Legal sources crop up in essays, reports, and a dissertation. Use the right pattern for the type of law you cite: cases, legislation, or bills. Keep your in-text citation clear and your reference list tidy.
Tip for a research paper: record the version you used (print, consolidated PDF, site page). Add an Accessed date for links. Place long extracts in appendices only if your supervisor agrees.
Quick Review
- Case – party names, year, report series, page.
- Act/Regulation – official title, year, jurisdiction, section.
- Bill – title and year, jurisdiction, no italics.
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Cases
Use the case name in italics in text. Pinpoint with at and a page. List only when the case is central to your argument; some guides group cases under a “Cases” sub-heading in the reference list.
In-text
Case Title (Year) report details
Pinpoint: Case Title (Year) report details at page
Reference list
Include the full report citation.
Harvard citation examples
- In-text: The State of New South Wales v The Commonwealth (1915) 20 CLR 54
Pinpoint: Greutner v Everard (1960) 103 CLR 177 at 181 - Reference list: The State of New South Wales v The Commonwealth (1915) 20 CLR 54
Language notes: keep party names as printed; maintain capitalisation.
Legislation: Acts and Regulations
Quote the official title exactly. Add the year. Add the jurisdiction or abbreviation where needed (e.g., (Cth), (Vic), (Qld), UK). Use s. for one section and ss. for a range. Do not start a sentence with s. or ss.; rephrase the line.
In-text
- Property Law Act 1974 (Qld), s 55
- Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic)
- Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), ss 4–7
Reference list
Pattern used by many Harvard guides:
*Title of Act* Year (Jurisdiction)
Some include a reprint number or publisher and place when provided.
Harvard citation examples
- Reference list: Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic)
- Reference list: Property Law Act 1974 (Qld), 2014 reprint, Office of Queensland Parliamentary Counsel, Queensland.
Online electronic sources: add Available at: URL [Accessed Day Mon. Year].
Formatting varies by university. Some italicise both title and year; some italicise the title only. Pick one system and stay consistent across your reference list.
Bills
Bills are not Acts. Treat them as unpublished. Keep titles in plain text.
In-text
Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2017 (Cth)
Reference list
Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2017 (Cth)
No italics for the bill title. Add a chamber or paper number only if your guide requires it.
Jurisdiction and Section Signals
- Jurisdictions: (Cth), (Vic), (NSW), (UK), (EU), etc.
- Sections: s. 19, ss. 4–7.
- Write “section” in full at the start of a sentence: “Section 19 of the Equality Act 2010 (UK) …”.
Online Versions and Consolidated Texts
When you use a site version or PDF, it’s still legislation or a case, not a generic web page. Keep the legal pattern and add the link and Accessed date.
Example
- In-text: Equality Act 2010 (UK), s. 19
- Reference list: Equality Act 2010 (UK). [online] Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15 [Accessed 12 Jul. 2024].
Table for Your Reference
| Source | In-text | Reference list essentials |
|---|---|---|
| Case | Case Title (Year) report; … at page for pinpoint | Case Title (Year) volume Series page |
| Act/Regulation | Title Year (Jurisdiction), s./ss. as needed | Title Year (Jurisdiction); add reprint/publisher/place or URL + Accessed |
| Bill | Title Year (Jurisdiction) | Title Year (Jurisdiction); plain text |
| Sections | s. 4 or ss. 4–7 | Only if your style asks for sections in the entry |
Frequently Asked Questions
To cite a law in Harvard Style:
- Include the law’s title.
- Year of enactment.
- Jurisdiction (if applicable).
- Section or regulation number.
- Italicize or underline the law’s title.
- Parenthetical citation in-text: (Title Year).
- Full details in the reference list.
Follow your university sheet. Some italicise title and year; others italicise the title only. Stay consistent.
Use s. for one section and ss. for a range. Avoid starting a sentence with the abbreviation; write “Section” instead.
Yes when you use an online version. Add an Accessed date.
Many guides place them in a “Cases” sub-heading. Check your local rules and keep the grouping consistent.
Cite it as legislation. Add the link and Accessed date. You can note the consolidation year in your text if relevant.
