Free tool · AGLC4
AGLC4 citation generator
Build a correctly formatted AGLC4 footnote for a reported case, an unreported judgment with a medium neutral citation, or an Act. Then copy it straight into Word with the italics intact.
Last updated 9 November 2026
In short
- AGLC4 (the fourth edition, published 2018) is the current edition of the Australian Guide to Legal Citation. A fifth edition has been the subject of consultation.
- Reported case: Case Name (Year) Volume Series Page, Pinpoint. For example Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1992) 175 CLR 1, 42.
- Unreported case: Case Name [Year] Court Number, [Paragraph]. AGLC4 no longer requires the date of judgment.
- Legislation: Title Year (Jurisdiction) pinpoint. For example Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 140.
AGLC4 citation generator
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Use 'v', not 'v.' or 'vs'. The generator fixes this for you.
Leave blank if the series has none.
Your citation (footnote form)
Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1992) 175 CLR 1.
How to cite a reported case in AGLC4
A reported case is one published in a law report series. The elements, in order, are:
| Element | Example | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Case name, in italics | Mabo v Queensland (No 2) | Use "v" with no full stop. Write "Commonwealth", not "The Commonwealth". The Crown is "The Queen" or "The King" when it is the respondent, and "R" when it is the first party. |
| Year | (1992) | Round brackets if the series numbers its volumes independently. Square brackets if the year identifies the volume. |
| Volume | 175 | Omit if the series has no volume numbers. |
| Report series | CLR | Use the abbreviation, without full stops. |
| Starting page | 1 | The first page of the case in that volume. |
| Pinpoint | , 42 | The specific page (or paragraph in square brackets) you rely on. |
Where a case is reported in more than one series, cite the authorised report if there is one (for example the CLR for the High Court, the FCR for the Federal Court, the NSWLR for New South Wales). Under AGLC4, give one citation rather than parallel citations. Court practice notes sometimes require parallel citations in submissions; follow them where they apply.
Medium neutral citations explained
A medium neutral citation (MNC) is the citation a court gives a judgment when it is handed down, independent of any publisher. It takes the form [Year] Court identifier Judgment number. For example [2013] HCA 18 is the 18th judgment the High Court delivered in 2013. The High Court adopted MNCs in 1998, and other Australian courts and tribunals followed. Databases such as AustLII have since given many earlier judgments equivalent numbers, but AGLC4 uses an MNC only where the court allocated it, so cite older cases by their report.
Because judgments with an MNC have numbered paragraphs, pinpoints to an MNC are to paragraphs in square brackets: Smith v Jones [2024] NSWSC 123, [45]. Use an MNC only where the court allocated it.
Case pages in the Barrister AI case index use the medium neutral number in their address. For example, /case/2013/hca/18 is Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li [2013] HCA 18.
Unreported judgments without an MNC
Where an unreported judgment has no medium neutral citation, AGLC4 uses the court, the judge or judges and the full date in brackets: Case Name (Court, Judge, Full Date) Pinpoint.
How to cite legislation in AGLC4
Italicise the short title and year, then give the jurisdiction in round brackets, not italicised. Pinpoints follow with no comma.
| Pinpoint | Abbreviation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Section / sections | s / ss | Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 140 |
| Subsection, paragraph | s 5(1)(a) | Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) s 52A(1)(a) |
| Part | pt | Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) pt 1A |
| Division | div | Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) sch 1 div 101 |
| Schedule | sch | Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) sch 1 |
| Regulation | reg / regs | Use for regulations, with the regulation title in italics |
Jurisdiction abbreviations are Cth, NSW, Vic, Qld, WA, SA, Tas, ACT and NT. Read any Act in full in the legislation index.
Ibid and subsequent references
- Use Ibid when the footnote refers to the same source as the immediately preceding footnote, and that footnote cites only one source. Add a pinpoint if it changes: Ibid 45.
- For a later reference to a case already cited, use a short title in italics and the footnote number of the first citation: Mabo (n 3) 42.
- Define a short title in the first citation where it would not be obvious, by putting it in single quotation marks and italics, in brackets after the citation: Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1992) 175 CLR 1 (‘Mabo’).
Common AGLC mistakes
- Writing "v." or "vs" instead of "v".
- Using round brackets for series where the year identifies the volume, such as the VR and the Qd R.
- Giving a pinpoint to a page of an MNC. MNC pinpoints are to paragraphs.
- Italicising the jurisdiction of an Act, or putting a comma before a legislative pinpoint.
- Leaving the full stop off the end of a footnote.
- Citing an unreported MNC when the case has since been reported in an authorised series.
Frequently asked questions
What is AGLC4?
The fourth edition of the Australian Guide to Legal Citation, published by the Melbourne University Law Review Association in 2018. It is the standard citation style for Australian law schools and journals, and widely used in practice.
Is there an AGLC5?
The Melbourne University Law Review has consulted on a fifth edition. Until it is published, AGLC4 remains the current edition, and law schools continue to require it.
How do you cite a case with a medium neutral citation in AGLC4?
Case Name [Year] Court identifier Judgment number, [Paragraph pinpoint]. For example Smith v Jones [2024] NSWSC 123, [45]. The date is no longer required.
Should I use the reported or unreported citation?
Cite the authorised report where the case has been reported. Use the medium neutral citation for cases that have not been reported.
Does this generator store what I type?
No. It runs entirely in your browser and sends nothing to a server.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. See our editorial policy for how this page is sourced and reviewed, and how to report an error.
Cases already in their MNC
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