Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law

I had planned on buying "Black's Law Dictionary", but the review of this dictionary made me think twice. I did a comparison of some key words and phrases between these two and several others. This one was the winner.

The price was not an object, but it sure is nice to pocket the extra money. This dictionary had similar definitions, but slightly more readable. What was the tipping point were the additional description of how they are used -- not just the definition, but was it means and some historical usages.

The extras at the back are nice. They will probably be more useful than I had suspected, especially the summaries of important Supreme Court cases.

I keep this legal dictionary at my right hand on my desk and refer to it almost daily. It is a perferct legal dictionary for non-lawyers.

I'm not a lawyer, but have been involved with litigation as a plaintiff and am training as an expert witness. Sometimes it's helpful to know what "voir dire" and "subpoena duces tecum" mean. Even for somebody who's studied Latin and French, lawyers sometimes pronounce things differently than you'd expect - and this dictionary has helped.

I also appreciate having a copy of the constitution in the back, as well as a guide to the judicial system. Included is a bare-bones outline of criminal and civil procedure which will be helpful for the layperson. The appendix also has lists of important cases and important laws (can you remember Marbury vs. Madison from high school civics?).

I know that Black's Law Dictionary, Eighth Edition (Black's Law Dictionary (Standard Edition)) is the standard, but you can't beat this dictionary for its price, size, and coverage.

i compared this to black's law dictionary when i bought this particular dictionary. i found that the definitions were just as comprehensive as the black's and that layout was easier to understand. the price is also big plus since it is half the cost of the blacks

A very good dictionary. The only drawback is that it is not very comprehensive. It does not include all the terms you expect to find in your daily activities, but still a good option to have around.