbreviations
  • Lawbook Online: FirstPoint follow the path below:
    (Lawbook Online > FirstPoint > Help > FirstPoint Table of abbreviations)
  • Lexis: Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations follow the path below:
    (Lexis.com > Legal > Reference > Law > Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations)
  • Abbreviations of Legal Publications produced by Monash University Law Library.
  • Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations produced by Cardiff University. UK focus at present but plans to extend to the Commonwealth and USA. Updated quarterly.
• There are a number of books that may also be of further assistance in identifying an abbreviation:
• • Australian and New Zealand Legal Abbreviations (Australian focus)
  • Australian Guide to Legal Citation (1998)
  • Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations (USA focus)
  • Index to Legal Citations and Abbreviations (UK focus)

Citing within the body of an assignment

"Citation is the means by which a writer refers a reader to other material".[1] The Australian Guide to Legal Citation (2nd ed, 2002) uses footnotes as a method to acknowledge sources that appear within the body of an assignment or work or further information supplementing the text. See Pages 1-3 or thumbnail/epage 13-15.

Footnotes

Citation is also "the quotation of an authority in legal argument"[2] or the reference to primary sources. See pages 1-3 or thumbnail 13-15 for full details of how footnotes should appear.

1. Catriona Cook et al. Laying Down the Law (5th ed, 2001).15.1
2. CCH, CCH Macquarie Dictionary of Law (2^nd ed, 1993) 30.

• Ibid
• Above n
• Above and below

For a full explanation and examples please refer to the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (2nd ed, 2002) 3-6 or thumbnail/epage 15-18

Bibliography

• List all sources that were used in completing your assignment into sections:
  • Articles/Books/Reports
  • Case Law
  • Legislation
  • Treaties
  • Other Sources
• Include sources referred to in the text and footnotes but also include any other sources used
• Cite as set out in the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (2nd ed, 2002) rules, with the following exceptions:
• Author's name is listed alphabetically by author's surname OR
• Institution as author - the first word of the name of the institution OR
• No author - first word of title

For a full explanation and examples please refer to the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (2nd ed, 2002) 24-25 or thumbnail/epages 36-37

See also:

• More style guides

Last reviewed: 4 July, 2007