Library guides: Law AGLC4 Referencing Guide: Cases (AGLC4 rule 2)

General rules for citing cases (AGLC4 rule 2.1)

Case name

Cite the party names as they appear on the first page of the decision in italics (AGLC4 rule 2.1.1)
Use only the surname for individuals (AGLC4 rule 2.1.1)
Cite only the first plaintiff and first defendant (AGLC4 rule 2.1.1)
Where the Crown is the first named party abbreviate Rex or Regina to R eg: R v Strbak (AGLC4 rule 2.1.4)
Where the Crown is the respondent 'The King' or 'The Queen' should be written in full eg: Carew v The Queen (AGLC4 rule 2.1.4)
Omit the case name in the footnote if it appears in full within the text (see rule 2.1.15)
Use the short title or popular case name for subsequent footnotes (AGLC4 rule 2.1.14)

Other

Separate party names with v for general decisions and & for family law cases (AGCL4 rule 2.1.11)
Where the case involves more than one action, only include the first action (AGLC4 rule 2.1.1)
Use the abbreviation for the name of the law report series, or the court (AGLC4 rule 2.2.3)
Omit the case name in the footnote if it is included in the sentence accompanying the footnote (AGLC4 rule 2.1.15)

Reported cases (AGLC4 rule 2.2)

Reported cases are those which have been published in a law report series. The authorised version of the report should always be used where available (see list in AGLC4 rule 2.2.3), otherwise follow the preference order in AGLC4 rule 2.2.2. Use round brackets for the year when the law report series is organised by volume number, and use square brackets if the series is organised by year (rule 2.2.1).

Footnote - general format

Case name [(Year)] Volume Abbreviation Starting Page, Pinpoint.

Australian Woollen Mills Pty Ltd v Commonwealth (1953) 92 CLR 424, 430.
Aldrick v EM Investments (Qld) Pty Ltd [2000] 2 Qd R 346, 349.

Footnote - with short title

Case name [(Year)] Volume Abbreviation Starting Page, Pinpoint ('Short Title').

Australian Woollen Mills Pty Ltd v Commonwealth (1953) 92 CLR 424, 430 ('Australian Woollen Mills').

Additional tips

where a report series uses a unique reference instead of a starting page number, use the unique reference number including any unique symbols eg ¶93-198 (AGLC4 rule 2.2.4)

A case is unreported if it is not published in a law report series. Use a case citator such as CaseBase (Lexis+), Westlaw AU or LawCite (AustLII) to check if a case has been reported.

Use this format where the decision has a medium neutral citation (AGLC4 Rule 2.3.1).

Footnote - general format

Case Name [Year] Unique Court Identifier Judgment Number, [Pinpoint].

Howarth v Miotti [2009] QSC 96, [2].

Footnote - with short title

Case Name [Year] Unique Court Identifier Judgment Number, [Pinpoint] (‘Short Title’).

Howarth v Miotti [2009] QSC 96, [2] (‘Howarth’).

Additional tips

Pinpoints should refer to paragraph numbers and be placed in square brackets following AGLC4 rules 1.1.6-1.1.7

Use this format where the court has not allocated a medium neutral citation to the decision (AGLC4 Rule 2.3.2).

Footnote - general format

Case Name (Court, Judge/s, Day Month Year) Pinpoint.

Ross v Chambers (Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, Kriewaldt J, 5 April 1956) 77–8.

Footnote - with short title

Case Name (Court, Judge/s, Day Month Year) Pinpoint ('Short Title').

Ross v Chambers (Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, Kriewaldt J, 5 April 1956) 77–8 ('Ross').

Additional tips

The names of judicial officers should adhere to rule 2.4.1.
Pinpoint references are generally to page numbers and refer to the copy of the judgment. If you cite paragraph numbers place these in square brackets (AGLC4 rule 2.3.2).