Stroud’s Judicial Dictionary of Words and Phrases

Editor: Daniel Greenberg
Publisher: Sweet & Maxwell (U.K.)

Distinction between Law Dictionaries and Judicial Dictionaries

Daniel Greenberg, a Parliamentary draftsman at the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, who is the editor of this Dictionary and general editor of Jowitt’s Dictionary of English Law, said judicial dictionaries defines terms that are used in the law.

Editions

The First Edition by Frederick Stroud was published in 1890. The Second Edition was by the same author and was published in 1903. A supplement by the same author was published in 1906. A supplement by Elsie Wheeler was published in 1930. A supplement by John Burke was published in 1947. The Third Edition was published between 1951 and 1953 under the General Editorship of J Burke and P Allsop. The First Supplement to that edition was published in 1956. The Second Cumulative Supplement by L Leowe and Charles Moss was published in 1965. The Fourth Edition by John S James was published between 1971 and 1974. The First Supplement to that edition was by the same author and was published in 1979. The last edition is from 2016 under the General Editorship of Daniel Greenberg.

Reviews include:

(1890) 6 Law Quarterly Review 344
(1890) 89 Law Times 120
(1890) 25 Law Journal 323
The Cambridge Law Journal, Volume 4, Issue 3 November 1932 , p. 418, on Stroud’s Judicial Dictionary. Supplement. By Elsie May Wheeler. London: Sweet & Maxwell, Ltd., and Stevens & Sons, Ltd. 1931. cxii and 1036 pp. (42s. net.)
Todd, Eric C E (1954) 17 Modern Law Review, pp. 186-187
Todd, Eric C E (1955) 18 Modern Law Review, pp. 200-201

Description

According to the publisher, in relation to the 2016 edition:

“Stroud’s Judicial Dictionary allows the practitioner to have quick access to the exact, authoritative meaning of terms. This three-volume work provides definitions of words and phrases in various legal contexts. Wherever appropriate direct quotations from decided cases are included for greater ease of research.

Provides the judicial definitions of terms or words established in decided cases or statute
An authoritative guide to the present construction of words and phrases occurring in legislation, decided cases and other legal documents
Sets out, where applicable, the evolution of a term’s meaning
Assists practitioners in construing legislation and other documents or in the drafting of documents
A practical source of guidance for the setting out of definitions of particular concepts in the drafting of contracts and other legal documents
Comprehensive coverage across three volumes of terms from the obscure to the every day
Includes both historic and modern terms
Where a term is used in a number of legal areas the entry is broken down and sub-divided to ensure ease of use
The text is regularly updated via supplementation
Linked and common terms are cross-referenced ensuring different words or usage of words are covered
Also includes references to definitions contained in statutes
Entries are reviewed and examined to ensure the work remains relevant for modern research.”

Resources