What is a citation?
A citation is a standard reference to a published court decision; basically, the “address” where the case can be located.
Elements of a citation:
- Case Name
- Volume
- Source (abbreviated)
- Series Number (if any)
- Typically, the higher the series the newer the case
- Page Number
- Parallel Citations
- Many times, cases are published by more than one authority/source. A citation may include “parallel citations”, which point to other resources that cite the cases.
- The first citation cited is the “official” report, the citations after are “unofficial.” The designation “official” or “unofficial” do not diminish the authority of a case, it only affects the order in which they are cited.
- Date the case was decided
Example:
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Common Source Abbreviations:
- California Reports (Official): "C" or "Cal."
- California Appellate Reports (Official): "CA" or "Cal. App."
- California Reporter (Unofficial): "CR", "CaR", or "Cal. Rptr."
- United States Reports (Official): "U.S."
- Supreme Court Reporter (Unofficial): "S. Ct."
- United States Supreme Court Reports - Lawyers Edition (Unofficial): "Law. Ed." or "L. Ed."
Revised 10/29/25
