Case References

Case citations, or references, are the system of abbreviating key information relating to a case and its publication details. By understanding the parts of a case reference you will be able to locate the case in full.

The image above shows the main elements required in a case citation according to the Australian Guide to Legal Citation.

Square versus Round Brackets: Some examples of case citations

The brackets in case citations are meaningful!

For instance, round brackets in the citation indicates that this law report series is structured by the volume number and the date is given for reference. Whereas in citations with square brackets, the year is the primary identifier of the volumes of the series.

• Jaensch v Coffey (1984) 155 CLR 549
• R v Lawrence AC 626

In other words, when you look for Jaensch v Coffey you will need to look for volume 155 of the Commonwealth Law Reports. To find R v Lawrence, you will need to look in 1972 of the Law Reports Appeal Cases.

You can also have volume numbers that appear in law reports that are organised by year. In the below example you would use both the year and the volume number to identify the case.

• Haug v Jupiters Ltd 1 Qd R 276 or R v Phan 2 Qd R 485

Alternate or Parallel Citations

Cases may be reported in more than one law report series. Alternate or parallel citations can make it easier to find the full text of a particular case. If the case can't be found using one citation, an alternate citation can be used.

For example, Donoghue v Stevenson, an important consumer protection case where a woman found a snail in her bottle of ginger beer was reported a number of law report series: AC 562, (1932) SC (HL) 31, (1932) SLT 317, WN 139.

If you are simply wanting to read the case it may not matter which version you access, but if you are citing the reported decision in your assignment or submitting it to court, you will need to access the authorised version (if available).

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Watch Accessing Alternative Case Citations by LexisNexis.

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