Define: Citation

In legal contexts, a citation typically refers to a formal reference or acknowledgment of a specific legal authority, such as a statute, case law, regulation, or scholarly publication. Citations are used to provide evidence, support arguments, or direct readers to the source of legal information relied upon in legal documents, court opinions, briefs, academic papers, and other legal writings. A citation typically includes the name of the legal authority, relevant details such as volume and page numbers, and information about the jurisdiction or publication where it can be found. Proper citation formats and conventions vary depending on the legal jurisdiction and the type of legal authority being cited, with standardised citation styles such as the Bluebook in the United States or the McGill Guide in Canada providing guidelines for uniformity and accuracy in legal writing. Citations play a critical role in legal research and scholarship by allowing readers to locate and verify the legal sources referenced in legal documents and facilitating the development of legal arguments based on precedent and authoritative legal sources.

Citations can be criminal or civil, although a criminal citation has much more serious ramifications. A criminal citation is used in some jurisdictions for charging someone with a crime without the police making a physical arrest. The citation will generally state the date and time the defendant must appear in court. It will also list the defendant’s violations and explain their rights to appeal. The citation will explain the penalties assessed by the court, including court fines. At the hearing, the court will decide if there is probable cause to issue the criminal complaint.

Most criminal citations will require the defendant to sign the ticket and send it into the Clerk-Magistrate. On the back of the citation, it will indicate where it needs to be signed and dated. The citation should be sent to the court directly and not to the P.O. Box address. Criminal citations cannot be paid online, by telephone or through the mail (although some civil citations may be paid this way without a court appearance). Consider talking to a lawyer if you have questions about what to do after receiving a criminal citation. In some cases having a lawyer present at your hearing can improve your chances to have the case thrown out of court and avoid a criminal complaint.

This site contains general legal information but does not constitute professional legal advice for your particular situation. Persuing this glossary does not create an attorney-client or legal adviser relationship. If you have specific questions, please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.

This glossary post was last updated: 29th March, 2024.