The practice of law requires the precise use of words. While general
unabridged dictionaries define legal words of art, they do not do so with the
precision of a legal dictionary.
In the Witrz Labor Library we have:
- Black's Law Dictionary on the Dictionary Stand in the Law
Library
- Words and Phrases in the Law Reference section
Both of these sources differ from general dictionaries by:
- Citing authority
- Paraphrasing the actual language of the courts
You can also find legal dictionaries on the Internet:
- Findlaw <http://dictionary.lp.findlaw.com/>
- Law.com <http://dictionary.law.com/>
- LawyerIntl.com <http://lawyerintl.com/modules/dictionary/>
- Wex <http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/Main_Page> Collaboratively-created, public-access law dictionary
and encyclopedia provided by
Cornell University's LII.
- Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page>
- Yahoo <http://dir.yahoo.com/Government/Law/Legal_Research/Dictionaries/>
DOL employees: On WESTLAW, use the database BLACKS, which contains the entire contents of Black's Law Dictionary (8th Edition, 2004).
On LEXIS try Ballentine's Law Dictionary, 3rd Edition (LEXREF; BTINES) or Legal Dictionaries, Combined (LEXREF/LGLDIC).
Note: Lexis no longer updates the online version of Ballentine's Law Dictionary, 3rd Edition.
|