Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

authorities definition

What does authorities mean? Authorities are the legal sources a lawyer relies on to justify a proposition of law in submissions, skeleton arguments and judgments. The term is descriptive and widely used across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, rather than being defined by statute. Authorities typically include: primary legislation and subordinate legislation; binding appellate case law within the relevant jurisdiction; and, as persuasive material, decisions from other UK or foreign courts, tribunal rulings, EU and ECHR jurisprudence where applicable, and reputable academic commentary. In Scotland, the writings of the institutional writers (e.g. Stair, Erskine, Bell) may carry particular weight. Textbooks and...

CPR-compliant citation of authorities: hierarchy of law reports, neutral citations, ex tempore judgments, format and court guides (England and Wales)

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Practice notes

Practice Note

This Practice Note offers guidance on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR. Depending on the court in which your proceedings are taking place, you should also remain alert to any additional provisions—see: Court specific guidance. The Note explains the status of authorities to be relied on before the court and emphasises the importance of accurate citation of authorities. It is counsel’s duty to cite the correct law report for a case; citing an unofficial report is not adequate where an official or approved report is available. Accordingly, when conducting research or compiling bundles for counsel or the court, ensure that citations are to the most appropriate law reports at all stages, wherever possible. The applicable sources are set out in Practice Direction (Citation of Authorities (2012). The cost of producing a non-compliant bundle of authorities is at risk of being disallowed (Parr v Keystone Healthcare). For more on that decision, see News Analysis: Recovery of unauthorised profit from fiduciary—company directors (Parr v Keystone Healthcare Ltd). For further information on costs orders and costs recovery, see: Costs orders—overview and Principles of costs recovery—overview for guidance...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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