Research Guides: Criminal Justice Complete: Citing Laws and Statutes

APA does not have strict guidance for some kinds of government sources. Links to clear APA guidelines are provided when possible.

When APA guidance is not available, the citations given are to be considered "best practices" according to the basic principles of citations

Tells the reader where/how to find the source without using the URL
Provides a URL when possible
Tells the reader when it was written
Tells the reader who wrote and/or published it

State Statutes and Laws

If a state law or statute has an official name ("Florida Mental Health Act")

To cite the Florida Mental Health Act..

Florida Mental Health Act, Fla. Stat., § 394 (1971 & rev. 2009). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0394/0394PARTIContentsIndex.html

What that translates to is:

Name of Law = Florida Mental Health Act
State Code (Florida Statutes) = Fla. Stat.
Section § = 394
Initial Year of statute = 1971
Years in which statute was revised OR Omit entirely = rev. 2009
Link if available = http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0394/0394PARTIContentsIndex.html

See guidance from Wake Forest University Libraries

If a state law or statute does not have an official name (ex. a subsection or paragraph in the state's statutes)

To cite Minnesota Statute 134.12 entitled "Benefits of library"

Benefits of library, Minn. Stat. § 134.12 (1905 & rev. 1913, 1951, 1963, 1973, 1983). https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/134.12

Benefits of library, Minn. Stat. § 134.12 (1983). https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/134.12

What that translates to is:

Name of Section = Benefits of Library
State Code (Minnesota Statutes) = Minn. Stat.
Section § = 134
Subsection = 12
Initial Year of statute OR year of version you're citing = 1905 OR 1983
Years in which statute was revised OR Omit entirely = rev. 1913, 1951, 1963, 1973, 1983 OR [blank]
Link if available = https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/134.12