flickr photo by greeblie

The course readings for the first couple of weeks of law school can be tough for new students due to the use of latin phrases and “legalese” in court opinions. Legal dictionaries are a great source to consult when trying to define legal terms. Not only will legal dictionaries define a term, but they may also give an example of how the term is used, as well as provide references to cases, statutes, or secondary sources that relate to the term.

Below are a couple of legal dictionaries available in the Law Library and online.

• Black’s Law Dictionary
  • 10th Edition located in the Reference Collection
  • Also available WestlawNext
• Ballentine’s Law Dictionary
  • Available through Lexis Advance
• Barron’s Law Dictionary
  • Available on Bloomberg Law (access by typing in legal term in the <GO> bar)
• Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary 
  • Locted in the Reference Collection
  • Available on Nolo.com (free)