Monday, May 12, 2014

Back in Black's

Black's Law Dictionary, the leading dictionary for American legal researchers, has recently been released in its new 10th edition. Its publisher has created an announcement page highlighting the history of the dictionary, which first appeared in 1891. The publisher page, as well as a recent ABA Journal article by longtime dictionary editor Bryan A. Garner, gives a look behind the scenes of the new edition's development. More than 7,500 new entries have been added, and thousands of other entries have been revised and updated. The dictionary has also expanded its coverage of Latin maxims, with assistance from expert classicists and a former Oxford University professor of Roman law.

The Goodson Law Library will soon add the 10th edition of Black's to its collection, where it will replace the 2009 9th edition in Reference and on Reserve. There is no word yet on when the new terms and definitions will be added to the BLACKS database on Westlaw, which currently contains the text of the 9th edition. For help with using Black's or other legal dictionaries, be sure to Ask a Librarian.