how to cite legal sources

A.

PRIMARY SOURCES
1. COURT DECISIONS
1.1 General Rules on case Names Cite by giving surname of the parties, volume,
title and page of reports and year of promulgation.
Example: Aquino vs. Blanco, 79 Phil 647 (1947)
If two or more actions are consolidated in one decision, cite the first listed but
include all the docket numbers if it is G.R. citation only.
Example: Halili et al. Vs. Court of Industrial Relations, G.R. Nos. 24864, 2773,
30110, 38655, May 30,1996.
Exceptions: Cite wholly Islamic and Chinese names in full
1.2 Case Reports Cite G.R. docket no. and date before the O.G. citation
Example: Espiritu vs. Riverte, G.R. No. 17092, September 30,1963, 62 O.G. 7226
(October 1996)
1.3 Administrative Decisions
After the title of the case, cite the name of the agency in abbreviated form or
acronym, case number and date of promulgation.
Example: In re: Colocado, C.S.C. Administrative Case No. R-27182, September
29,1964.
2. Statutory Materials
2.1 Constitution cited by reference to article, section and paragraph.
Examples: Constitution, Art. VII, Sec. 1
Constitution (1935), Art. III, Sec. 1, par. (3)
2.2 Session Laws
Citation of source e.g. Public Laws, Laws and Resolutions, Vital Documents or
Official Gazette is not required.
Examples:
a.

Public Laws, 1900-1934

Cite as Act No. 1160 (1904), art. 3

b.

Commonwealth Acts, 19355-1945

Cite as Com. Act No. 52 (1936)

c.

Presidential Decrees, 1972-1986

Cite as Pres. Decree No. 603 (1975)

d.

Batas Pambansa, 1984-1986

Cite as B.P. Blg. 80 (1981)

e. Republic Acts, 1946-1972; 1987 to date

Cite as Rep. Act No. 1792 (1957), sec. 2
2.3 Codes
As general rule, cite the name of the code, article number and section (if any),
without any indication of date. But when the code is no longer in force or has been
subsequently revised, put in the year of effectivity in parenthesis.
Examples:
LEGAL RESEARCH

Civil Code, Art. 297

Civil Code (1989), Art. 67

Rev. Penal Code, Art. 12

2.4 Bills, Resolutions and Committee Reports
Examples:

Senate No. 5, 6th Congress, 1st Session (1966)

House Res. 2, 6th Congress, 3rd Session (1966)
Comm. On National Defense, H. Rep. 28, 5th Congress, 1st
Session(1962)

2.5 Treaties and International Agreements

Examples: Treaty of Friendship with India, July 11,1952 (1953) II-2 D.F.A.T.S. 62, 2
P.T.S. 797, 203 U.N.T.S. 73
2.6 Presidential Issuances the source should be cited
Examples:

Exec. Order No. 329 (1950), 46 O.G. 2035 (July 1950)

Proc. No. 784 (1961) 57 O.G. 7122 (September 1961)
Gen. Order No. 39 (1972)
L.O.I No. 230 (1972)

2.7 Opinion of the Secretary of Justice

Example:

Sec. of Justice Op. No. 271, s. 1982

2.8 Administrative Rules and Regulations

Rules and regulations are cited by named of agency ( use abbreviation or acronym)
together with the designation employed in the regulation (Adm. Order, Bulletin,
Circular, Rule, etc.); the number and date of issuance in parenthesis.
Example:

DCI (Cooperatives) Adm. Order No. 1 (1963)

2.9 Ordinances
Example:
2.10

Manila Ordinance 6120, January 26, 1967

Court Rules

Example:
B.

Rules of Court, Rule 130, sec. 2 par. (a)

SECONDARY MATERIALS
1.

Books
Examples:

J.R. Coquia & M.D santiago, International

Law 625 (2nd edition, 1993)
P. Agabin, Globalization and the Judicial Function, in Odyssey and
Legacy: The Chief Justice Andres R. Narvasa Centennail Lecture
Series, October 1, 1998 to November 26, 1998, 130-154 (1998).
M. Moran, Comments on the Rules of Court 195 (6th Edition, 1963)

2.

Periodical Articles
Example:

3.

A.T. Muyot, Aamnesty in the Philippines:

The Legal Concept as a Political Tool,
69 Phil. L.J. (Sept. 1994)

Encyclopedias
81 AM JUR 2d WILLS, Ss. 70 (1976) citing Smith v. Landis, 47 Wash, 2d 52 (1970)

LEGAL RESEARCH