On the official United States Court of Federal Claims’ website’s Pro Se Information section, as well as several other federal websites recommending pro se self-help resources, Black’s Law Dictionary is listed.  Definitions of legal terms found within the Tenth Edition version of this historic dictionary are found throughout this website, which are being shown here for First Amendment purposes in order to bring pertinent information to people in such a manner so as to reduce harm and raise appreciation for rights according to their true measure and purpose — and for their protection.  All copyrighted material found throughout this website is utilized in accordance with Fair Use.  

Who is Henry Campbell Black’?

    Black grew up in New York State’s Hudson Valley region, & developed an interest in the law at a young age.  He was regarded something of a prodigy, 11publishing his first edition of Black’s Law Dictionary before his 31st birthday [1] in 1891, & the second edition in 1910. [2]

    He wasn’t a particularly noteworthy lawyer.  He received formal legal training & began to practice law after graduating from a now-defunct law school in Pennsylvania, but then grew frustrated with the demands of the profession & left his post after just five years.  He then holed himself up in his parents’ house & began compiling a comprehensive list of legal terms.

    He published over 1,000 scholarly articles that touched upon arcane legal matters as well as timely political issues.  In recognition of his achievements, he received an honorary law degree from his undergraduate alma mater (the school, college, or university that one once attended) in 1917.  Black kept returning to the legal dictionary that he had created.

     During his lifetime, he issued several revised editions of the tome.  With each successive publication, he personally oversaw the addition of thousands of new definitions & concepts.  By the time he passed on in 1927, he had earned recognition as one of the most powerful legal thinkers of his generation. [3]  Today Black’s Law Dictionary is the most widely used law dictionary in the United States; used for terms in legal briefs & court opinions.

    “Liberty, whether natural, civil, or political, is the lawful power in the individual to exercise his corresponding rights. It is greatly favored in law.”

– Henry Campbell Black, Handbook of American Constitutional Law, 1895

     Wild Willpower PAC would like to formally thank the many contributors who have collectively helped to make this website available to humanity.  These “preservers of knowledge” of humanity’s history have greatly aided our comprehension of our own past while also providing access to a sturdy direction forward.  Without further adieu:

Black’s Law Dictionary
Deluxe Tenth Edition
by Henry Campbell Black

Editor in Chief:

Bryan A. Garner, President, LawProse, Inc.
Distinguished Research Professor of Law
Southern Methodist University
Dallas Texas

© 2014, Thompson Reuters
ISBN 978-0-314-62130-6

Associate Editors, LawProse, Inc.:

Karolyne H.C. Garner, J.D.
Tiger Jackson, J.D., LL.M.
Becky R. McDaniel, J.D.
Jeff Newman, J.D.

Contributing Lawyer-Editors:

Herbert J. Hammond
Dallas, Texas
Tony Honoré
Oxford, England
Brian Melendez
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Gary Muldoon
Rochester, New York
Ann Taylor Schwing
Sacramento, California
Fred Shapiro
New Haven, Connecticut
Joseph F. Spaniol Jr.
Bethesda, Maryland

Pronunciation Editor:

Charles Harrington Elster
San Diego, California

Panel of Academic Contributors:

Hans W. Baade
University of Texas

Lynn A. Baker
University of Texas

Thomas E. Baker
Florida International University

References:

[1]:  Black’s Law Dictionary 2nd Edition Online, “Who Is Henry Campbell Black?”: http://thelawdictionary.org/article/who-was-henry-campbell-black/

[2]: Online Computer Library Center, 33831602:https://www.worldcat.org/title/law-dictionarycontaining-definitions-of-the-terms-and-phrases-of-american-and-english-jurisprudence-ancient-and-modern-and-including-the-principal-terms-of-international-constitutional-ecclesiastical-and-commercial-law-and-medical-jurisprudence-with-a-collection-of-legal-maxims-numerous-select-titles-from-the-roman-modern-civil-scotch-french-spanish-and-mexican-law-and-other-foreign-systems-and-a-table-of-abbreviations/oclc/33831602

[3]: Black’s Law Dictionary 2nd Edition Online, “Who Is Henry Campbell Black?”: http://thelawdictionary.org/article/who-was-henry-campbell-black/

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Notice: Wild Willpower does not condone the actions of Maximilian Robespierre, however the above quote is excellent!