What are the legal encyclopedias?

The two major legal encyclopedias on US law are American Jurisprudence (Am. Jur.) 2d (available on NexisUni and Westlaw) and Corpus Juris Secundum (CJS) (available on Westlaw). Additionally, many (but not all) states have a legal encyclopedia focusing exclusively on the laws of that state.

Is it proper to cite a legal encyclopedia in legal writing?

Legal encyclopedias are secondary sources that provide a general overview of almost every legal subject. However, legal encyclopedias are not intended to be authoritative sources of the law, and they should generally not be cited in court documents or in scholarly articles.

How do I find legal encyclopedia?

On LexisNexis Academic, click on “Search by Content Type” and then on “Legal Reference”. Click on “Advanced Options” and you should see American Jurisprudence 2d under “Sources”. You can search within this encyclopedia by checking the box next to American Jurisprudence 2d and entering search terms in the search box.

How using a legal encyclopedia would help with your legal research?

Legal encyclopedias are a great place to start your research on a new topic since they offer a general introduction to a legal topic, and often include citations to cases and additional materials.

Is CJS a legal encyclopedia?

A legal encyclopedia is a comprehensive set of brief articles on legal topics. The two most popular general legal encyclopedias are Corpus Juris Secundum (C.J.S.), and American Jurisprudence, 2d (Am. Jur.

Is treatise a law?

A legal treatise is a scholarly legal publication containing all the law relating to a particular area, such as criminal law or trusts and estates. In law schools, treatises are sometimes used as additional study materials, as treatises often cover legal subjects at a higher level of detail than most casebooks do.

Are legal encyclopedias primary authority?

They include legal dictionaries, legal encyclopedias, legal periodicals, annotations, and treatises. Primary sources are the law. They include codes and cases. It is mandatory for us to follow primary authority from our jurisdiction.

Is Cal Jur a legal encyclopedia?

California Jurisprudence 3d , or Cal Jur 3d , is a multivolume legal encyclopedia that provides a basic overview of California’s constitutional, statutory, judicial, and administrative laws.

What are legal encyclopedias used for?

Legal encyclopedias provide an excellent starting point for legal research. The articles summarize the basic law in a particular subject area and provide the researcher with citations to relevant cases, statutes and regulations on all levels. Relevant law review articles and ALR are also cited.

Is a treatise binding?

The treatise may generally be loose leaf bound with rings or posts so that updates to laws covered by the treatise and annotated by the editor may be added by the subscriber to the legal treatise. Certain treatises, called hornbooks, are used by American law students as supplements to casebooks.

What does treatise mean in law?

Primary tabs. A treatise (sometimes termed learned treatise) is an extensive and exhaustive encyclopedia-like book on a specific subject, usually a legal topic; a thorough analysis of a field of law, detailing its principles and rules, and illustrating those principles and rules through examples.

What is secondary law?

Secondary legislation is law created by ministers (or other bodies) under powers given to them by an Act of Parliament. Secondary legislation can be used to set the date for when provisions of an Act will come into effect as law, or to amend existing laws.

How to cite legal encyclopedia?

Method 1 of 4: MLA Start with the author’s name, if known. Some encyclopedia entries include the name of the person who wrote or edited the entry. Provide the title of the entry in quotation marks. Many encyclopedia entries do not list an author for specific entries. Include information about the encyclopedia itself. List the page numbers for print encyclopedias.

What is the law encyclopedia?

A legal encyclopedia is a comprehensive set of brief articles on legal topics. It is arranged similarly to a general encyclopedia, such as Encyclopedia Britannica, with topical articles arranged in alphabetical order.

Is ALR a legal encyclopedia?

American Law Reports (ALR) is another quasi- legal encyclopedia. Although similar in tone to the articles in legal encyclopedias, ALR annotations are different in that they are not organized alphabetically, and they tend to delve more deeply into a specific legal principle or doctrine, while, in contrast,…

What is the Gale Encyclopedia of American law?

The third edition of Gale Encyclopedia of American Law (GEAL), formerly West’s Encyclopedia of American Law, explains legal terms and concepts in everyday language. It covers a wide variety of persons, entities, and events that have shaped the U.S. legal system and influenced public perceptions of it.