For legislative and legal materials, APA uses the conventional legal citation format found in The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (latest edition). Guidelines and additional examples appear in the Manual Chapter 11 (355-368).
Includes links to legal materials, and list of popular legal materials abbreviations & forms of legal citations.
U.S. Constitution
For U.S. Constitution or state constitutions, please consult APA Manual, Section 11.9. Standard format is to provide Constitution Name abbreviation, article, section, and clause--if used. Note that citation style for constitutions uses Roman numerals for article and amendment numbers. Do not include where you found the document.
Note that text is not italicized.
For the reference, Article is abbreviated art., Section uses the § symbol, and clause is abbreviated cl.
The example below cites a specific clause. However, if citing the entire section, do not include a specific clause.
U.S. Const. art. II, § 1, cl. 8.
How to cite this work in-text:
Parenthetical: (U.S. Const. art. II, § 1, cl. 8)
Narrative: Article II, Section 1, Clause 8, of the U.S. Constitution
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
When citing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution or state constitutions, please consult APA Manual, Section 11.9. Standard format is to provide Constitution Name abbreviation, article, section, and clause (if used). Note that citation style for constitutions uses Roman numerals for article and amendment numbers. Do not include where you found the document.
Note that text is not italicized.
For the reference, Amendment is abbreviated amend., Section uses the § symbol, and clause is abbreviated cl.
The example below does not cite a specific clause. However, if citing a specific clause, that info appears at the end of the reference sentence.
U.S. Const. amend. IV, § 3.
How to cite this work in-text:
Parenthetical: (U.S. Const. amend. IV, § 3)
Narrative: Amendment IV, Section 3, of the U.S. Constitution
U.S. Congressional document
For legislative materials such as hearings, provide: title, session of Congress, and year held. URL (optional)
Note that title of hearing is italicized.
Charter schools: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth, and Families of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives, 105th Cong. (1998). http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/edu/hedcew5-141.000/hedcew5-141.htm
How to cite this work in-text:
Parenthetical:
Narrative:
Direct quote:
U.S. Unenacted federal bill (at the time of citation) - retrieved through Congress.gov
For legislative materials such as hearings, reports, bills, etc., provide title, H.R. or S. number, session of Congress, and year introduced. URL (optional)
Note that no part of reference entry is italicized.
Josh Miller HEARTS Act, S. 1197, 111th Cong. (2009). https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/1197
How to cite this work in-text:
Parenthetical:
Narrative:
Direct quote:
U.S. Enacted federal law
Note: This act was codified across a number of sections in the U.S. Code, and thus cited here using the Public Law and U.S. Statutes at Large forms.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119 (2010). https://www.congress.gov/111/plaws/publ148/PLAW-111publ148.pdf
How to cite this work in-text: Parenthetical: (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 2010)
Narrative: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010)
Direct quote:
Federal Court Decision. Note that no part of reference entry is italicized.
Hornback v. U.S., 601 F.3d 1382 (Fed. Cir. 2010).
How to cite this work in-text: Parenthetical:
Narrative:
Direct quote:
United States v. Nixon, 418 U.S. 683 (1974).
How to cite this work in-text: Parenthetical:
Narrative:
Direct quote:
Michigan Code, specifically MI Revised School Code (1976)
Adapting the example which appears in the APA Manual, 7th ed. p. 363 and The Bluebook.
Information as it appears online from the State of Michigan Legislative Council:
380.1280a Specialized or alternative school or program.
Sec. 1280a.
The board of a school district or intermediate school district that operates or participates in a consortium that operates an alternative educational program pursuant to section 1301, a vocational-technical skills center or other separate vocational education program, or any other type of specialized or alternative school or program shall ensure that the requirements of sections 1204a, 1277a, 1278, and 1280 are met for each of those schools or programs.
History: Add. 1993, Act 335, Imd. Eff. Dec. 31, 1993
Popular Name: Act 451
Here is the reference and in-text citations
Michigan Revised School Code Act, 451 M.C.L. §380.1280a (1976 & 1993). http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-380-1280a
How to cite this work in-text:
Parenthetical: (Michigan Revised School Code Act, 1976 & 1993)
Narrative: Michigan Revised School Code Act (1976 & 1993)
Narrative: Michigan Revised School Code Act of 1976 and 1993
Direct quote: (Michigan Revised School Code Act, 1976 & 1993)
Also recommend referring to specific subsection as applicable.
Notes:
All of your references from the Revised School Code will begin with:
Michigan Revised School Code Act, 451 M.C.L. §380.
Rest of reference is the specific section or section range,
followed by (1976 &
and latest year indicated from the source History line.
When referencing/citing laws/statutes/codes, nothing is italicized in either the reference or in-text citation. However, APA rules are different when citing court cases.
Michigan School Board Policies, accessed through Boarddocs.com website
Using the Federal regulation, codified template which appears in the APA Manual, 7th ed. p. 365:
Title or Number, Volume Source Abbrev. § xxx (Year). URL
Information as it appears online for the school district policy manual:
Book Policy Manual
Section 1000 Administration
Title BOARD - SUPERINTENDENT RELATIONSHIP
Code po1210
Status Active
Adopted October 11, 1999
1210 - BOARD - SUPERINTENDENT RELATIONSHIP
Here is the reference and in-text citations:
Board – Superintendent Relationship, 1000 Marq. Area Pub. Sch. Bd. of Educ. Policy Manual § po1210 (1999).
https://go.boarddocs.com/mi/marquette/Board.nsf/Public?open&id=policies
How to cite this work in-text:
Parenthetical: (Board - Superintendent Relationship, 1999)
Narrative: Board - Superintendent Relationship (1999)
Direct quote: (Board - Superintendent Relationship, 1999)
Notes:
Provide the title of the code section.
For volume position, provide the general/broad section.
Indicate the source using standard abbreviations from The Bluebook. Although there are legal abbreviations for words such as Policy Manual, it is best to spell out those words in order to maintain clarity. Also each word is capitalized.
Next, provide the specific section cited, providing the section symbol § followed by the Code value.
Finish the sentence with the publication year in parentheses. Use Adopted date unless a newer date is listed in Last Revised. This example did not indicate a Last Revised date.
Last part of the reference is the URL for the overall document.
When referencing/citing laws/statutes/codes, nothing is italicized in either the reference or in-text citation. However, APA rules are different when citing court cases.
Unenacted State of Michigan bill - retrieved through http://www.legislature.mi.gov
(other states are similar--see Bluebook for format). Note that no part of reference entry is italicized.
For legislative materials such as hearings, reports, bills, etc., provide title, H.R. or S. number, session of Congress, and year introduced. URL (optional)
Note that no part of reference entry is italicized.
A bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled "The Michigan penal code," by amending section 81d (MCL 750.81d), as amended by 2006 PA 517. H.B. 5084, 101st Leg., Reg. Sess. (Mich. 2021). http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2021-HB-5084
How to cite this work in-text. APA allows shortening of long titles, and requires significant words capitalized:
Parenthetical: (A Bill to Amend 1931 PA 328, 2021)
Narrative: A Bill to Amend 1931 PA 328 (2021)
Direct quote should cite a specific section
A bill to provide for the official time followed in this state; and to provide for the elimination of daylight savings time in this state. H.B. 4303, 100th Leg., Reg. Sess. (Mich. 2019). http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2019-HB-4303
How to cite this work in-text. APA allows shortening of long titles, and requires significant words capitalized:
Parenthetical: (A Bill to Provide for the Official Time, 2019)
Narrative: A Bill to Provide for the Official Time (2019)
Direct quote should cite a specific section
Michigan legislative document
For legislative materials such as hearings, provide title, Congress, session, and year.
Note that title of hearing is italicized.
[forthcoming] How to cite this work in-text: Parenthetical:
Narrative:
Direct quote:
Michigan Executive Order
For executive orders, use the example in the APA style Manual 7th edition Section 11.7 #21, and adapt for state materials.
Provide Bluebook abbreviation for state followed by executive order number, year, and URL.
Note that nothing is italicized.
Mich. Exec. Order No. 2020-37. (2020). https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MIEOG/2020/04/05/file_attachments/1419769/EO%202020-37.pdf
How to cite this work in-text:
Parenthetical: (Mich. Exec. Order No. 2020-37, 2020)
Narrative: Mich. Exec. Order No. 2020-37 (2020)
Direct quote: (Mich. Exec. Order No. 2020-37, 2020, p. 2)