A digest is a book that provides summaries of legal cases by subject and jurisdiction, serving as an index to help people find cases related to specific points of law. The American Digest System covers all American courts of last resort from 1658 to present. In civil law, the Digest refers to a compilation and systematic statement of various areas of law, such as the Pandects of Justinian in 50 books, a complete legal code with commentary first published in A.D. 533.
A digest is a comprehensive index of legal propositions that provides information on which cases support each proposition. It consists of summaries of reported cases, organized by subject and further categorized by jurisdiction and court. The main purpose of a digest is to make the contents of legal reports easily accessible and to extract relevant cases from the vast amount of caselaw available. One example of a digest is the American Digest System, which covers decisions from all American state and federal courts of last resort dating back to 1658. This system is highly valuable for lawyers and legal researchers in locating pertinent cases and legal propositions. In civil law, a digest serves as a compilation and systematic presentation of various areas of law. The most renowned instance is the Pandects of Justinian, a comprehensive legal code of the Roman Empire accompanied by commentary. Comprising 50 books, the Pandects were initially published in A.D. 533. They condensed the content of 2,000 treatises into this concise summary, reducing 3 million lines to 150,000. This remarkable feat was accomplished in just three years by a commission of 17 jurists led by Tribonian. Overall, a digest is a secondary authority book that provides summaries of case law within its scope, focusing on specific points of individual cases. It serves as a valuable tool for legal research and analysis.
A legal digest is a summary of legal cases or decisions that have been published in a particular jurisdiction or area of law.
The purpose of a legal digest is to provide lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals with a quick and easy way to access and review relevant legal cases and decisions.
A legal digest is typically organized by topic or area of law, and may include summaries of cases, key legal principles, and citations to relevant statutes and regulations.
Legal digests are typically created by legal publishers, such as LexisNexis or Westlaw, or by bar associations or other legal organisations.
Legal digests are often used as a starting point for legal research, as they provide a comprehensive overview of relevant cases and legal principles.
Legal digests are generally considered secondary sources of law, as they summarize and analyze primary sources such as court decisions and statutes.
Legal digests themselves are not admissible as evidence in court, but the cases and legal principles they summarize may be cited as authority in legal arguments.
Legal digests are typically updated on a regular basis, often daily or weekly, to ensure that they reflect the most current legal developments.
Yes, there are different types of legal digests that focus on specific areas of law, such as criminal law, family law, or intellectual property law.
Legal digests are typically available through online legal research databases, such as LexisNexis or Westlaw, or through print publications such as legal encyclopedias or law journals.
This site contains general legal information but does not constitute professional legal advice for your particular situation. Persuing this glossary does not create an attorney-client or legal adviser relationship. If you have specific questions, please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.
This glossary post was last updated: 16th April 2024.
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