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How to cite state statutes, state by state

Use the code name table T1.3 gives the state, then the section, then a date parenthetical: the year alone for an official code, the publisher and year for an unofficial one. Ga. Code Ann. § 9-3-33 (2024); Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.140 (West 2024). Courts often print their own short forms, like O.C.G.A. or KRS. Use T1's form unless a court rule or your professor asks for theirs.

Written for the 22nd edition. Updated .

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6 flags in 3 citations: 3 to fix, 3 worth a look.

The claim was filed too late. O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33; see also 735 ILCS 5/13-202; G. L. c. 260, § 2A.

How a state statute cite is built

Each state's code has one name in table T1.3, abbreviated the way the table prints it: Ga. Code Ann., Wash. Rev. Code, Mass. Gen. Laws. Then comes § and the section, with a space after §, and then the date parenthetical (Rule 12.3).

An official code takes the year alone: Fla. Stat. § 95.11 (2024). An unofficial code, published by a company, names it before the year: N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-2 (West 2024). California, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas and Utah have no official code to cite, so their cites always carry a publisher.

The year is the one on the volume you used, or the supplement's if the section is there. Online, use the year the database says its version is current through.

Some codes put a number before or after the name. Illinois and Pennsylvania lead with the chapter or title: 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/13-202, 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524. Delaware, Maine, Oklahoma and Vermont write it after the name as tit. 12. Massachusetts cites chapter and section: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A. California, Texas, Maryland and New York name a code by subject: Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1.

The forms courts print

Most state courts cite their own code in a shorter form than T1's, and students copy it from the opinions they read: O.C.G.A. in Georgia, RCW in Washington, KRS in Kentucky, the section first in Florida and Colorado. A court rule may require that form in a filing to that court. For a class assignment or a law review, use T1's unless your professor says otherwise. Each state below shows the court's form first, struck through, then T1's.

Alabama to Georgia

  • § 6-2-38(l), Ala. Code 1975Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l) (2024)Alabama: courts put the section first and add 1975, the year the code was adopted. T1 puts the code first, and the year in parentheses is your edition's. T1.3
  • AS 09.10.070(a)Alaska Stat. § 09.10.070(a) (2024)Alaska: the supreme court writes AS with no § and no year. Keep the leading zero in the title. T1.3
  • A.R.S. § 12-542(1)Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 12-542(1) (2024)Arizona: A.R.S. is the statute's own short title. T1 names West's annotated code, with the year alone. T1.3
  • Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105(3) (Repl. 2005)Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105(3) (2005)Arkansas: courts mark a replacement volume Repl. T1's parenthetical gives the year alone. T1.3
  • Code Civ. Proc., § 335.1Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1 (West 2024)California: courts follow the California Style Manual. T1 opens with Cal., puts Code after the subject, and names West or Deering. T1.3
  • § 13-80-102(1)(a), C.R.S. (2024)Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102(1)(a) (2024)Colorado: courts put the section before C.R.S. T1 puts the code first. T1.3
  • General Statutes § 52-577Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-577 (2024)Connecticut: courts drop the state's name. T1 abbreviates the official code and adds the year. T1.3
  • 10 Del. C. § 8106Del. Code Ann. tit. 10, § 8106 (2024)Delaware: courts put the title first. T1 puts it after the code name, as tit. 10. T1.3
  • D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(8)D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(8) (2024)District of Columbia: the name is already T1's. Add the year of the code. T1.3
  • § 95.11(5)(a), Fla. Stat. (2024)Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a) (2024)Florida: courts put the section first. T1 puts the code first; the official code takes the year alone. T1.3
  • O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33Ga. Code Ann. § 9-3-33 (2024)Georgia: courts write O.C.G.A. (often OCGA). T1 names the official code Ga. Code Ann. T1.3

Hawaii to Maryland

  • HRS § 657-7Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-7 (2024)Hawaii: courts write HRS. T1 spells it out and adds the year. T1.3
  • I.C. § 5-219(4)Idaho Code § 5-219(4) (2024)Idaho: courts write I.C., which is also Indiana's short form. T1's name can't be mistaken. T1.3
  • 735 ILCS 5/13-202735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/13-202 (2024)Illinois: the chapter comes first and the act and section follow the slash. T1 writes ILCS as Ill. Comp. Stat. T1.3
  • I.C. § 34-11-2-4Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4 (2024)Indiana: courts shorten later cites to I.C. T1 keeps Ind. Code every time. T1.3
  • Iowa Code section 614.1(2)Iowa Code § 614.1(2) (2024)Iowa: in a citation, write § rather than the word. T1.3
  • K.S.A. 60-513(a)(4)Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-513(a)(4) (2024)Kansas: courts write K.S.A. with no § and no year. T1 adds both. T1.3
  • KRS 413.140(1)(a)Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.140(1)(a) (West 2024)Kentucky: Kentucky has no official code, so T1 wants the publisher: West or LexisNexis. T1.3
  • La. R.S. 9:5605La. Stat. Ann. § 9:5605 (2024)Louisiana: courts write La. R.S. T1 names the code La. Stat. Ann. and keeps the colon between title and section. T1.3
  • 14 M.R.S. § 752Me. Stat. tit. 14, § 752 (2024)Maine: courts put the title first. T1 writes it after the code name, as tit. 14. T1.3
  • Md. Code (1974, 2020 Repl. Vol.), § 5-101 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings ArticleMd. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 (LexisNexis 2020)Maryland: codes are cited by subject article. T1 abbreviates the article and names the publisher. T1.3

Massachusetts to New York

  • G. L. c. 260, § 2AMass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A (2024)Massachusetts: courts write G. L. c. T1 names the General Laws and abbreviates chapter as ch. T1.3
  • MCL 600.5805(2)Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2) (2024)Michigan: courts write MCL with no §. T1 spells it out and adds both. T1.3
  • Minn. Stat. 541.05Minn. Stat. § 541.05 (2024)Minnesota: the name is already T1's. Add § and the year. T1.3
  • Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49 (Rev. 2019)Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49 (2019)Mississippi: courts mark a revised volume Rev. T1's parenthetical gives the year alone. T1.3
  • § 516.120, RSMo 2016Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 (2016)Missouri: courts put the section before RSMo and the revision year after it. T1 puts the code first and the year in parentheses. T1.3
  • § 27-2-204(1), MCAMont. Code Ann. § 27-2-204(1) (2023)Montana: courts put the section before MCA. T1 puts the code first; the code is republished in odd years. T1.3
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207 (Reissue 2016)Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207 (2016)Nebraska: courts mark a reissued volume. T1's parenthetical gives the year alone. T1.3
  • NRS 11.190(4)(e)Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e) (2023)Nevada: courts write NRS with no §. T1 spells it out and adds both. T1.3
  • RSA 508:4N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4 (2024)New Hampshire: courts write RSA. T1 names the annotated code and keeps the colon in the section. T1.3
  • N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a)N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-2(a) (West 2024)New Jersey: courts write N.J.S.A. T1 spells it out and names West, as New Jersey has no current official code. T1.3
  • NMSA 1978, § 37-1-8N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-8 (2024)New Mexico: courts write NMSA 1978, the compilation's name. T1 abbreviates the code and gives your edition's year. T1.3
  • CPLR 214(5)N.Y. C.P.L.R. 214(5) (McKinney 2024)New York: courts write CPLR. T1 adds N.Y. and the publisher; the rule number takes no §. T1.3

North Carolina to Wyoming

  • N.C.G.S. § 1-52(16)N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(16) (2023)North Carolina: courts write N.C.G.S. T1 spells out Gen. Stat. T1.3
  • N.D.C.C. § 28-01-16N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16 (2024)North Dakota: courts write N.D.C.C. T1 spells out Cent. Code. T1.3
  • R.C. 2305.10(A)Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2305.10(A) (LexisNexis 2024)Ohio: courts write R.C. Ohio has no official code, so T1 wants the publisher: LexisNexis or West. T1.3
  • 12 O.S. § 95Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95 (2021)Oklahoma: courts put the title first. T1 writes it after the code name, as tit. 12. T1.3
  • ORS 12.110(1)Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110(1) (2023)Oregon: courts write ORS with no §. T1 spells it out; the code is republished in odd years. T1.3
  • 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524(2)42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(2) (2024)Pennsylvania: courts write Pa.C.S. T1 spells out Cons. Stat. and keeps the title first. T1.3
  • G.L. 1956 § 9-1-14R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14 (2024)Rhode Island: courts write G.L. 1956, the year of the revision. T1 names the code R.I. Gen. Laws. T1.3
  • S.C. Code § 15-3-530S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530 (2024)South Carolina: keep Ann.: it is part of T1's name for the official code. T1.3
  • SDCL 15-2-14S.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-14 (2024)South Dakota: courts write SDCL with no §. T1 spells it out, with no Ann. T1.3
  • T.C.A. § 28-3-104Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104 (2024)Tennessee: T.C.A. is common in briefs. T1 writes Tenn. Code Ann. T1.3
  • Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 16.003 (West 2024)Texas: codes are named by subject. T1 adds Ann. and the publisher. T1.3
  • Utah Code § 78B-2-307Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-307 (LexisNexis 2024)Utah: courts drop Ann. and the publisher. T1 keeps both. T1.3
  • 12 V.S.A. § 512Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 512 (2024)Vermont: courts put the title first. T1 writes it after the code name, as tit. 12. T1.3
  • Code § 8.01-243Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-243 (2024)Virginia: courts write Code alone. T1 names the state and adds Ann. T1.3
  • RCW 4.16.080(2)Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2) (2024)Washington: courts write RCW with no §. T1 spells it out and adds both. T1.3
  • W.Va.Code § 55-2-12W. Va. Code § 55-2-12 (2024)West Virginia: space the abbreviation and add the year. T1.3
  • sec. 893.54, Stats.Wis. Stat. § 893.54 (2024)Wisconsin: older opinions write sec. and Stats. after the number. T1 puts the code first. T1.3
  • Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105 (LexisNexis 2024)Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105 (2024)Wyoming: the courts add the publisher, but T1 gives this code the year alone. T1.3

Questions

Do I need the publisher in a state statute citation?
Only for an unofficial code. An official code takes the year alone: Fla. Stat. § 95.11 (2024). An unofficial one names its publisher: N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-2 (West 2024). A state with no official code, like Kentucky or Ohio, always takes one.
Can I use the abbreviation my state's courts use?
In a filing to that state's courts, often yes: a court rule may require it. In a class assignment that asks for Bluebook form, use T1's name: Ga. Code Ann., not O.C.G.A.
Which year goes in a state statute citation?
The year of the volume you used, or of the supplement if the section is printed there. Online, the year the database says its version is current through.
How do I cite a code named by subject, like California's?
Put the state, the subject and the word Code together, then the section: Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1 (West 2024), Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 6.001 (West 2024).

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