How may statutes be cited?

Statutes can be cited to either official or unofficial codes, as well as to secondary sources. Official codes are published by a government body and provide an authoritative collection of statutes, while unofficial codes may be published by private entities that compile laws for convenience and accessibility.

Citing to either type of code allows for flexibility, as legal practitioners often reference unofficial codes when they provide more user-friendly formats or additional annotations that aid in legal research. Secondary sources, such as law review articles or legal encyclopedias, may also be cited when they interpret statutes or provide commentary and analysis, thereby deepening the understanding of the law in practice. This multifaceted approach ensures that practitioners can use the best available resources for legal arguments or research.

In contrast, citing only to the official code or session law, or strictly adhering to local court rules, would limit the sources of information available to legal practitioners, which could hinder effective legal discourse and application of the statutes in question.