LibGuides: Legal Resources: Background Information

Reference Databases

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
A reference database useful for accessing scholarly definitions, background and contextual information. Links you to various reference materials and includes a mind map feature that provides a visual of concepts related to your term. Subjects covered include art, biography, business, economics, education, history, literature, music, psychology, religion, and science and technology.
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Proquest’s multi-disciplinary e-book collection. Download or read books online, as well as highlight and take notes in text. Browse by subject option.
SAGE Knowledge This link opens in a new window
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Reference book database. Use to locate reference e-books like encyclopedias and handbooks that provide contextual or explanatory material. Filter by source type, discipline, and search for keywords within texts.

Selected Background Information

Learn how to find background information in the Library. See the FAQ: How can I find general information about a topic?

Collins Dictionary of Law by William J. Stewart, editor
ISBN: 9780007221653
Publication Date: 2006
Comprehensive coverage of business law, Scots, and Irish law. Wide coverage of business law terms. Defines legal terms of the EU and Commonwealth countries.
Courts, Law, and Justice by William J. Chambliss (Editor)
ISBN: 9781412978576
Publication Date: 2011
The 20 chapters in Courts, Law, and Justice cover a wide range of sharply contested topics, including drug and gun control laws as well as the ins and outs of the criminal justice system as encountered by arrested suspects, during the trial process, and during the sentencing phase.
Dictionary of Conflict Resolution by Douglas H. Yarn
ISBN: 9780787946791
Publication Date: 1999
Defining terms, including haggling and mediator, this comprehensive resource will standardize the language of conflict resolution - improving dialogue and understanding among professionals and theorists and promoting uniformity and consistency in the language.
Dictionary of Law by A&C Black
ISBN: 9780713683189
Publication Date: 2009
Wit hover 8,000 terms and expressions, this dictionary provides clear, concise and fully up-to-date information on all aspects of civil, criminal and commercial law.
Dictionary of Legal Terms by Steven H. Gifis
ISBN: 9781438005126
Publication Date: 2015
Updated to include new terms and to incorporate recent changes in laws and judicial interpretations, this handy dictionary contains over 2500 legal terms defined in clear, easy to understand English.
Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law by Donna Batten (Editor)
ISBN: 9781414498997
Publication Date: 2013
Provides information and resources to help users answer their legal questions, and outlines their rights and recourses, as well as consequences, under the law.
Great American Court Cases Series by Mark F. Mikula (Editor); L. Mpho Mabunda (Editor); Allison McClintic Marion (Editor)
ISBN: 9780787629472
Publication Date: 1999
This resource, while focusing primarily on Supreme Court cases, also includes major federal or state cases that set precedents. It contains cases organized by broad legal principles, then arranged alphabetically under the more specific legal issue.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law by Merriam-Webster, Inc. Staff
ISBN: 9780877797197
Publication Date: 2011
A convenient, comprehensive guide to the language of law for everyone from the homeowner to the legal professional.
Religion and Law in America by Laura Mars-Proietti (Editor); Christopher Anglim (General Editor)
ISBN: 9781592372980
Publication Date: 2009
This informative, easy-to-use reference work covers a wide range of legal issues that affect the roles of religion and law in American society.
Spanish Law Dictionary by Peter Hodgson Collin
ISBN: 9781901659092
Publication Date: 2001
Provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of British, American and Spanish law.
Supreme Decisions: Great Constitutional Cases and Their Impact by Melvin I. Urofsky
ISBN: 9780813347356
Publication Date: 2012
Covers twenty-four Supreme Court cases that have shaped American constitutional law. Interpretive chapters shed light on the nuances of each case, the individuals involved, and the social, political, and cultural context at that particular moment in history.
Encyclopedia of Law and Society by David S. Clark, Editor
ISBN: 9780761923879
Publication Date: 2007
The largest comprehensive and international treatment of the law and society field.