The Oxford Standard for Citation

of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA)

Guide to legal citation, not a style guide

Devised by Professor Peter Birks in 2000
 Golden rules for the citation of
legal authorities

Consideration
Consistency
for the reader

Legal writing is more persuasive

Common practice in UK legal citation
 Material Footnote Example Reference List Example
Type

Book: 1 S. Ratnagar, Trading Encounters: Ratnagar, Trading

S.,
Single From the Euphrates to the Indus in Encounters: From the
Author1 the Bronze Age, New Delhi, Oxford Euphrates to the Indus in
University Press, 2004, p. 23. the Bronze Age, New
Delhi, Oxford University
Press, 2004.
Book: 2 or 3 1 A. Blackledge and A. Blackledge, A., and A.
Authors1 Creese, Multilingualism: a Critical Creese, Multilingualism: a
Perspective, London, Continuum, Critical
2010, p. 10. Perspective, London,
Continuum, 2010.
Book: More 1 A. Kring, G.C. Davison, J.M. Kring, A., G.C. Davison,
Than 3 Neale, and S. Johnson, Abnormal J.M. Neale and S.
Authors Psychology, 11th edn., Hoboken, Johnson, Abnormal
NJ, John Wiley & Sons, 2010, p. 40. Psychology, 11th edn.,
Hoboken, NJ, John
Wiley & Sons, 2010.
Material Type Footnote Example Reference List Example

Book: No 1The Cambridge Companion to The Cambridge Companion to

Author Postmodernism, Cambridge, Postmodernism, Cambridge,
U.K., Cambridge University U.K., Cambridge University
Press, 2004, p. 70. Press, 2004.
Book: 1 J.M.Foley (ed.), A Companion Foley, J.M. (ed.), A Companion
Editor To Ancient Epic, Oxford, To Ancient Epic, Oxford,
Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, pp. 25- Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
30.
Book: 1 Y. Aralawa, Zen Painting, Arakawa, Y., Zen Painting,
Translator trans. J. Bester, Tokyo, trans. J. Bester, Tokyo,
& Author Kodansha International, 1970, Kodansha International, 1970.
p. 75.
Book: 1 Australian Bureau of Australian Bureau of Statistics,
Organisatio Statistics, Queensland Queensland Office, The
n as Author Office, The Economic Status of Economic Status of Migrants
Migrants in in Australia, Canberra,
Australia, Canberra, Australian Australian Govt. Pub. Service,
Material
Footnote Example Reference List Example
Type
Book: 1 J.
Baker, 'The Place of Science
Baker, J., 'The Place of
Chapter or and Technology in the Wise Science and Technology in the
Article in Management of the Great Wise Management of the
Edited Barrier Reef', in E. WolanskiGreat Barrier Reef', in
Book (ed.),Oceanographic ProcessesWolanski, E.
of Coral Reefs: Physical and (ed.),Oceanographic
Biological Links in the Great Processes of Coral Reefs:
Barrier Reef, Boca Raton, CRC Physical and Biological Links
Press, 2001, pp. 14-20. in the Great Barrier Reef, Boca
Raton, CRC Press, 2001, pp.
14-20.
Book, 1 M.J. Sargent, P. Nilan, Sargent, M.J., P. Nilan
edition and G. Winter, The New and G. Winter, The New
other than Sociology for Sociology for
first. Australians, 4th edn., Australians, 4th edn.,
Melbourne, Longman Melbourne, Longman
Australia, 1997, p. 140. Australia, 1997.
E-book 1 V. Koller, Metaphor Koller, V., Metaphor
and Gender in and Gender in
Business Media Business Media
Discourse: A Critical Discourse: A Critical
Cognitive Study, New Cognitive Study, New
York, Palgrave York, Palgrave
Macmillan, 2004, pp. Macmillan, 2004,
75-80, Available Available from: E-
from: E-Book Library, Book Library,
(accessed (accessed
23 September 2010). 23 September 2010).
 Material
Footnote Example Reference List Example
Type
1 V. Koller, Business
Media on Marketing: Koller, V., 'Business Media
Metaphors of War, Sports on Marketing: Metaphors
and Games, in Metaphor of War, Sports and Games',
E-book: and Gender in Business in Metaphor and Gender in
Chapter or Media Discourse: A Business Media Discourse:
Article in Critical Cognitive A Critical Cognitive
an Edited Study, New York, Study, New York, Palgrave
E-book Palgrave Macmillan, 2004, Macmillan, 2004, pp. 64-113.
pp. 64-113. Available Available from: E-Book
from: E-Book Library, Library, (accessed
(accessed 23 September 23 September 2010).
2010).
 Journal Articles
Material Type Footnote Example Reference List Example
Journal 1 S. Mintz, Food Enigmas, Mintz, S., Food Enigmas,
Article: Colonial and Colonial and Postcolonial,
single author Postcolonial,Gastronomica, vo Gastronomica, vol. 10, no. 1, 2010,
(print) l. 10, no.1, 2010, p. 149. p. 149.
1 P. Addo and N. Besnier, When Addo, P., and N. Besnier, When
Gifts Become Commodities: Gifts Become Commodities:
Journal Pawnshops, Valuables, and Shame Pawnshops, Valuables, and Shame in
Article: 2 or 3 in Tonga and the Tongan Tonga and the Tongan
authors (print) Diaspora, Journal of the Royal Diaspora, Journal of the Royal
Anthropological Institute, vol. 14, Anthropological Institute, vol. 14, no.
no. 1, 2008, p. 39. 1, 2008, p. 39.
1
M. Spencer et al., Analyzing Spencer, M. et al., Analyzing the
Journal the Order of Items in Order of Items in Manuscripts of
Article: 3 or Manuscripts of the the Canterbury
more authors Canterbury Tales, Computers Tale, Computers and the
(print) and the Humanities, vol. 37, Humanities, vol. 37, no. 1, 2003,
no. 1, 2003, pp. 97-109. pp. 97-109.
Material
Footnote Example Reference List Example
Type

1 K. Toffoletti, How is Gender- Toffoletti, K. How is Gender-

based Violence Covered in the
Sporting News? An Account of
Journal
the Australian Football League
Article:
Sex Scandal, Womens Studies
Electronic
International Forum, vol. 30, no.
Database
5, 2007, p. 427. Available from
ProQuest, (accessed 23 February
2010).
based Violence Covered in the
Sporting News? An Account of
the Australian Football League
Sex Scandal, Womens Studies
International Forum, vol. 30, no.
5, 2007, p. 427. Available from
ProQuest, (accessed 23 February
2010).

1 K.R. Moore, Was Pythagoras

Moore, K.R., 'Was Pythagoras
Ever Really in Sparta?,
Journal Ever Really in Sparta?',
Rosetta, no. 6 Spring,
Article: Rosetta, no. 6 Spring,
2009, http://www.rosetta.bham.a
Website 2009, http://www.rosetta.bham.ac
c.uk, (accessed 10 September
.uk, (accessed 10 September 2010).
2010).
 Newspapers
Material
Footnote Example Reference List Example
Type
Boyd, R., The City of
Newspaper 1 R. Boyd, The City of Sordid
Sordid
article: Splendour, Australian, 26 August
Splendour, Australian, 26
print 1964, p. 10.
August 1964, p. 10.
Brooks, K., No Surprise in
Newspaper 1 K. Brooks, No Surprise in Big Bro
Big Bro Demise, Courier-
article: Demise, Courier-Mail, 16 July 2008,
Mail, 16 July 2008, Available
Electronic Available from Factiva, (accessed 3
from Factiva, (accessed 3
Database March 2008).
March 2008).
Bredow, S., Powder to the
1 S. Bredow, Powder to the People', Sydney Morning
People, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 June Herald, 7 June
Newspaper
2008, http://www.smh.com.au/news/ski/ 2008, http://www.smh.com.au
article:
powder-to-the- /news/ski/powder-to-the-
Website
people/2008/06/04/1212258872379.html, people/2008/06/04/1212258872
(accessed 3 March 2008). 379.html, (accessed 3 March
2008).
 Primary Sources
Material
Footnote Example Reference List Example
Type
Dewell, George, Theft,
1George Dewell, Theft, Simple Larceny.
Simple Larceny. Proceedings Proceedings of the Old
of the Old Bailey, 16th Bailey, 16th February 1832,
February 1832, page 28. Ref page 28. Ref No:
No: t18320216- t18320216-
Historic
60, http://www.oldbaileyonli 60, http://www.oldbaileyo
al
ne.org/index.jsp (accessed nline.org/index.jsp (acces
Sources
20 February 2010). sed 20 February 2010).
1 Lord Cathcart, Diary: Diary or Journal kept by
Transcript, 1709-28. 16 vols. Lord Cathcart: Transcript,
[A25-A40] National Library 1709-28. 16 vols. [A25-A40]
of Scotland. National Library of
Scotland.
 Thesis

Material
Footnote Example Reference List Example
Type
Malsem, C.,
1 C. Maslem,
Melancholic
Melancholic
Identification and
Identification and
Nostalgic Fantasy in
Thesis Nostalgic Fantasy in the
the Novels of Jean
Novels of Jean
Rhys, PhD Thesis,
Rhys, PhD Thesis,
University of
University of Western
Western Australia,
Australia, 2005, p. 55.
2005.
 Internet/Websites
Material
Footnote Example Reference List Example
Type
1 B. Dibble, and B. Milech, Elizabeth Dibble, B., and B. Milech, Elizabeth
Jolley Research Jolley Research
Website Collection, http://john.curtin.edu.au Collection', http://john.curtin.edu.au
/jolley/index.html, 2008, (accessed 1 /jolley/index.html, 2008, (accessed 1
August 2010). August 2010).
1 E.Woodbury, Manga Circulation in Woodbury, E., Manga Circulation in
Japan, Ooburoshiki,[web blog], 1 Japan, Ooburoshiki,[web blog], 1
February February
Blog 2010,http://eugenewoodbury.blogspo 2010,http://eugenewoodbury.blogspot
t.com/2010/02/manga-circulation-in- .com/2010/02/manga-circulation-in-
japan.html, (accessed 19 January japan.html, (accessed 19 January
2010). 2010).
1 R. Leighton, Surf Sirens, Manly Leighton, R., Surf Sirens, Manly
Beach, New South Wales, 1938-46 Beach, New South Wales, 1938-46
Digital [online [online
Image photograph], http://nla.gov.au/nla.pi photograph], http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic
c-an14035743-4, (accessed 12 June -an14035743-4, (accessed 12 June
2010). 2010).
 Multimedia/Audio-Visual

Material
Footnote Example Reference List Example
Type
1 The Red Badge of Courage, dir. The Red Badge of Courage,
Film or
John Huston, USA, MGM, 1951, dir. Huston, J., USA, MGM,
broadcast
[videocassette]. 1951, [videocassette].
1 An An Occasionally Accurate
Occasionally Accurate History of
History of Australia: Part I,
Australia: Part I, [online video],
Web [online video],
2006, http://www.youtube.com/watc
Video 2006, http://www.youtube.co
h?v=IJjNsCVHc34, (accessed 6
m/watch?v=IJjNsCVHc34,
October 2010).
(accessed 6 October 2010).
'Fungi and The
Mould',
1 Fungi and Mould, The Health Health Report, ABC Radio

Report, ABC Radio National 1999, National 1999, [podcast]

Broadcast [broadcast]http://www.abc.net.au/m http://www.abc.net.au/m/he
/healthreport/stories/1999/48140.ht althreport/stories/1999/48140.
m, (accessed 10 March 2003). htm, (accessed 10 March
2003).
 Conference Proceedings

Material
Footnote Example Reference List Example
Type
1 G. Kozicz, Architecture of
Kozicz, G., Architecture of
the Empty Shells of Nyar ma, the Empty Shells of Nyar
Discoveries in Western Tibet ma, Discoveries in Western
and the Western Himalayas: Tibet and the Western
Essays on History, Literature, Himalayas: Essays on
Archaeology and Art: PIATS History, Literature,
Conference Archaeology and Art:
Proceeding
2003, Tibetan Studies, PIATS 2003, Tibetan
Proceedings of the Tenth Studies, Proceedings of the
Seminar of the International Tenth Seminar of the
Association for Tibetan International Association
Studies. Oxford, Oxford for Tibetan Studies. Oxford,
Oxford University Press,
University Press, 2006, pp. 41- 2006, pp. 41-54.
42.
 Citing Information Someone Else has Cited
Material Reference List
Footnote Example
Type Example
In the reference list
Citing
10 A. Smith, Italian provide the details
information architecture, Penguin, of the author who
someone else Melbourne, 2000, cited has done the citing:
has cited in D. Brown,
[citing Brown, Renaissance D., Renaissance
Secondary Italy, London, Faber Italy, London,
Sources]
and Faber, 2002, p. 45. Faber and Faber,
2002, p. 45.
 Cases
and
Legislation
 Cases
7 DPP (WA) v Silbert, 2000, 112, A Crim R, 88

Phipps v Boardman [1967] 2 AC 46 (HL).

Boulting v Association of Cinematograph,

Television and Allied Technicians [1963] 2 QB 606
(CA)
Re Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities LLC
[2009] EWHC 442 (Ch), [2010] BCC 328
 Legislation

Trustees Act 1962 (WA) s 90

Human Rights Act 1998

Bills

Corporations Amendment Bill No 1 2005 (Cth)

 Subsequent citations
E.g. Austin v Commissioner of Police for
the Metropolis

1. [2009] UKHL 5, [2009] AC 564.

2. ibid [34] (Lord Hope), [39] (Lord Scott), [43]

[47] (Lord Walker), [58][60] (Lord Neuberger).

3. Austin (n 1).
 Latin gadgets
Ibid In the same place Joseph Raz, The Authority
(ibidem) referring to the same source as in the of Law: Essays on Law
immediately preceding reference. and Morality (2nd edn,
Ibid may be used after a supra, or OUP 2009).
ibid 6
even after another ibid.
Supra Referring to a source & 1. R v Sharpe, 2001 SCC 2,
Above. [2001] 1 SCR 45 at para
already provided a full citation 25
but Not immediately 4. Sharpe, supra note 1 at
preceding authority. para 26.

Infra Reference will be further 1. Infra pp. 1112

below, discussed or cited later in the 2. See infra p. 98 and
under, note 123
Beneath
same document.
Ante Reference to a previous portio
Before n of a report or textbook.
Synonym with
Supra
 Latin gadgets
Id If the authority is the same as the immediately
preceding authority.
op cit opere used in an endnote or footnote to refer the reader
citato "in the to a previously cited work, standing in for
work cited" repetition of the full title of the work
loc cit Loco use is similar to that of ibid. but not only does this
citato in the phrase refer you to the same work just citied but
place cited also the same place in that work such as a page
number or paragraph number.
contra I know that this source is on the other side of what
I just said. Contrary of the proposition with which
the citation is associated

Avoid Heavy Usage

Of infra, supra, op. cit, loc. Cit *
 Parts of Statutes

part/parts pt/pts Consumer Protection Act 1987,

s2

section/sections s/ss Human Rights Act 1998, s

15(1)(b)

subsection/subsecti sub-s/sub-ss Criminal Attempts Act 1981,

ss 1(1) and 4(3).
ons
paragraph/paragrap para/paras
hS
subparagraph/subp subpara/subpar
aragraphs as
schedule/schedules sch /schs
THE END
Authored Books Edition Rev. Edition Volumes
Edited - Translated Books - Encyclopedias
Timothy Endicott, Administrative Law (OUP 2009)

Gareth Jones, Goff and Jones: The Law of Restitution (1st supp,
7th edn, Sweet & Maxwell 2009)
Christian von Bar, The Common European Law of Torts, vol 2
(CH Beck 2000) para 76
Jeremy Horder (ed), Oxford Essays in Jurisprudence: Fourth
Series (OUP 2000)
Peter Birks and Grant McLeod (trs), The Institutes of Justinian
(Duckworth 1987)

Halsburys Laws (5th edn, 2010) vol 57, para 53

 Encyclopedias - Articles
CJ Friedrich, Constitutions and Constitutionalism, International
Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences III (1968) 319

Leslie Green, Legal Positivism, The Stanford Encyclopedia of

Philosophy (Fall edn, 2009)
<http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2009/entries/legal-
positivism> accessed 20 November 2009

Paul Craig, Theory, Pure Theory and Values in Public Law

[2005] PL 440

Alison L Young, In Defence of Due Deference (2009) 72 MLR 554

 Online Journal

Graham Greenleaf, The Global Development

of Free Access to Legal Information (2010) 1(1)
EJLT <http://ejlt.org/article/view/17>
accessed 27 July 2010
James Boyle, A Manifesto on WIPO and the
Future of Intellectual Property 2004 Duke L &
Tech Rev 0009
<http://www.law.duke.edu/journals/dltr/artic
les/2004dltr0009.html> accessed 18 November
2009
 Conference papers Theses - Websites and blogs
Articles in Newspaper & Web
Ben McFarlane and Donal Nolan, Remedying Reliance: The Future
Development of Promissory and Proprietary Estoppel in English Law
(Obligations III conference, Brisbane, July 2006)

Javan Herberg, Injunctive Relief for Wrongful Termination of Employment

(DPhil thesis, University of Oxford 1989)

Sarah Cole, Virtual Friend Fires Employee (Naked Law, 1 May 2009)
<http://www.nakedlaw.com/2009/05/index.html> accessed 19 November
2009

Jane Croft, Supreme Court Warns on Quality Financial Times (London, 1 July
2010) 3

Ian Loader, The Great Victim of this Get Tough Hyperactivity is Labour The
Guardian (London, 19 June 2008)
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/19/justice.ukcrime>
accessed 19 November 2009
 Interviews - letters - emails
Interview with Irene Kull, Assistant Dean,
Faculty of Law, Tartu University (Tartu,
Estonia, 4 August 2003)

Letter from Gordon Brown to Lady

Ashton (20 November 2009)

Email from Amazon.co.uk to author (16

December 2008)
Punctuation, ranges of numbers & years, & foreign words

Malcolm v DPP [2007] EWHC 363 (Admin),

[2007] 1 WLR 1230
JG Fleming, Remoteness and Duty: The
Control Devices in Liability for Negligence
(1953) 31 Can Bar Rev 471
 Citing secondary sources
Hart wrote that the doctrine of precedent. the earlier case. 1
1. HLA Hart, The Concept of Law (2nd edn, Clarendon Press 1994)
135.

Order of sources in footnotes

1. FH Newark, The Boundaries of Nuisance (1949) 65 LQR 480;
Richard Kidner, Nuisance and Rights of Property [1998] Conv 267;
Ken Oliphant, Unblurring the Boundaries of Nuisance (1998) 6 Tort L
Rev 21; Paula Giliker, Whither the Tort of Nuisance? The Implications
of Restrictions on the Right to Sue in Hunter v Canary Wharf (1999) 7
Torts LJ 155.
2. Brent v Haddon (1619) Cro Jac 555, 79 ER 476; Broder v Saillard
(1876) 2 Ch D 692 (Ch); Pemberton v Bright [1960] 1 All ER 792
(CA).See also Torette House Pty Ltd v Berkman (1939) 62 CLR 637, 659
(Dixon J).
 Subsequent citation of legislation
Council Directive (EC) 93/104 concerning
certain aspects of the organisation of
working time [1993] OJ L307/18 (Working
Time Directive).

40 Working Time Directive, art 2.

 Subsequent citation of a book
1. Robert Stevens, Torts and Rights
(OUP 2007).

2. 26 Stevens (n 1) 110.
3. 27 ibid 27178.
 Subsequent citation of two works by the same
author
Andrew Ashworth, Testing Fidelity to Legal
Values: Official Involvement and Criminal
Justice (2000) 63 MLR 633, 635.
28 Andrew Ashworth, Principles of Criminal Law
(6th edn, OUP 2009) 68.

35 Ashworth, Testing Fidelity to Legal Values (n

27) 635-37.
Cross-references
Incorporate quotations of up to 3 lines into the text,
within single quotation marks

The Chief Justice explained that this

power is not limited to defence against
aggression from a foreign nation. 61
Bix raises the question, What is the point
of a dissent, after all, at least on the
highest court of the jurisdiction, if the law
simply is whatever the majority on that
court says it is? 22
 Present quotations longer than 3 lines in an indented
paragraph, with no further indentation of the first line

[T]he House of Lords also concluded that the civil

standard of proof (on the balance of probabilities)
should be applied in such a way as to be sensitive to
the seriousness of the matters to be proved and the
implications of proving them, which in effect
means proof beyond reasonable doubt (i.e. the
criminal standard).27
27 Andrew Ashworth, Social Control and Anti-
Social Behaviour: The Subversion of Human
Rights (2004) 120 LQR 263, 276, citing Clingham
and McCann [2002] UKHL 39, [2003] 1 AC 787 [83]
(Lord Hope).
 Lord Hoffmann reasoned as follows:
It seems to me logical to found liability for damages
upon the intention of the parties (objectively
ascertained) because all contractual liability is
voluntarily undertaken.It must be in principle wrong
to hold someone liable for risks for which people
entering into such a contract in their particular
market, would not reasonably be considered to have
undertaken.12
12 Transfield Shipping Inc v Mercator Shipping Inc
(The Achilleas) [2008] UKHL 48, [2009] 1 AC 61 [12]
(Lord Hoffmann) (emphasis added).