Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage

From Library Journal
In this dictionary of American (and some British) legal usage, attorney Garner provides a "charted course" through legal language, advising on hundreds of usage problems in legal writing. Words, phrases, and a few topics are arranged alphabetically and defined or discussed with distinctions between similar terms carefully drawn. Problems in phraseology, diction, grammar, and style are dealt with and entries aptly illustrated from cases, statutes, etc. This volume supplements standard law dictionaries by adding to definitions and including terms not found. It is the most extensive resource available for legal word usage. Its strengths are depth in explanations, careful distinctions, and engaging style. A solid contribution to the improvement of legal writing, highly recommended for larger libraries and all libraries with law or law-related emphases. Mary Jane Brustman, SUNY at Albany Libs.Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
The well-received Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage (1987) has been updated in this superior second edition. This dictionary of law usage and etymology, not just definitions, is written in a clear and concise style. The number of entries has almost doubled from the first edition, and additional illustrative quotations have been added with complete citations. New terms in this edition include remote relatives, reverse discrimination, gray mail, shadow jury, lynch law, and misconduct in the office.The entries are arranged alphabetically, interspersed with brief essays on issues of style, grammar and usage, legal lexicology, word formation, and punctuation. The initial words of these essays are capitalized to set them apart. So, for example, there is both a definition of forbid, forbade, forbidden with four quotations from cases or other law books and a discussion of forbidden words and phrases with a list of useless words--irregardless, wheresoever, etc.It is unfortunate that the introduction from the first edition was not reprinted in the new volume since it describes the purposes of the book--perhaps the most important is "to make legal writers sensitive to the aesthetic possibilities of their prose, to goad them into thinking more acutely about what works in a given context, and what does not." Even libraries that have the first edition should consider this new one, which is highly recommended for any law collection in public or academic libraries.

From Book News, Inc.
<:;st> A gem of a reference, and cited in BCL3 and the Supplement to Sheehy. As much a style guide as a legal dictionary, it presents practical advice on how to write clear legal prose, for lawyers, judges, law students, and those who confront the language of the law in related fields, such as journalism, business, and finance. It includes guidelines and illustrations, quotations from judges and prominent legal thinkers, and essays which explore the issues that legal writers routinely encounter. This edition is updated and expanded to more than twice the length of the original (1987). Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.


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**** A gem of a reference, and cited in BCL3 and the Supplement to Sheehy. As much a style guide as a legal dictionary, it presents practical advice on how to write clear legal prose, for lawyers, judges, law students, and those who confront the language of the law in related fields, such as journalism, business, and finance. It includes guidelines and illustrations, quotations from judges and prominent legal thinkers, and essays which explore the issues that legal writers routinely encounter. This edition is updated and expanded to more than twice the length of the original (1987). Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)


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