Pub. L.
Law & Legal abbreviation · Legal Citation
| Stands for | Public Law |
|---|---|
| Categories | Law & Legal |
Pub. L. stands for Public Law, a legal citation abbreviation also used in government.
Designation for a federal statute of general application, numbered by Congress and order of enactment, so Pub. L. No. 117-169 was the 169th public law of the 117th Congress. The number appears on the slip law and in the Statutes at Large.
Example: The CARES Act was enacted as Pub. L. No. 116-136, 134 Stat. 281 (2020).
Usage notes
Public laws affect the general public, while private laws benefit specific individuals, often in immigration or claims matters. Numbering by Congress began in 1957. Agencies and news outlets often write "P.L. 116-136", but the Bluebook form is "Pub. L. No." followed by the number.
Related abbreviations
More legal citation abbreviations
- N.E.3d – North Eastern Reporter, Third Series
- N.W.2d – North Western Reporter, Second Series
- N.Y.3d – New York Reports, Third Series
- N.Y.S.3d – New York Supplement, Third Series
- P.2d – Pacific Reporter, Second Series
- P.3d – Pacific Reporter, Third Series
- reh'g – Rehearing
- rev'd – Reversed
- Rev. Proc. – Revenue Procedure
- Rev. Rul. – Revenue Ruling
- S. Ct. – Supreme Court Reporter
- S.E.2d – South Eastern Reporter, Second Series
See all 87 legal citation abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.