Whether you need a definition of a legal term or its legal meaning, or an introduction to an area of law that you are not particularly familiar with, Murdoch’s Dictionary of Irish Law, now in its fourth edition, is an excellent research tool.
Now three times the size of the 1988 first edition, Murdoch has established itself as the definitive Irish legal dictionary. Actually, the title ‘dictionary’ doesn’t really convey the scope and depth of its coverage. It gives definitions of words and phrases, including Latin phrases, and, in most cases, the legal sources of such definitions, whether statutory or judicial, as well as a brief introduction to the relevant law.
There are entries for law-related organisations (both national and international), Irish statutory bodies, and review groups such as the Company Law Review Group and the review of the courts system. There are entries for particular services, such as the Land Registry electronic access service.
Reflecting recent developments and new legislation, hundreds of new entries have been added to the fourth edition. Newcomers include ‘case management conference’, ‘commercial proceedings’, ‘eGovernment’, ‘emissions trading’, and ‘European arrest warrant’.
The entry under ‘dictionary, use of’ states that a dictionary may be used in court to ascertain the meaning of words to which no particular legal interpretation attaches. A number of cases are listed that refer to the use of a dictionary, including this dictionary, in court.
Many entries run to half a page and longer and there are extensive cross-references to other related headings. Very usefully, entries also point to further information – cases, textbooks, government reports, journal articles and websites.
The appendices include lists of law report abbreviations, Law Reform Commission reports, amendments to the constitution (including defeated amendments) and bibliographies of books on Irish and UK law referred to in the dictionary entries.
This is an extremely useful reference work that is constantly consulted in the library. Every solicitor would find it useful to have a copy in his/her office.
Margaret Byrne is the Law Society’s librarian.
Irish Law Society Gazette. 2006