Usefulness of print legal dictionaries?

[Talk Is Cheap]

It would have been completely useless for me, but I never thought of getting one.

1. Black's Law is online at Westlaw.
2. Like Lionel Hutz said, Google is much quicker.

[k0em9u]

You really bring it to class and look stuff up? In my experience, anyway, the number of times a word came up in class that I didn't know (from looking it up when reading before class, for instance) and wasn't explained certainly did not outweigh the irritation of carrying around an extra book.

No, during class I generally have nothing but the text book in front of me. I do however keep it in my bag, because I do all my studying at school. My home time is off-time, I make a rule of not studying at home. And I know fully well that having a laptop in class would be ten times more a distraction than it would be a benefit. That might be just me of course, but judging at the people who do bring laptops to class, it sure as hell seems to be distracting them a lot too.

[Susan B. Anthony]

You really bring it to class and look stuff up? In my experience, anyway, the number of times a word came up in class that I didn't know (from looking it up when reading before class, for instance) and wasn't explained certainly did not outweigh the irritation of carrying around an extra book.

No, during class I generally have nothing but the text book in front of me. I do however keep it in my bag, because I do all my studying at school. My home time is off-time, I make a rule of not studying at home. And I know fully well that having a laptop in class would be ten times more a distraction than it would be a benefit. That might be just me of course, but judging at the people who do bring laptops to class, it sure as hell seems to be distracting them a lot too.

Ah, okay. You meet my "studies away from a computer" exception, then

[k0em9u]

Well, only during class. I use my computer for, well, stuff where it makes sense to use a computer. But it appears to me that most people with laptops in class are doing facebook, LSD, fantasy football, ATL, volokh, drudge report, you know, the list goes on and nothing will help you come exam time

[resipsaloquitur]

I use my Black's at home.  I don't like it on Westlaw.

[haulin_oats]

Quicker to look up in paper dictionary than it is to look up online.

[CTL]

I love your name.  Haulin_oats.

[uh huh.]

I used a pocket dictionary and brought it with me everywhere.  Faster to look things up in the paper dictionary.  I now keep one in my work office and one in my home office.  It's always good to have one around.  The Westlaw one is a pain in the a$$ to use.

[BikePilot]

I wouldn't say its useless. My 1L Professors did not always (some virtually never) define Latin terms - they expect you to have done the reading and figured it out. I generally included the definition in my briefs/outlines that I took to class, but sometimes a Latin phrase would come up in class and Blacks could be handy. This was very infrequent, but makes a small quick reference not entirely useless (no laptops allowed in my 1L section fyi).

[no634]

I've never had one. It might be useful if you don't get westlaw/lexis access right away or if you study away from a computer.

True. But if you DO have lexis/westlaw access (or just internet access) then a legal dictionary isn't worth it. If you really really want to carry one around then just get a small paperback one. Blacks.