Rating: 
Summary: A Better Doorstopper or Child's Booster Seat Can't Be Found
Review: Every first year law student spends the evening before his or her first day of law school examining this weighty tome, leafing through its dense double-columned pages of arcane and obsolete legalese, rolling the syllables of Latin phrases like "consentientes et agentes pari poena plectentur" or "in dubio, pro legi fori" around on the back of the tongue, experimenting with various pronunciations of harsh old Anglo-Saxon terms like "lyef-geld" or "gisle" or "feoffee", and pondering the shaded meanings of such linguistic curiousities as "nudum pactum", "girth and sanctuary" or "estate tail". All of this and more is taken in by the eager law student, who reads on into the night before parking the tome on the shelf and dropping off to sleep. Nine times out of ten, the book thereafter remains unopened, gathering dust, dutifully moving from apartment to apartment, then from office to office in the course of one's legal career (should the law student be so fortunate as to have one). Very occasionally, the student or lawyer may encounter an unfamiliar word or phrase, and Black's Law Dictionary will come down off the shelf for a brief interlude. Those few lawyers who have the time or inclination will marvel at the wealth of legal arcanography contained between the boards of a single volume. One or two might even take it home for bedtime reading. For most, however, it is merely a part of the furniture, little used, underappreciated and generally ignored. Even so, I heartily recommend it, not only as an indispensible part of every lawyer's library furniture, but also as a veritable treasure trove of tidbits such as "lex fingit ubi subsistit aequitas", "tenants by the verge" and "smoke farthings". For sheer power to amaze and entertain, how could this not be one of the ten great books of the English language?
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Summary: A Critical Reference Tool for Legal Professionals
Review: 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?
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Summary: Necessary!
Review: I can't imagine trying to survive law school without it. Shell out the extra money (...y'know...a few extra hours at work the summer before you start law school...) to get this edition.
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Summary: A must own for anyone involved in the law
Review: I disagree with the comments of the reviewer below. The full hardback edition of the dictionary is a must own, as it contains everything that Black's has to offer. In addition, I strongly recommend law students purchase a compact pocket book edition to carry with you to class at all times. The pocket book edition is relatively inexpensive, under $10, so it will only add slightly to the overwhelming cost of books in law school. However, in whatever form you choose to buy, this dictionary is a must own, unless you are fluent in Latin.
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Summary: if your a 1L you need this book
Review: I dont know what I would have done without this book. It really helped me during my first year in law school.
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Summary: Handy.
Review: I teach at a law school, and my students tell me that they like this pocket dictionary. You can't lug the complete edition of Black's around campus; it's too big. But this little paperback is just right for pulling out of a backpack when the professor uses a term everyone "should" know. It's convenient. And accurate.
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Summary: Perfect book for general law-purpose and research.
Review: I used this book for a research at my university. I was amazed by this books great range of information and was infact very handy (beleave it or not). Very good, and has my full recomodation. law-user
Rating: 
Summary: Newer and Shorter, but not Better
Review: I've perused this and find it a poor substitute for the original tome--no doubt this abbreviated paperback version will be of some use to the cost-conscious student or the briefcase-toting lawyer, but it cannot compare with the cultural and linguistic treasure-trove to be found in the 10-pound hardcover version. If you buy this, you should still plan on buying the Real McCoy!
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Summary: The Reference For Understanding Legal Terminology
Review: If you have ever had to read a contract or any other form of legal document, then this book is a must reference for you. It is by far the leading reference on the market for legal terminology. With an expanding society of lawyers and complexities in contracts, it's important to have a reference that can unlock the door of understanding as this dictionary does. It is also a must for any business owner as a reference. I highly recommend you own one. It's worth the investment.
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Summary: Classic - all law students need a Blacks Law Dictionary
Review: If you're an LDer, this dictionary is pretty nice, unless you actually like hauling around the entire latin language in your briefcase. In that case the full ultra deluxe Black's Law Dictionary is for you!
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