Legal Citation is a standardized set of guidelines that allows the writer of legal discourse to refer to legal authorities and sources with enough clarity to enable the reader to find or follow those references.  This referencing of statements and sources of law must be done clearly, concisely and consistently to ensure efficient and accurate location of these resources.  Citation is an essential part of writing at University. When you write in university you must acknowledge the books, journal articles and other information sources you use in your work. If you do not acknowledge your sources you are stealing another persons ideas and words, a serious offence in university.

The Australian Guide to Legal Citation:

There are many citation styles which can be adopted for use in different circumstances. In law schools the Footnote Citation method has been widely adopted. The reason this is preferred over others is because it takes into account primary legal materials. The citation style which is currently being followed by the Murdoch School of Law is outlined in the  Australian Guide to Legal Citation (3rd ed) (AGLC3) produced by Melbourne University Law Review Association in collaboration with the Melbourne Journal of International Law.   The AGLC3 is a very detailed document.  The purpose of this tutorial is to introduce you to the AGLC3 and to highlight important features with which you will need to be familiar from an very early stage of your legal studies.   It is therefore recommended that you familiarise yourself with the General Rules, found in Part I, and with the rules to which you are directed in the topics which follow.
As you progress through your studies, you will be expected to correctly cite more complex legal materials. The notes contained in this tutorial are not exhaustive, and you will need to refer frequently to the AGLC3 for further elaboration.