Black’s Law Dictionary 10th Ed User Reviews

Top reviews

Works great

Despite the older negative reviews, I took a chance on this app, hoping it would save me from having to carry the actual dictionary to and from class. APP IS GREAT! I highly recommend it to any and all law students and attorneys. I only regret not giving it a chance sooner.

Define “Woman”

I actually had a good laugh over this. You have a legal definition for “Man” but you don’t have one for “Woman.” So basically for all the information you have your basically saying the professional by the book lawyer does not know what a woman is. Yet you have womens bureau and womens suffrage etc. So many things for this one type of person you can’t define.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW STUPID THAT LOOKS?

Sorry but for all your helpful information, you’re getting one star for that loophole.

If you have any pride at all, get that fixed.
Show less

From Law School to Lawyer

I found the Black’s Law Dictionary application as a 1L student. The app was an incredibly useful reference for new words, Latin phrases, abbreviations, and important documents.

As a practicing attorney, I use it as a reference when writing briefs, when providing additional specificity to certain terms for clients, or to simply understand when other lawyers are trying to be sneaky when using outdated language.(i.e., what is a cognovit judgment?).

As some other reviewers have pointed out, there is room for minor improvements to the app interface and functionality, but overall, it works and it is a reliable.

Despite these other minor issues, I would give this app a 5 star review, but there has always been one issue that bothers me when using this app: if I have audio playing in a different application and switch to Black’s, the app causes the volume to lower slightly. I’m not sure if this was intended, as though perhaps we need slightly more focus when looking up a legal term and therefore the volume should be lowered? Nevertheless, this little feature, whether intended or not, has always bothered me.

Other than that, it’s a wonderful app and I highly recommend it.
Show less

Excellent but where is the latest version

I’ve taught law at the college level for several years This is an excellent tool to look reliable definitions of legal term at a more that 50% discount over the hard cover version.

I’ve warned students not to look up legal definitions on the internet because who knows what you get.

Blacks is the industry standard. There is really no substitute. I’d be happy to pay $60 for an updated version rather twice as much for an updated version of the hard cover
Show less

Try the free “Legal” dictionary app first

This dictionary is overpriced. I suggest trying the free “Legal” dictionary first and if it does not meet your needs then download Black’s. I’ve been comparing definitions between the two and I am finding that the free dictionary provides similar and often more helpful definitions. Unlike the free app, Black’s is not always great at providing examples.
Show less

Very reliable

I love the app but please optimise it for iPad Pro on your next update. Thank you! :)

Had to pay again!

I bought the 9th edition of the Black’s and had to repurchase the app entirely when the developer pulled the 9th edition from the App Store. I contacted Apple and they were of no help stating that Apple had no control over the developer pulling the content from the store. I did not follow up with Thompson as I had spent enough time on the issue with Apple. It’s a frustrating issue because had I bought the 9th edition book in print, I still would have access to the content.
Show less

Not Optimized for iPhone X

The content is great and I feel the app is well designed. But much of the screen on the top and bottom is just black and therefore is not used for content. Were this fixed, the reading experience would be far superior.

Huge missed opportunity

This app is a massive missed opportunity. A mobile version of Black's could be indispensable for lawyers and students and easily justify the asking price. This app has not been updated to meet basic expectations (like iPhone X support), and more importantly it lacks vital functionality like generating BB citations or even just giving citable page numbers.

As a student, $60 is a significant amount to spend on an app. I wouldn't regret it if the app met such modest expectations, but it does not.
Show less

Money grab

I had the 9th edition app, which has been just as expensive, but they just disabled it. Instead of offering an upgrade at a reasonable price, they just put this one out. At full price even for those of us who had the previous version.

Alternatives to Black’s Law Dictionary 10th Ed