In Canadian law, CED stands for the Canadian Encyclopedic Digest, a comprehensive legal research tool designed to help legal professionals navigate and understand various areas of law. It serves as an authoritative secondary source that consolidates and explains Canadian legal principles.
The CED is an invaluable resource for anyone delving into unfamiliar legal territory or seeking to understand the foundational principles of specific legal subjects. It acts as a gateway to primary legal sources, making complex legal research more accessible and efficient.
Purpose and Utility of the CED
The primary purpose of the Canadian Encyclopedic Digest is to provide a structured and comprehensive overview of Canadian law. Its utility extends to:
- Understanding Unfamiliar Areas: It's particularly useful for researching legal subjects that are new or less familiar to the researcher.
- Synthesizing Legal Principles: The CED condenses vast amounts of legal information into concise, understandable summaries of legal principles.
- Identifying Relevant Authority: By referencing numerous primary sources, it guides researchers to the specific case law and statutory provisions that underpin legal concepts.
- Starting Point for Research: It often serves as an excellent starting point for in-depth legal research, providing context and direction before diving into primary materials.
Structure and Content
The Canadian Encyclopedic Digest is meticulously organized to facilitate effective legal research.
- Subject Titles and Classifications: It is structured by distinct subject titles and detailed classifications, allowing users to easily locate specific legal topics. This systematic arrangement helps in drilling down from broad legal areas to very specific points of law.
- Extensive References: The content within the CED is heavily referenced, pointing to tens of thousands of:
- Case law authorities: Decisions from Canadian courts that establish legal precedents.
- Statutory provisions: Relevant sections from federal and provincial statutes (laws passed by legislatures).
This comprehensive referencing ensures that users can trace the summarized legal principles back to their original sources, verifying accuracy and exploring nuances.
Key Features for Legal Research
The CED offers several features that enhance its effectiveness as a legal research tool:
| Feature | Description | Benefit for Researchers |
|---|---|---|
| Topical Coverage | Covers virtually all areas of Canadian law, from administrative law to wills and estates. | Provides a single, comprehensive source for diverse legal inquiries. |
| Logical Structure | Organized by detailed subject titles, classifications, and subheadings. | Enables efficient navigation and discovery of specific legal principles. |
| Extensive Citations | Links to and cites thousands of Canadian statutes and court decisions. | Facilitates quick access to primary legal sources and verification of information. |
| Regular Updates | Maintained and updated by legal experts to reflect current law and legislative changes. | Ensures that the information provided is timely and accurate. |
| Analysis & Synthesis | Presents complex legal concepts in an analytical and synthesized manner, often with commentary. | Helps researchers grasp intricate legal ideas more easily and understand their context. |
The Canadian Encyclopedic Digest is a cornerstone of legal research in Canada, used by lawyers, judges, academics, and law students alike to gain a foundational understanding and efficient access to Canadian law. More information can typically be found through legal information providers like Thomson Reuters Canada.
