Drake Law Library Basics: Terms

Studying law can sometimes feel like learning a new language. Professor Sheila Hyatt notes that new law students will be learning 1) new legal terms, 2) new meanings for words also used outside of the law, 3) how legal definitions can change depending on the specific laws that apply in different places and contexts, and 4) terms that represent broad legal doctrines. Eventually, this will all get much easier, but as you are starting out, you may need to look up terms as you read cases and interpret legal citations.

Glossaries can provide a quick sense of the meaning of common legal terms, while dictionaries provide more terms and more in-depth definitions.

Our guide to abbreviations will help you understand common abbreviations like N.W.2d and Stat. There are also books that provide broader coverage.

Terms often Used at the Law Library

Bibliography   A list of books, articles, dissertations, etc. usually on a particular subject.

Call Number   Combination of letters and numbers that identify a book's shelf location and group materials by subject.

Carrel   Individual "walled" study tables reserved by 2Ls, 3Ls, and L.LM.s

Catalog   Searchable list of the items in our library with a description of each item. Our catalog is part of SuperSearch and is linked from our web page. (SuperSearch also allows you to search some of our databases.)

Citation   Information such as author, title, pages, and publication date which identifies a book, journal article, or other item.

Cowles   (Pronounced - kohls) Drake's main library. You can check out their materials with your Drake ID.

Database (Online Database)   A large, organized collection of electronic information, usually searchable in various ways. The library offers a variety of databases.

E-book   A book in an electronic form.

E-journal   Journal or law review that contains articles in an electronic form.

Electronic Resource   Information in an electronic form rather than in paper or other form.

Field   Searchable portion of a database item record, such as title, author, or subject.

Full-text   Complete text of online material, usually articles, instead of only citations to articles

Holdings   The list of items in various forms owned by a library.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)   A service which fills patron requests for material from other libraries.

Index   Citations to journal articles, books and other sources searchable by subject, author, or title; also a list of subjects covered in a book, usually published at the end or in a separate volume.

Information Desk   The large desk on the ground (first) floor of the library near the entrance where library personnel are available for questions and services.

Journal   A type of periodical, often issued by a society or institution, containing articles, proceedings, and news about work carried out in a particular discipline, intended for a scholarly audience.

Journal Finder   A tool that allows you to input the title of a journal and see if it is available in print or in full text through a database. A journal finder tool is included in the library's catalog.

Locator Guide   The Locator Guide indicates the shelving locations of materials. Locator Guides are available on the Literature Rack at the Information Desk and online.

Loose-leaf   A book or set of books updated by replacing individual pages of the book.

Multi-volume   A work published in more than one volume.

Non-Circulating   An item which is not allowed to be checked out of the Library. Reference and Reserve materials are Non-Circulating.

Online Catalog   An electronic, searchable list of the items in our library with a description of each item. Our catalog is accessible via our web page.

Online Database   A large collection of electronic information, usually searchable in various ways. The library offers a variety of databases.

Periodical   A magazine, journal, law review, newsletter, or newspaper published on a regular basis.

Reference Books   Books that do not check out of the library. The Library's reference collection is on the first floor near the copier/printers.

Reference Librarian   A professional librarian who helps patrons find and use sources of information.

Reference Service   A service provided by libraries to help patrons find and use sources of information.

Research Guides   Guides that provide research assistance, noting useful resources and search tips for different topics or research tasks. Guides prepared by our law librarians are available on the web.

Reserve(s)   A controlled access collection where items are set aside, often for particular classes, and are loaned for “in the library” use only. Ask for reserve items at the Information Desk to borrow for up to 2 hours.

Resources   Items to help you with your study and research, such as books or databases.

Search Terms   Words that are typed into an electronic resource or that you look up in an index to find specific information on that topic.

Stacks   In our catalog, this refers to the book shelves holding the general collection. The stacks are found on the first through third floors.

Study Aids   Books, CDs, and flashcards written to introduce students to different areas of law and help them master concepts. The library has a searchable list of study aids.

Study Rooms   The 20 smaller, locked rooms that provide law students secure, semi-private study spaces. Complete information on using study rooms is on the web.

SuperSearch    SuperSearch, available from the Law Library website, allows you to search for items in the library's collections, including reserve, and also search some of our databases. There is a separate guide that explains how to use SuperSearch.

Treatise   A longer, comprehensive writing on a particular subject, usually in book form.

Knowing these terms may also help you.

§   The symbol for a section. Why write it out when you can use that cool squiggly thing?

1L, 2L, 3L  Refers to first-year, second-year, and third-year law students

ABA    American Bar Association (among other things, is the national accrediting agency for J.D. programs)

Adjunct   Part-time faculty member: usually an attorney from the community

ALWD   Citation guide for Legal Research and Writing. Stands for Association of Legal Writing Directors. The other big legal citation guide is called Bluebook.

ASP     Academic Success Program

Bays   Groupings of professor offices just past the entrance of the law school located to the east (Jeffrey Lamberti Faculty Office Bay) and west (Roxanne Barton Conlin Faculty Office Bay).

Brief   A "brief" is a written statement prepared by a lawyer and submitted to an appellate court before oral arguments. It contains a summary of the facts of the case, the pertinent laws, and an argument of how the law applies to the facts supporting counsel’s position. Generally, a lawyer will argue that the lower court judge made mistakes when ruling on objections, that those mistakes were prejudicial, and that the lawyer’s client should be given a new trial.

C. Edwin Moore   An optional oral argument competition. Performance partly affects the selection of Moot Court and/or Mock Trial teams.

CALI   Computer Assisted Legal Instruction, comprised of lessons with integrated online quizzes on numerous areas of law. You will be assigned CALI lessons for the Legal Research class.

CDO  Career Development Office (in Opperman, opposite main library doors on east)

CLE   Continuing Legal Education: programming provided for attorneys to maintain certification

Collateral Attack   Co-ed flag football tournament from which all proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Deans’ Suite   Administrative offices located on the southwest corner of Cartwright Hall. Dean and Associate Dean offices are located there along with the Deans Conference Room.

Fall Ball   A celebration that occurs at the beginning of every October where students can unwind, wear pretty clothes, get awards and dance to a band.

First-Year Oral Arguments (FYOA - pronounced FOYA)   Oral arguments that accompany the brief required in Legal Writing. The first year orals follow the same format as the C. Edwin Moore arguments, except these are mandatory, which is why it is extraordinarily helpful to participate in C. Edwin Moore to get a feel for the process without the grade attached.

First-Year Trial Practicum (FYTP)   Drake is the only American law school where all first-year classes shift to a campus courtroom for a week, enabling students to view an actual state or federal trial as if in an educational laboratory. The trial practicum dissects every phase of a trial, from jury selection to jury verdict, incorporating small group discussions, lectures, practice panels and debriefings with attorneys, judge and jurors. The FYTP occurs in the spring.

Folders   Refers to the folders in the student mailbox area in between Cartwright and Opperman.

Gorsche Student Services Suite (pronounced Gor-shee)  Room 128, Student Services and main reception

IP Intellectual Property law

ISG Integrated Study Groups - required 1L study groups led by 2Ls or 3Ls

JD   Doctor of Jurisprudence degree – the degree earned by most of our law students

LLM   Master of Laws degree – a specialized degree granted after a JD

Malpractice Bowl   An annual fundraiser organized by the Drake Law Women where Drake Law competes in two flag football games, one for women and one for men, against Des Moines University (DMU), a medical school.

MJ    Master of Jurisprudence degree – a post-graduate degree for student's who do not want to be an attorney but want to better under the law to advance their careers

myDrake  Campus portal

OCI   On-Campus Interviews are one of the ways students can find summer and school year employment. OCIs are coordinated by the CDO and can begin as soon as spring semester of 1L year and continue through 3L year. Hint: There are full-length mirrors in the CDO and in the bathroom in the basement of the library to make sure you are looking your best before OCIs. Professional clothes are available in the Suit Yourself closet. 

Old Main  Main administrative building on campus (building with steeple southeast of Law School)

Porterhouse Lounge  Lounge area near the Cartwright and Opperman connection, named after Drake's first live mascot, owned by a law student

SBA   Student Bar Association

Sloans   Legal research exercises.

Socratic Method   A question-and-answer method employed by many professors as a way to explore cases in class.

Sodexo   The organization that holds a contract with Drake to serve all food and beverages. If you are ordering food for an event on campus, you go through them.

Sundial   The huge sculpture outside of the law school.

Supreme Court Day   An annual week-long celebration that focuses on Drake’s long relationship with the courts of Iowa through a writing competition, advocacy competition and ending with an awards ceremony.

Teplys   Legal Research citation exercises.

TWEN   This stands for The West Education Network. It is a course management system many professors use to provide access to course readings, the syllabus, assignments and more.