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Law vocabulary · Legal Writing & Drafting

Cite

Meaning in law, with examples

/saɪt/verbCommon term

In law, cite means: To mention a case, statute or other source as support for an argument, using a standard form that tells readers exactly where to find it.

In Turkish: atıf yapmak, göstermek, alıntılamak

How it is used

Lawyers 'cite authority' for every legal point. The noun 'citation' means both the act and the reference itself, for example a case citation. Well-known citation guides include OSCOLA in the UK and The Bluebook in the US.

Example sentences

  1. Can you cite any authority for that proposition?

  2. The judge cited three earlier decisions in support of her conclusion.

Common collocations

  • cite a case
  • cite authority
  • case citation
  • cited with approval
  • precedentAn earlier court decision that judges use as an example or a rule when they decide later cases with similar facts or legal questions.
  • case lawLaw that comes from the decisions of courts rather than from statutes; the body of earlier judgments that judges and lawyers rely on.
  • memorandumA written document, often called a memo, in which a lawyer analyses a legal question and gives conclusions, usually for a colleague, a partner or a client.
  • briefIn the US, a written argument that a lawyer submits to a court, especially an appeal court; in the UK, the instructions and papers a solicitor sends to a barrister for a case.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Legal Writing & Drafting

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.