In law, “cite” refers to the act of referencing or quoting legal authorities, such as statutes, regulations, case law, or legal treatises, to support arguments or assertions in legal documents, court proceedings, or scholarly writings. Citing relevant legal authorities helps to provide credibility, establish precedent, and support legal arguments or interpretations. Legal citations typically include specific references to the source material, such as the name of the case, statute number, volume and page number of a legal publication, and the jurisdiction in which the authority was established. Accurate and thorough citation is essential for legal research, analysis, and effective advocacy in the legal field.
To notify a person of a proceeding against him or her or to call a person forth to appear in court.
To make reference to a legal authority, such as a case, in a citation.
Cases, statutes, constitutions, treatises, and other similar authorities are cited to support a certain view of the law on an issue. When writing a legal brief, an attorney may wish to strengthen his or her position by referring to cases that support what he or she is saying in order to persuade the court to make a ruling favourable for the client.
A citation in legal terms refers to the reference to a specific law, case, or legal authority in a legal document or court proceeding.
To properly cite a case in a legal brief, you should include the case name, the volume and page number of the reporter where the case is published, the court that decided the case, and the year the case was decided.
In legal writing, a citation refers to the specific source of authority for a legal proposition, while a reference is a more general mention of a source without providing specific details.
Yes, you can use a citation from a foreign legal authority in a U.S. court, but you may need to provide additional context or explanation for the court to consider its relevance.
The Bluebook citation style is a widely-used system for citing legal authorities in the United States. It should be used in legal documents, court filings, and academic writing in the legal field.
To cite a statute in a legal document, you should include the title of the statute, the section number, the volume and page number of the official code where the statute is published, and the year of the code.
The purpose of citing legal authorities in a legal document is to provide support for your legal arguments and to allow others to verify the sources of your legal propositions.
To cite a legal treatise in a legal memorandum, you should include the author’s name, the title of the treatise, the volume and page number of the specific section being cited, and the year of publication.
Yes, there are specific rules for citing electronic legal sources, including guidelines for citing online databases, websites, and other digital resources in legal documents.
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: 30th April 2024.
To help you cite our definitions in your bibliography, here is the proper citation layout for the three major formatting styles, with all of the relevant information filled in.
- Page URL:https://dlssolicitors.com/define/cite/
- Modern Language Association (MLA):Cite. dlssolicitors.com. DLS Solicitors. May 17 2024 https://dlssolicitors.com/define/cite/.
- Chicago Manual of Style (CMS):Cite. dlssolicitors.com. DLS Solicitors. https://dlssolicitors.com/define/cite/ (accessed: May 17 2024).
- American Psychological Association (APA):Cite. dlssolicitors.com. Retrieved May 17 2024, from dlssolicitors.com website: https://dlssolicitors.com/define/cite/
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