Mellinkoff's Dictionary of American Legal Usage

This book follows the dictate of simplicity “that the language used by lawyers [should] agree with the common speech, unless there are reasons for a difference.” Words with an old affinity for the law, but are no longer used or useful, have been omitted. Working survivors of ancient languages and usage are translated and explained. Words are grouped together as identical, similar, disparate, or departing from or paralleling the usage in ordinary English. Rendered in simplified phonetics, pronunciation is included here when it is unusual, exotic, controversial, or needed to prevent confusion. Read more