Australian Guide to Legal Citation 4th edition

A reported case is a judgment that is published in a law report series. According to AGLC4 rule 2.2.2, the authorised version of the report should always be used where available'. For more information, see AGLC4 rule 2 starting at p 39.

Elements

• Case name — italicize party names
• (Year) — place in brackets
• Volume number - [in square brackets if the law report series is organised by year]
• Abbreviation of law report series
• Commencing page number
• Pinpoint — this is the specific page number or paragraph you are referring to in the judgment
• Judicial officer — where a pinpoint is used, you should also indicate the judge or judges in round brackets

Examples

• R v Tang (2008) 237 CLR 1.
• R v Reid [2007] 1 Qd R 64.
• Bakker v Stewart [1980] VR 17, 22 (Lush J).
• Andrew Shelton & Co Pty Ltd v Alpha Healthcare Ltd (2002) 5 VR 577.

An unreported case is a decision which has not been published in a law report series. Unreported judgments use a medium neutral style as shown below. For more information, see AGLC4 rule 2.3 starting at p 54.

Elements

• Party names — italicize party names
• [Year] — place in square brackets
• Pinpoint — the pinpoint should be to a paragraph number, and enclosed in square brackets.

Examples

• Sheehy v Hobbs [2012] QSC 333 [46].

Unreported judgments that do not use medium neutral citation

Many pre-1990s unreported judgments will not use a medium neutral citation. Instead they will include the name of the court, presiding Judge and date of the decision:

• Barton v Chibber (Supreme Court of Victoria, Hampel J, 29 June 1989) 3.

See AGLC4 rule 2.3.2 starting at page 56 for information on citing decisions without a medium neutral citation.