You should include the full party names in your text – the law report reference is then placed in the footnote. Unless it would not be clear to which case you are referring, you can generally refer to the case subsequently by the first party names only, example below:
It is well represented in the case law, perhaps most notably in the expression of the no-conflict rule advocated by Lord Upjohn in Phipps v Boardman,¹ and in the earlier Court of Appeal decision in Boulting v Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians. ²
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¹ [1967] 2 AC 46 (HL).
² [1963] 2 QB 606 (CA).
Use of square or round brackets depends on whether the date is essential to locate the case. If the date is essential because there are multiple volumes each year, square brackets are used. If the date is not essential because there is a unique volume number, put the year of judgment (not the year of publication) in round brackets.
R v Ahluwalia [1992] 4 All ER 889.
Barrett v Enfield LBC (1999) 49 BMLR 1 (HL).
A pinpoint is a reference to a particular paragraph of a judgment or page of a report. If the judgment has numbered paragraphs (as will generally be the case where there is a neutral citation), pinpoint to a particular paragraph by putting the relevant paragraph number in square brackets.
If pinpointing to more than one paragraph, separate the paragraph numbers in square brackets with a comma.
If citing spans of paragraphs, insert a dash between the first and last paragraph being cited.
Callery v Gray [2001] EWCA Civ 1117, [2001] 1 WLR 2112 [42], [45].
Bunt v Tilley [2006] EWHC 407 (QB), [2006] 3 All ER 336 [1]–[37].
Neutral citation is a unique case reference available for cases since 2001. Cases published since 2001 will have a neutral citation which must be used. Cases are numbered consecutively throughout the year and the abbreviation (e.g. UKSC, UKHL, EWCH) indicates which court the case was heard in rather than a law report series.
A case reference should include the case names (if not included in your text), neutral citation and law report citation.
Name of case in italics [Judgement Year] Abbreviation for Court | Case Number
Cases may subsequently be reported in a printed series of law reports. For this the neutral citation comes before any citation for a printed law report series. Separate the citations with a comma.
Name of case in italics [year] Court case number, [year of publication] │ OR (year of judgement) │ volume │Abbreviation for Law Report | Page number
Corr v IBC Vehicles Ltd [2008] UKHL 13, [2008] 1 AC.
Corr v IBC Vehicles Ltd [2008] UKHL 13, [2008] 1 AC 884.
Case names are not italicised, pinpointing is not used and there is no full stop at the end of the reference
Belhaj v Straw [2017] UKSC 3, [2017] AC 964
A case reference should include the case names (if not included in your text).
Case Name [(Year)] Volume Number | Abbreviation for Law Report | Page number | (Court abbreviated)
case name | [year] OR (year) | volume | report abbreviation | first page | (court)
Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893] 1 QB 256 (CA).
Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893] 1 QB 256 (CA), 259.
Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893] 1 QB 256 (CA), 259, 261-262 (Lindley LJ).
Case names are not italicised, pinpointing is not used and there is no full stop at the end of the reference
Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893] 1 QB 256 (CA)
When referring to a judge in a case use the judge's surname followed by the abbreviation for their judicial office.
High Court judge - Mr (or Mrs) Justice Smith (abbreviated Smith J)
Court of Appeal judge - Lord (or Lady) Justice Smith (abbreviated Smith LJ), but if the judge is a peer use Lord or Lady Smith (no abbreviation)
House of Lords judge - Lord (or Lady) Smith (no abbreviation)
Supreme Court judge - Lord (or Lady) Smith SCJ, but if the judge is not a peer use Sir John Smith SCJ or Dame Janet Smith SCJ.
When pinpointing to a particular passage in a judgment, add the judge’s name in brackets after the pinpoint
Belhaj v Straw [2017] UKSC 3, [2017] AC 964 [8]-[10] (Lord Mance SCJ).
Arscott v The Coal Authority [2004] EWCA Civ 892, [2005] Env LR 6 [27] (Laws LJ).
R v G and another [2003] UKHL 50 [13] (Lord Bingham).