LAW - Starting Points - Beginning Your Canadian Legal Research
This guide is intended to assist students and members of the public locate materials for their legal research projects.
What are legal definitions?
In law, the definitions of words and phrases can come from different sources:
- Legal dictionaries provide definitions of legal terms.
- Statutory definitions are contained in an act where words and phrases have been defined in the interpretation section of the act itself. These words are defined in the legislation so the definition is established by a law.
- Judicial definitions are contained in reported Canadian decisions where words and phrases have been defined by a court of law or the judge or judges of these courts. These definitions may also be drawn from reported Tribunal decisions.
Dictionaries
Standard dictionaries provide plain meanings and legal dictionaries define legal terminology relating to the law of a jurisdiction. Subject specific glossaries are useful for various types of law.
Canadian Law Dictionary by Call Number: KF156 .Y64 2013 (Law Library - Special Collections Room))ISBN: 9780764139802Publication Date: 2013- The Dictionary of Canadian Law byCall Number: KF156 .D85 2011 (Law Library - Special Collections Room)ISBN: 0779823265Publication Date: 2011
- Words that bind : words and phrases judicially considered by the Supreme Court of Canada and by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council to 1949 byCall Number: KF156 .C68 2011 (Law Library - Special Collections Room)ISBN: 9780919311718Publication Date: 2011
- Halsbury's laws of Canada byCall Number: KF385 .ZA2 H35 (Law Library - Special Collections Room)Publication Date: 2006Publication of the first edition of Halsbury's Laws of Canada began in 2006 and it will comprise, upon its completion, some 60 volumes of commentary divided into more than 104 alphabetically-ordered subject titles.Includes words and phrases which have been defined in legislation.
- Sanagan's encyclopedia of words and phrases, legal maxims, Canada byCall Number: KF156 .E57 (Law Library - 1st Floor)Publication Date: 2005Loose-leaf with updates through current subscription.
- Words & phrases : judicially defined in Canadian courts and tribunals = Terms et locutions definis par les reibunaux canadiens byCall Number: KE173 .C438 1993 (Law Library - Special Collections Room)ISBN: 0459541439Publication Date: 1993Companion to: Canadian abridgment, Second edition. Kept up to date by supplements.
Online legal dictionaries and glossaries
- Canadian Online Legal Dictionary : Irwin LawA collaborative dictionary comprised, initially, of terms defined in glossaries of Canadian law books published by Irwin Law. The dictionary is maintained by an Irwin Law editor.
- Glossary of Parliamentary ProcedureParliament of Canada
- Glossary of Parliamentary TermsLegislative Assembly of Alberta
- Glossary of Maritime Law TermsBy William Tetley, Q.C. Professor of Law, McGill University
- Glossary of Legal Research TermsFrom Best Guide to Canadian Legal Research
Statutory definitions
Look in the interpretation section of a statute or act for definitions of words and phrases contained in that act.