Cover of A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage

A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage

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By: Bryan A. Garner

ISBN: 9780195077698

With double the length and coverage of the original, this new edition of A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage (DMLU) thoroughly marshals and analyzes modern legal vocabulary. Since the first edition, Bryan A. Garner has drawn on his unrivaled experience as a legal editor to refine his positions on legal usage and to add a wealth of new material. Here's how Garner's revision makes DMLU, Second Edition indispensable: -- Updates every existing entry, making this a second edition in the fullest sense; -- Adds hundreds of new entries; -- Adds hundreds of new sections within existing entries; -- Adds over 3,000 new illustrative quotations from judicial opinions and leading lawbooks by prominent legal commentators; -- Reconsiders previously held positions, now saying, for example, that contractions are sometimes permissible in legal writing; -- Fully elaborates ideas only mentioned in the first edition; -- Takes into account numerous comments received from first edition users; -- Expands and updates cross-references to guide readers quickly and easily. Influential writers and editors rely on DMLU daily. Charles Alan Wright, for example, says, "I consult Garner regularly. He offers authoritative guidance on many matters of usage that are unique to legal writing....Garner is almost always pithy; he is often witty. Any lawyer, no matter how expert on words and language, is sure to learn from Garner's fine book." And the editors of Harvard Law Review have found it essential: "In a work worthy of comparison to Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage, Mr. Garner...sets forth an authoritative guide to American legal usage and style. All legal writers will find it an invaluable help; many law review editors will find it a source of delight. Don't confront your editor without it." Features: -- Functions both as a style guide and as a law dictionary -- Guides writers to distinguish between true terms of law and mere jargon -- Illustrates recommended forms of expression as well as common blunders with thousands of quotations and citations -- Explains the origins of expressions lawyers regularly use, such as Know all men by these presents, or party of the first part -- Records and evaluates more than 100 twentieth-century neologisms, from conclusory to farminor, from Mirandize to representee -- Distinguishes American from British usage and refers to current practice among Australian, Canadian, and Scottish legal writers -- Solves editorial problems by dealing with practical writing issues -- Offers wit and erudition reminiscent of H.W. Fowler, author of the first so-called usage dictionary. In short, in its Second Edition DMLU remains, as one reviewer hailed it in 1987, "truly unique in the literature of law." It is an essential resource for practicing lawyers, scholars of the law, and libraries of all sizes and types.

Format: BOOK
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Pages: 953
Published: 1995
Language: en

AI Overview

"A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage" by Bryan A. Garner is a seminal work in the field of legal writing and style. Here is a comprehensive overview of the book:

Key Themes

  1. Legal Style and Usage: The book focuses on providing practical advice on how to write clear, jargon-free legal prose. It addresses the myriad usage questions unique to legal writing, such as the differences between terms like "living will" and "advanced directive," "jury-packing" and "jury-tampering," and "national" and "federal" .

  2. Clarity and Precision: The need for clarity and precision in legal writing is a central theme. The book aims to help legal writers avoid grammatical blunders and linguistic pitfalls, ensuring that legal language is accessible to all stakeholders .

  3. Comprehensive Guide: It is the first and only comprehensive guide to style and usage for the legal writer, filling a significant gap in legal reference literature. The book provides concrete answers and practical solutions to linguistic questions and stylistic dilemmas .

Plot Summary

The book is not a narrative but a reference work. It is organized alphabetically, with entries that define and distinguish between commonly misused words, explain standard usages that other reference works ignore, and provide an unparalleled guide to legal style. The volume includes sparkling essays on topics such as metaphors, sexism, clichés, Latinisms, danglers, split infinitives, and purple prose. It also brims with actual illustrations from judicial opinions, statutes, briefs, and law review articles .

Critical Reception

  • Academic Praise: The book has been described as "a work worthy of comparison to H.W. Fowler’s Dictionary of English Usage" by the Harvard Law Review .
  • User Reviews: On Goodreads, the book has received high ratings, with many reviewers praising its accessibility, authority, and up-to-date guidance. It is already viewed as the classic book in its field .
  • Professional Endorsement: The State Bar of Michigan has recognized Bryan A. Garner as a leading authority in legal writing, and his work has been endorsed by legal professionals and educators for its practical advice and comprehensive coverage .

Author's Background

Bryan A. Garner is the president of LawProse, Inc., a company that has conducted more than 350 writing workshops for lawyers and judges. His experience as a legal editor has significantly influenced his work, making "A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage" a definitive resource in the field of legal writing .

In summary, "A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage" by Bryan A. Garner is a highly regarded reference work that provides essential guidance on legal style and usage. Its comprehensive coverage, practical advice, and scholarly yet entertaining approach make it an indispensable resource for lawyers, judges, students, and anyone involved in legal writing.