Starting Points
Law students and faculty have access to legal encyclopedias and other secondary sources via BloombergLaw, Lexis+ and Westlaw.
For WSU non-law students, faculty and staff as well as on-campus community users, the following sources may provide an explanation of the law and help you to define legal terms.
Legal Dictionaries
- American Bar Association Legal Terms GlossaryThe ABA Division for Public Education provides this resource defining "legal terms and phrases"..."relevant to everyday life".
- Handbook of Legal TermsPlain English definitions designed for court personnel from the Michigan Judicial Institute.
Legal Encyclopedias
- Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new windowLaw > Encylopedia of Education Law
'Covers a number of essential topics, including: key cases in education law; constitutional issues; key concepts, theories, and legal principles; key statutes; treaties; curricular issues; educational equity; governance; rights of students and teachers; technology; biographies; and organizations.'
- Legal Information Institute > WEXA 'community built' legal dictionary and legal encyclopedia from Cornell's Legal Information Institute.
- Nexis Uni This link opens in a new windowMenu > All Sources > American Jurisprudence2d
'Am Jur 2d articles collect, examine, and summarize the broad principles of American law and, at the same time, provide direct leads to supporting cases, related annotations, forms, proofs, and trial techniques.'