In addition to laws and codes, you will often find other general legal terms in legal documents. This includes words like “class action” and “counterclaim.” Keep your head above water when reading your legal documents by knowing the abbreviations used here. See also “View” above. “vs.” is used in most scholarly writings in other fields, but “v.” is used in legal writing only. Try searching one of the following print sources for legal abbreviations that were not found online. These publications are available regularly in legal and other libraries. In legal documents, it is common to cite other publications using standard abbreviations for the title of each source. Abbreviations can also be found for common words or legal phrases. These quotes and abbreviations can be found in court decisions, laws, regulations, journal articles, books and other documents. Below is a basic list of very common abbreviations. Since publishers have different practices regarding printing abbreviations, abbreviations can be found with or without dots for each letter. For example, the Code of Federal Regulations may be abbreviated to “C.F.R.” or simply “CFR.” The Blue Book is an excellent resource for finding legal abbreviations. However, it is a paid resource and is usually not available for free.
However, quick reference resources, such as our list of legal abbreviations above, should help you get started. You can also check out Bluebook Abbreviations: Common Words in Case Names as well as federal and district court abbreviations if you want to learn more. Legal abbreviations are often found in everything from a book to court documents. A common set of abbreviations is very important because anyone reading a legal document can understand what is presented in writing without having to spell out commonly used terms. You will be surprised at the number of very common abbreviations that are legally justified. The following are acronyms and abbreviations used in the Washington Legal Researcher`s Deskbook 3d and commonly found in Washington legal documents. The list includes publications (full titles are in italics); Law societies and legal organizations; federal and state authorities, committees, commissions and departments; legal conditions; court rules; Regulations; and electronic databases and services. This is a representative and non-exhaustive list. Legal documents are full of abbreviations for legal texts. Not only will you cite criminal charges, but you will also see legal documents and laws like the Constitution or the First Amendment. Clarify your understanding and refer to these legal abbreviations for court documents, as they refer to legal texts, laws, and organizations.
Resources are available to help people determine the meaning of various legal abbreviations. These resources include GovSpeak, a comprehensive database of abbreviations and acronyms commonly used in government. Even people and court systems are abbreviated in legal documents. It`s just easier to have everything in stenography, especially for the stenographer. To help you know if you are the “employee” or “the employer,” check people and court abbreviations. For abbreviations not included in this list, here are some alternative sites to look for: There are literally thousands of legal abbreviations used in various circumstances inside and outside the courtroom. Below is a list of some of the most common abbreviations and symbols you may encounter in legal documents. Some of them may already be familiar to you, while others are now only often seen by those who work in the legal field. There are also other well-known sources of legal abbreviations. These include The Bluebook, the hugely popular legal citation guide compiled by experts from Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, Columbia Law Review, and University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Use OneSearch to search for books, magazines, articles, DVDs, and more. A specific reading list or readings can be found in the Moodle section of your module.
You can also have a list of interactive resources online – look for the puzzle or open book icon The default search in OneSearch is full text online You can change this to All, Books and More, or Articles and More once you`ve completed your search. Hyperlinks have been added for certain judicial rules, federal and state agencies, publications and organizations. Further links are provided to Law Library catalogue entries for some publications. For more information on resource listings and how to use them, please visit our website.