| Difference | APA Style | Legal Style |
|---|---|---|
| Order of elements in the reference list entry | Usually the author, date, title, and source, in that order | Usually the title, source, and date, in that order |
| In-text citation | Usually the author and year | Usually the title and year |
| Version of work being referenced | The exact version used | The version of record as published in an official legal publication such as the United States Code or the Federal Register, plus a URL (optional) for the version used |
| Use of standard abbreviations | Used for parts of a work (e.g., "2nd ed." for a second edition) | Used for common legal entities and publications (e.g., "S." for the Senate and "H.R." for the House of Representatives) |
Publication Manual (OFFICIAL) 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association by U.S. Supreme Court
Reference List: Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard, 600 U.S. 181 (2023). https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/20-1199_hgdj.pdf
In Text Citation: (Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard, 2023)
Lower Court Case
Reference List: Smith v. Helzer, 614 F. Supp. 3d 668 (D. Alaska 2022). https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2024/03/15/22-35612.pdf
In Text Citation: (Smith v. Helzer, 2022)
Federal Statute
Reference List: Civil Rights Act of 1964, Pub. L. No. 88-352, 78 Stat. 241(1964). https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/CivilRightsActOf1964.pdf
In Text Citation: (Civil Rights Act, 1964)
State Statute
Reference List: Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, Cal. Penal Code § 24 et seq. (2023).
In Text Citation: (Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, 2023)
Unenacted Federal Bill or Resolution
Reference List: To Terminate the Department of Education, H. R. 899, 119th Cong. (2025). https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr899/text
In Text Citation: (To Terminate the Department of Education, 2025)
Executive Order
Reference List: Exec. Order No. 14,253, 90 C.F.R. 14563 (2025). https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/03/2025-05838/restoring-truth-and-sanity-to-american-history
In Text Citation: (Exec. Order No. 14,253, 2025)
Charter of the United Nations
Reference List: U.N. Charter art. 1, para. 3.
In Text Citation: (U.N. Charter art. 1, para. 3.)
Example
Reference List: Morgan, G.A. (1923). Traffic signal (U.S. Patent No. 1,475,024). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/ae/e3/6c/c0cbeeb5dfee73/US1475024.pdf
In Text Citation: (Morgan, 1923)
Example
Reference List: United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, November 20, 1989, https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child
In Text Citation: (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989)
