Law

Over 4,000 entries

This dictionary is a key reference for those who need familiarity with—and comprehensive knowledge of—Australian legal terms. Designed specifically for students, it uses clear and concise language and explores the terms encountered in everyday practice, focusing on core legal knowledge and practice areas. Written, reviewed, and edited by legal experts, this edition features new terms relating to taxation, business law, and company law and has been updated to include relevant cases and legislation.

Over 250 entries

This new dictionary gives a concise overview of key words used in the study and understanding of gangs. Broad in scope, it covers colloquialisms used in gang culture and sociological and criminological terms in relation to gangs, including social disorganization and social learning, as well as general academic concepts which apply to gangs, such as Critical Race Theory, acculturation, moral panic, and identity.

With entries on gangs both inside and outside of the United States and theories of key gang researchers, it is a useful resource for students, academics, and researchers studying criminology or law, or those who work in some capacity with gangs.

‘If legal language is a fog, this is a valuable flashlight’ Times Educational Supplement

Over 4,800 entries

The bestselling title in the Oxford Quick Reference series, this dictionary is an authoritative and comprehensive source of jargon-free legal information. This tenth edition features over 4,800 clear and concise definitions on major terms, concepts, and processes within the English legal system, and is a useful source of information for any of the many countries that base their legal system on English law.

The dictionary includes more than 120 new entries, including acid attacks, lasers, Nightingale Courts, Northern Ireland Protocol, and retained EU Law. Many of the new and revised entries reflect changes brought about by Brexit and the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020. There have also been significant increases of coverage in the areas of constitutional law, medical law, and employment law and professional regulation.

Over 3,500 entries

This UK-focused dictionary provides clear definitions of legal and specialist terminology encountered in law enforcement. From bail and buccal swab to self-defence and sham marriage, it is a wide-ranging dictionary covering terms from the areas of criminology, psychology, pathology, forensic medicine, and financial investigation. The dictionary incorporates some content from A Dictionary of Law, edited by Jonathan Law and Elizabeth Martin, entries which have been amended and expanded to be relevant to the law enforcement community. In addition to a general update of all entries, new entries have been added to cover relevant terminology that has emerged since 2007, especially new legislation and changes resulting from the change of government in 2010.

This dictionary comprises authoritative, highly accessible entries on legal processes, legal bodies, and on the organization of specific legal systems. These entries are supplementary to other law titles in the Quick Reference collection, and are written by specialist authors. The dictionary is an ongoing project, and more entries will be added over time.

For nearly thirty-five years, the international legal community has relied on one ambitious yet humble volume as a starting point for legal questions. This classic red volume is a one-of-a-kind reference tool that brings together both terminology and pertinent descriptive information on international law.

Now in its third edition, The Parry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law is completely updated and expanded to include increased coverage in growing areas of international law including diplomatic law, criminal law, human rights, and more. Over 2,500 entries (over a 20% increase in content from the previous edition) provides the reader with copious references for further research including cases, treaties, journal articles, and websites.

Its alphabetically arranged entries allow the reader to form a deeper understanding than a mere definition could supply and offer concise but substantial information on such essentials of international law as:

Legal terms as used in international law

Significant doctrines

Prominent cases, decisions and arbitration

Important incidents

Judicial and literary figures

Treaties and conventions

Organizations and institutions

Acronyms

Over 1,300 entries

Forensic scientists apply scientific analysis in a legal context and play a vital role in solving crimes. Sometimes the collection of forensic evidence is the only way to establish or exclude an association between suspect and victim or crime scene, or to establish a likely order of events. Profiting from recent scientific developments and the advancement of technological equipment, forensic science is a rapidly evolving discipline that encompasses many sciences and the law.

This dictionary covers in over 1,300 entries the key concepts within forensic science, including a wide array of relevant specialist terms from areas such as chemistry, biology, anthropology, art, engineering, firearms, toolmarks, trace evidence, crime scene investigation, case history, biographies of investigators and criminals, as well as forensic computing. Ranging from crime scene to fibres and fluorescence to RAM, this new dictionary is the most up-to-date of its kind and is international in scope.

Many entries are complemented by case examples (Dr Crippen, Mary Ann Cotton, etc.), figures, and photographs, which makes this A to Z an ideal reference for students of forensic science, as well as professionals and those with an interest in forensics.

As knowledge of Latin continues to diminish, its frequent use in cases, textbooks, treaties, and scholarly works frequently baffles law students, practitioners, and scholars alike.

The Guide to Latin in International Law seeks to fill the gaps left by the commonly used law dictionaries by taking a comprehensive approach to the subject which includes literal translations of Latin terms and phrases as well as definitions that take into account the common uses of the terms. It also includes examples that show the terms used in context by international law scholars, diplomats, or judges, wherever such examples would be helpful to readers.

Furthermore, the guidebook also features the modern English pronunciation for each term as well as the classical or “restored” pronunciation. In addition, the entries frequently contain etymological information, and each entry is also cross-referenced to related terms for ease of use.

The second edition adds approximately 60 (mostly less common) Latin terms and phrases used in international law writings that were absent from the first edition. It also contains additional examples of usage and etymological information as well as enhanced cross-references.

Because the understanding of Latin is a critical skill for scholars and practitioners who hope to gain a better understanding of sources of law and each other, this book assists international lawyers and law students seeking to master, or at least to decipher, the Latin terminology that permeates scholarly writings in the field, treaties, judgments of international courts and tribunals, and other sources of international law.

‘... the definitive compendium. ’ - International Trade and Business Law Annual

A pioneering reference work, this comprehensive and scholarly publication examines the High Court of Australia’s public work, the Court’s role in Australian law, politics and society, and the Court’s inner workings. Containing 435 expertly compressed and skilfully cross-referenced entries, the Companion’s broad treatment of topics gives a scope far beyond the professional concerns of legal practice. This reference work will therefore not only benefit lawyers and law students, but also prove to be a valuable resource for other professionals, including journalists, political scientists, historians and those interested in the history and workings of the High Court of Australia. It does much to help fill the need for a wider and deeper understanding of this institution and the part it plays in the life of the nation.

The five-volume Encyclopedia of Human Rights, edited by David Forsythe, offers comprehensive coverage of all aspects of human rights theory, practice, law, and history in over 300 entries signed by leading scholars and human rights experts. The coverage includes major figures, organizations and institutions, human rights events and crises, and human rights norms.

In addition to providing original analytical articles on standard subjects such as the right to health and health care, Amnesty International, and the Balkan wars, the encyclopedia offers innovative coverage of such subjects as the Internet, intellectual property rights, the American Civil Rights Movement, globalization, and Brazil in historical context. Focusing primarily on developments since 1945, it offers an unrivaled reference for students and researchers seeking in-depth analysis of this globally important topic.

For any reader needing a concise yet expert explanation of a subject in law The New Oxford Companion to Law is the ideal reference work. Providing greater depth than can be found in legal dictionaries but always accessible to the non-specialist, entries in the Companion cover all areas of law and legal systems and are extensively cross-referenced for ease of navigation.

The Companion draws upon the expertise of over 700 scholars and practitioners, offering the widest possible range of perspectives on legal topics. Consisting in over 1,700 alphabetically arranged entries, the Companion features: the fundamentals of all the major areas of law such as criminal law, tax and social security law, human rights law, family and employment law, education law, sports law, international and EU law; the role and workings of legal institutions such as parliaments, courts, law schools, and international bodies such as the EU and the UN; leading cases, famous trials and distinguished lawyers, past and present; and major events in legal history and major debates in legal theory.

The Oxford Companion to American Law takes as its starting point the insight that law is embedded in society, and that to understand American law one must necessarily ask questions about the relationship between it and the social order, now and in the past. The volume assumes that American law, in all its richness and complexity, cannot be understood in isolation, as simply the business of the Supreme Court, or as a list of common law doctrines. Hence, the volume takes seriously issues involving laws role in structuring decisions about governance, the significance of state and local law and legal institutions, and the place of American law in a comparative international perspective. Nearly 500 entries are included, written by over 300 expert contributors.

Intended for the working lawyer or judge, the high school student working on a term paper, or the general adult reader interested in the topic, the Companion is the authoritative reference work on the subject of American law.

This online edition was reviewed and selectively updated by the original editor in 2011.

The highly‐acclaimed Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court was first published in 1992, since which time the Supreme Court has continued to write constitutional history. This new edition of the Companion has been fully updated and includes new entries on key cases and full treatment of crucial areas of constitutional law, such as abortion, freedom of religion, school desegregation, freedom of speech, voting rights, military tribunals, and the rights of the accused.

This is an accessible and authoritative guide, essential for judges, lawyers, academics, journalists, and anyone interested in the impact of the Supreme Court's decisions on American society.

Over 500 entries

The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Political and Legal History provides comprehensive coverage of political and legal history in the United States, covering for the first time in one reference work the key events, historical actors, presidential elections, court cases, and larger political and legal trends throughout American history. Entries capture the unique nature of the nation's founding principles embodied in the Constitution, the expansive nature of American democracy, political conflict, and compromise, and the emergence of the modern welfare and regulatory state, all of which evince the tensions, contradictions, and possibilities manifest throughout America's history. From presidents and Supreme Court judges to critical legislation and party formation, this work clearly demonstrates how U.S. politics and law have evolved since the colonial era, and encourages readers to anticipate further changes.

The Encyclopedia expands and updates the coverage of American political and legal history found in The Oxford Companion to United States History, the award-winning 2001 publication edited by Paul Boyer (Emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Madison). More than 200 entirely new entries join hundreds more revised and updated entries originally published in the Companion, all of which have been signed by topic experts. Heavy use of cross-referencing assists readers searching for related entries, and selective bibliographies direct readers to the most important recent scholarly works. There is also an introduction by Paul Boyer and a topical outline of entries.

This is a reference work of unparalleled depth and scope that will introduce a new generation of readers to the complexities of this dynamic field of study.

Over 450 entries

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in Contemporary Politics, Law, and Social Movements (OEPoL) provides a comprehensive source of information on the diverse historical and contemporary experiences of Latinos and Latinas in the United States. Incorporating key material from the acclaimed Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States (OUP, 2005), this ground-breaking publication addresses the significant ways in which the Latino and Latina populations have shaped the political, legal, and social institutions of the United States, with new and updated scholarship on political movements and organizations, important legal cases, minority-rights laws, and immigration legislation.

The OEPoL contains over 450 topical entries written by key academics, intellectuals, and scholars, each accompanied by a bibliography of suggested readings. With articles ranging from expansive survey essays to biographies that document the lives of important individuals in Latino and Latina history to interdisciplinary entries focused on essential themes and issues, OEPoL ensures that this timely, increasingly prominent subject receives the reference coverage it deserves.

Over 100 entries

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law (OEBL) provides the most up-to-date and extensive treatment of the Bible and law yet attempted, both updating and expanding the scope of previous scholarship in the field. In comprehensive overviews, scholars at the forefront of biblical studies and law address three foci: (1) biblical law itself—its nature, collections, and genres; (2) the ancient contexts of biblical law, throughout the ancient Mediterranean (ancient Near Eastern, Greco-Roman, and Early Jewish); and (3) the afterlife and influence of biblical law in antiquity and in modern jurisprudence around the world. Essays include treatments of the Book of the Covenant, the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, Greek Law, and the Laws of Hammurapi, but also testimony and witness, property, ritual, rhetoric, gender, and sexual legislation.

The Encyclopedia contains 130 entries ranging in length from 3,000 to 7,000 words. With bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading, each entry provides a thorough overview of the topic and serves as an entrance point to further original research for both seasoned scholars and beginning students. Given its full-orbed exploration of biblical law and its detailed summary of current scholarship, OEBL is guaranteed to secure a privileged place in the history of biblical and legal scholarship.

The Oxford International Encyclopedia of Legal History, edited by Stanley N. Katz, is the first encyclopedia of law to provide both historical and contemporary comparisons of the world legal systems. A truly international and interdisciplinary reference work, the Oxford International Encyclopedia of Legal History covers legal history from ancient to modern times. Approximately 1,000 articles explore the traditions of Ancient Greek Law, Ancient Roman Law, Medieval Roman Law, Chinese Law, English Common Law, Islamic Law, United States Law, and the laws of such other regions as Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. Major categories of law explained in detail include private law (contract, tort, civil procedure), public law (statutory, criminal, etc.), and higher or constitutional law.

Using statutes and administrative rulings, judicial decisions, and descriptions of legislatures, agencies, and courts, the Oxford International Encyclopedia of Legal History offers a clear background on geographically distinctive laws, their origins, and their consequences throughout world history.

The Supreme Court has been the site of some of the great debates of American history, from child labor and prayer in the schools, to busing and abortion. The Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions offers lively and insightful accounts of the most important cases ever argued before the Court, from Marbury v. Madison and Scott v. Sandford (the Dred Scott decision) to Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade.

This new edition of the Guide contains more than 450 entries on major Supreme Court cases, including 53 new entries on the latest landmark rulings. Among the new entries are Bush v. Gore, Nixon v. United States, Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights. Four decisions - Hamdi v. Bush, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, Rasu v. Bush, and Rumsfeld v. Padilla - are considered in a single essay entitled Enemy Combatant Cases.

Written by eminent legal scholars, each entry provides the United States Reports citation, the date the case was argued and decided, the vote of the Justices, who wrote the opinion for the Court, who concurred, and who dissented. More importantly, the entries feature an informative account of the particulars of the case, the legal and social background, the reasoning behind the Courts decision, and the cases impact on American society.

For anyone interested in the great controversies of our time, this invaluable book is a must read on the epic constitutional battles that have informed American life.