Skip to main content

Blacks Law Dictonary


Wikipedia

Black's Law Dictionary

Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition

Black's Law is the most widely used law dictionary in the United States. Henry Campbell Black (1860–1927) authored the first two editions (see a list of all editions, below). The U.S. Supreme Court has cited the dictionary as a secondary legal authority in many U.S. Supreme Court cases.[1]

History

The first edition was published in 1891, and the second edition in 1910.[2] The sixth and earlier editions of the book also provided case citations for the term cited, which some lawyers view as its most useful feature, providing a useful starting point with leading cases. The Internet made legal research easier than it ever had been, so many state- or circuit-specific case citations and outdated or overruled case citations were dropped from the seventh edition in 1999. The eighth edition introduced a unique system of perpetually updated case citations and cross-references to legal encyclopedias. The current edition is the eleventh, published in 2019.[3]

Because many legal terms are derived from a Latin root word, the Dictionary gives a pronunciation guide for such terms.[citation needed] In addition, the applicable entries provide pronunciation transcriptions pursuant to those found among North American practitioners of law or medicine.[citation needed]

Availability

An online version of the tenth edition can be accessed through the paid Westlaw legal information service.

The second edition of Black's Law Dictionary (1910) is now in the public domain and is available online for free (see External Links below). However, the general applicability of this online version is limited due to its age. It still applies for legal theory terms, and many basic legal terms with respect to their general meaning. However, references to case law will be obviously incomplete for modern purposes, and the use of legal language in court filings and in the courtroom has changed with changes in law and legal culture over time.[4] The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. has reprinted the first and second editions (ISBN 0-9630106-0-3 and ISBN 1-886363-10-2, respectively). Also, it is available as a Windows Phone application, and the tenth edition is available as an application for iOS devices.[5] [6]

Bibliography

Pocket editions

Non-English editions

  • Blackův právnický slovník. Complete translation of 6th edition into Czech. Victoria Publishing, Prague, 1993. ISBN 80-85605-23-6.
  • Āqāʼī, Bahman. Farhang-i ḥuqūqī-i Bahman: Ingilīsī-Fārsī: bar asās-i Black's law dictionary (1999)[7] (Fārsī)
  • Muqtadirah-yi Qaumī Zabān. Qānūnī, Angrezī-Urdu lug̲h̲at: Blaiks lāʼ dikshanarī se māk̲h̲ūz (Based on Black's law dictionary) / nigrān, Fatiḥ Muḥammad Malik (2002)[8] ISBN 969-474-084-3. (Urdu)

References

  1. ^ Darrell Paterson v. Walgreen Co.18-349 (Supreme Court of the United States).
  2. ^ OCLC 33831602
  3. ^ https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/law-books/blacks-law-dictionary
  4. ^ Example: "libelant ": Formerly the party who filed an initiatory Pleading (a formal declaration of a claim) in an ecclesiastical or religious matter or in an admiralty case, corresponding to the plaintiff in actions at law. Since 1966, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Supplementary Admiralty Rules have governed admiralty actions, which are presently commenced by complaint [or the complainant]." West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2. 2008 The Gale Group, Inc.; as found at "libelantThe Free Dictionary. Farlex. Retrieved on 13 May 2018.
  5. ^ The Windows Phone application
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ NCSU Libraries[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "University of Toronto Library". Archived from the original on 2012-01-12. Retrieved 2011-10-25.

Comments