New Edition: Black’s Law Dictionary
Thomson Reuters has just released the 11th edition of Black’s Law Dictionary. Setting the gold standard for ensuring a common understanding of the growing language of the law for nearly 130 years, Black’s Law Dictionary is the most widely cited resource in legal arguments and judicial opinions.
With new material throughout, Black’s Law Dictionary is the most practical, comprehensive, scholarly and authoritative law dictionary ever published. With clarity and rigor, it defines more than 55,000 law-related words and phrases, recording their historical and present-day nuances. Some 3,500 terms are new to this edition, including car hacking, contempt of cop, doxing, flash rob, kakistocracy, mugshot extortion, porch pirate, skeuomorph, synthetic identity theft and twocking.
Bryan A. Garner, editor in chief, known as one of the world’s leading legal lexicographers, assembled an unmatched team of academic and practicing contributors who vetted every term for accuracy. “Never before has such a distinguished lineup of legal talent been arrayed in support of a legal reference work,” said Garner. “As legal language continually evolves, it is crucial for every lawyer to understand how legal terms are used today.”
To learn more about Black’s Law Dictionary and get your copy, click here. Follow @legalcurrent for more new terms and definitions from the 11th edition.
Definitions of the terms mentioned above, include:
car-hacking. Slang. The practice or an instance of stealing a car by using a handheld electronic device to compromise a keyless ignition system or other electronic or internet-based security system.
contempt of cop. Slang. A civilian’s challenge to a law-enforcement officer’s authority — as by expressing defiance, anger, mockery, or similar disrespect — made in such a way as to provoke the officer to respond inappropriately or illegally, as by making an arbitrary arrest, improperly detaining the person, or using unwarranted force. — Sometimes also termed contempt-of-cop syndrome.
doxing, n. The nonconsensual online posting of a person’s personal information, such as home address, e-mail address, and place of employment, esp. for purposes of harassment.
flash rob, n. (2011) 1. A group of people who rapidly assemble in a public place in a planned way to commit a crime, esp. an assault, looting, or rioting. 2. A type of retail theft in which people who have planned to do so enter a store and simultaneously steal goods. ● The term was coined on the analogy of flash mob. — Also termed multiple-offender crime; flash-mob robbery. Cf. FLASH MOB. — flash rob, vb.
kakistocracy (kak-i-stahk-rə-see), n. (1829) Government by the worst, least qualified, or least scrupulous citizens.
mugshot extortion. Slang. A fee charged by a company for removing from the company’s website or publications an arrested person’s booking photo and details about the arrest.
porch pirate. Criminal law. Slang. Someone who steals a package that has been delivered to a recipient’s address but not yet retrieved by the recipient. ● The term comes from the practice of stealing packages that have been delivered to a recipient’s porch. By some accounts, porch piracy has become increasingly common during the 21st century because the increasing prevalence of online purchases has increased the volume of package deliveries and hence the opportunities for this type of theft. — porch piracy, n. Cf. BURGLAR.
skeuomorph, n. (skyoo-ə-morf) (1889) A product feature that persists in later versions despite having become obsolete and perhaps even having become in some way a hindrance or unnecessary cost. ● Examples include computer features that make the computer more likely to fail or harder to repair, car features having a similar effect, and contractual clauses having no beneficial effect but increasing uncertainties and encouraging litigation. — skeuomorphic, adj.
smishing, n. (2006) The criminal activity of sending a text message containing a website hyperlink that, if clicked, would download a Trojan-horse virus to the mobile phone. — Also written SMiShing. — Also termed SMS phishing.
synthetic identity theft. The creation of a false identity by combining elements of genuine identifying information from more than one person or elements of genuine information and fake information to deceive others, esp. for financial gain. ● The most commonly stolen item of genuine identifying information is a social-security number, usu. that of a child or senior citizen. Cf. IDENTITY THEFT.
twocking. [Acronym from taking without owner’s consent] Slang. The wrongful act of taking (a car) without the owner’s consent; JOYRIDING.
zombie foreclosure. A piece of property that the owner has abandoned even though the foreclosure process has not been completed, usu. on the incorrect assumption that the lender has acquired ownership of or responsibility for the property. — Also termed zombie home; zombie property.
