How to Cite a Legal Case in MLA 9th Edition

This guide explains how to format a legal case citation in MLA 9th Edition. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a legal case in MLA 9th Edition:

Template

Case Name. Volume Reporter Page. Court, Year. URL.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Brown v. Board of Education)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your Works Cited:

Works Cited entry

Brown v. Board of Education. 347 U.S. 483. Supreme Court of the United States, 1954. supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/347/483/.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Write the case name
Italicize the full case name (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education). Use the standard shortened case name.
2
Add the reporter information
Include the volume number, the reporter abbreviation (e.g., U.S., F.3d), and the first page of the opinion.
3
Include the court and year
Spell out the court name (e.g., Supreme Court of the United States) followed by a comma and the year of the decision.
4
Add the URL
Include the URL where the case can be read, without the "https://" protocol. End with a period.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not italicizing the case name.
Omitting the court when it is not obvious from the reporter abbreviation.
Confusing volume and page numbers.
Forgetting to include the URL for cases accessed online.
Using legal abbreviations that general readers may not understand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I italicize the case name in MLA?

Yes. MLA italicizes case names both in the Works Cited entry and in the running text. This differs from legal citation styles like Bluebook, which use specific formatting rules.

How do I cite a case from a specific database like Westlaw?

Include the database name as the container after the court and year: Brown v. Board of Education. 347 U.S. 483. Supreme Court of the United States, 1954. Westlaw.

How do I shorten a case name for subsequent references?

After the first full citation, you may use a shortened version (e.g., Brown). MLA is flexible about subsequent references as long as the reader can identify the source.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your legal case:

Case Name
Volume
Reporter
Page
Court
Year

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Step-by-Step Guide

Write the case name

Italicize the full case name (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education). Use the standard shortened case name.

Add the reporter information

Include the volume number, the reporter abbreviation (e.g., U.S., F.3d), and the first page of the opinion.

Include the court and year

Spell out the court name (e.g., Supreme Court of the United States) followed by a comma and the year of the decision.

Add the URL

Include the URL where the case can be read, without the "https://" protocol. End with a period.