How to cite an ECtHR judgment correctly

Citing a judgment of the European Court of Human Rights correctly is not a matter of form: an incomplete citation makes the source impossible to verify, and in a pleading or a procedural document that weakens its weight. This guide covers the mandatory elements of an ECtHR citation and the two international formats used most often.

Mandatory elements

Whatever the format, a complete ECtHR citation contains:

• The case name — applicant against respondent State: Ilaşcu and Others v. Moldova and Russia. English sources use “v.”, French sources “c.”;
• The application number — the unique identifier assigned by the Court, in the form 48787/99. It is the most reliable element of the citation: case names repeat, application numbers do not;
• The date of the judgment — the date it was delivered, not the date the application was lodged;
• The formation — where it matters: a Grand Chamber judgment (GC) carries greater authority than a Chamber one;
• The paragraph — when citing a specific passage, always give the paragraph (§), never the page: paragraph numbering is identical across all language versions.

Bluebook format

Used mainly in American academic writing and in international arbitration:

Ilaşcu and Others v. Moldova and Russia, App. No. 48787/99, Eur. Ct. H.R. (2004), § 335.

OSCOLA format

The British university standard, frequently required for master's and doctoral work:

Ilaşcu and Others v Moldova and Russia App no 48787/99 (ECtHR, 8 July 2004) para 335.

Citing before Moldovan courts

Moldovan practice does not impose a single format, but a complete and verifiable form is always accepted:

ECtHR, Ilaşcu and Others v. Moldova and Russia, application no. 48787/99, Grand Chamber judgment of 8 July 2004, § 335.

Common mistakes

1. Citing without the application number. The case name alone does not identify the judgment — there are dozens of X v. Moldova cases;
2. Citing the press release instead of the judgment. The Court's press releases have no legal value;
3. Citing a translation as the authoritative text. Only the English and/or French versions are authentic; a translation is cited as a working tool, with its source stated (see the guide on translations);
4. Confusing a judgment with a decision — a decision concerns admissibility, a judgment concerns the merits.

How Precedentia helps

Every ECtHR case page on Precedentia carries a citation block with Bluebook, OSCOLA and BibTeX formats generated from the judgment's metadata, plus a link to the official HUDOC text. For thematic research, cases are grouped by Convention article — for example Article 6 or Article 1 of Protocol No. 1.