C.J.S.

Law & Legal abbreviation · Legal Citation

C.J.S. stands for Corpus Juris Secundum, a legal citation abbreviation.

National legal encyclopedia published by West that states general principles of American law by topic, with footnotes to supporting cases. Its Latin title means "body of law, second", reflecting that it succeeded the earlier Corpus Juris.

Example: Older opinions often quote C.J.S. for the general rule before turning to local precedent.

Usage notes

Cited by volume, title and section, such as "17A C.J.S. Contracts § 1". Publication began in 1936. Like Am. Jur. 2d, it is secondary authority and binds no court. Because it tries to state a majority rule, it may not reflect the law of any particular state.

Related abbreviations

More legal citation abbreviations

• Am. Jur. 2d – American Jurisprudence, Second Edition
• amend. – Amendment
• art. – Article
• Ass'n – Association
• B.R. – Bankruptcy Reporter
• C.F.R. – Code of Federal Regulations
• Cal. 5th – California Reports, Fifth Series
• Cal. App. 5th – California Appellate Reports, Fifth Series
• Cal. Rptr. 3d – California Reporter, Third Series
• cert. denied – Certiorari denied
• cert. granted – Certiorari granted
• cl. – Clause

See all 87 legal citation abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.