Black's Law Dictionary: Abridged Version (Paperback)

by Bryan A. Garner (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This first-ever, total A-Z revision of features flexible cross-referencing that leads you quickly to the definitions you need. Prepared by a noted legal lexicographer and team of prominent legal historians, scholars, lawyers, and judges, who rewrote every entry -- both for substantive accuracy and for stylistic clarity. Includes quotes and cites on terminological issues from authorities such as William Blackstone and Charles Alan Wright with illustrative quotations from hornbooks, treatises, and other scholarly sources. Covers international law as never before. Systematically incorporates new legal terms from “cybersquatting” to “Megan’s law” to “statistical-decision theory.” Parts of speech and etymology of terms are provided where appropriate. Includes dozens of subject and usage labels to quickly orient you to term’s context.

About the Author
Acknowledged by linguists and lawyers alike as THE authority in legal language and usage, his influence is both far-reaching and profound. Mr. Garner has has a hand in editing the most important legal references produced in the last decade, as well as in training lawyers and judges on sharpening and clarifying their own legal writing. In short, no one better bridges the worlds of law and language--nor is better suited to take on the classic work and make it better. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1364 pages
• Publisher: West Publishing Company; Abridged 8th edition (August 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0314158634
• ISBN-13: 978-0314158635
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.7 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (122 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #46,405 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not all that deluxe, December 17, 2004

By	Jim 'n Em (Law-Law Land) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black's Law Dictionary: Deluxe Thumb-Index (Hardcover)

I have to preface my review with a caveat: Black's is indispensible and if you're reading this, you need it. Also, I haven't looked through it extensively and so don't purport to rate this edition over the last one, just this deluxe version.

Having said that, I can't recommend this particular version with cheap-ish vinyl/leatherette cover and thumb indexing.

I just bought this deluxe version a few days ago for my sister who is going to enter law school in the fall. I decided that though the regular 7th version has served me well, she deserves the best. While this is surely the best, it is certainly not worth $40+ more than the regular version.

I feel like this $100 book will look like a pretty weak stand-alone present for her now that I've taken a close look at it; it's just a little underwhelming.

The cover, whatever it is, looks a little cheap and scratches and indents very easily. It already looks used and did not come sealed.

The binding and overall workmanship seems to be on par with the regular edition I looked at (and the one I own), which is to say mediocre.

The thumb indexing is a plus, and I guess that some people could desire that option enough to warrant the higher price.

Also, the paper is of noticeably higher quality, more like a nice library quality Webster's than a regular book. But I never noticed that the paper in my previous edition was lacking until Barrister Books told me.

The only other noteworthy thing about this particular version is the double take the cashier did when the price came up.

Really, I don't think you can justify that jump in price, if they could do something special for an additional $40-50 (i.e. leather, better binding, jewel encrusted carrying case) it would be worth looking into. There is a deluxe edition in a slipcase for $30 more, but there is no picture of it online and my school's bookstore didn't stock it and I'm sure it is the same book otherwise.

Al in all, a great reference with a marginal upgrade.

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rebuttal to other reviews, September 11, 2003

By	Opampman (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black's Law Dictionary 7th Edition (Hardcover)

Do not believe those reviewers who say that 1L's do not need this dictionary. I have struggled for almost a month now with my Mirriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law and other online dictionaries because these dictionaries do not give clear definitions. Black's, however, excels in clarity. For brevity's sake, I refrain from giving examples. Go look at the dictionary.

Some reviewers contend that the 7th edition is missing valuable information included in earlier editions. The missing information are largely case citations that give authority to various definitions. The 7th edition dispenses with this patchwork of lexicography in favor of an amalgamization approach aimed at transferring legal understanding to your mind as quickly as possible. If you need to do research on jurisdictional definitions of terms, consult Words and Phrases (multi-volume dictionary, every law library has it).

For those who are tempted to get the abridged version, I strongly encourage you to get the full version. The full version includes much commentary from legal treatises that expands understanding of the terms beyond the given definitions.

Finally, while you will have access to Black's on Westlaw your second semester, is there really a good substitute for hardcopy when your internet connection is down? Besides, if you are like me, you get sick of staring at the screen all day long.

Go buy this dictionary. You won't regret it.

60 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Critical Reference Tool for Legal Professionals, June 24, 2000

By	Andrew T. Berkowitz (Louisville, Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black's Law Dictionary 7th Edition (Hardcover)

How can anyone even tangentially involved in the legal arena dispute the preeminence of Black's Law Dictionary? It simply has no peer. If you are unable to effortlessly recite definitions used in lay english, you don't have a prayer with legal words, phrases, and terminology.

This work contains thousands of definitions, has been recently updated (7th edition) to encompass new and evolving areas of the law, and addresses more legal maxims than a college latin professor can shake a stick at. It is, therefore, simply the best.

I would like to briefly and concisely address come of the concerns of other reviewers. First, the color of the cover is completely irrelevant to the quality of the book. Get over it. If the problem is really that bad, buy a can of spray paint. Next, this monster doesn't go to class - it sits on your desk at home. If you need a pocket law dictionary for class (which you do), go buy one. Stop complaining because it won't fit into your Levis. Finally, if you don't think you need it, you need it more than you think. Every first year law student cracks this book early in the first semester. There isn't one law school professor in the country who doesn't own a copy. It's standard fare at all major law firms. So again, please tell me, why don't you need to purchase the most comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date legal dictionary in the world?