Legal Definitions - A. 2D

A.2d is an abbreviation for the Atlantic Reporter, Second Series. This legal publication compiles and publishes appellate court decisions from specific states in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.

A.2d is an abbreviation for the Atlantic Reporter, Second Series.

It refers to a specific volume within a collection of published judicial opinions from appellate courts in several states in the northeastern United States. These states typically include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia. Legal professionals use A.2d as part of a citation to precisely locate and refer to a particular court decision within this series of reporters.

Here are some examples of how A.2d is used:

• Citing Precedent in a Legal Brief: A lawyer preparing a brief for a case in Pennsylvania needs to cite a previous ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that supports their argument. They might include a citation like "Commonwealth v. Smith, 500 Pa. 123, 456 A.2d 789 (1980)."

  In this example, "456 A.2d 789" tells anyone reading the brief that the full text of the Commonwealth v. Smith case can be found in volume 456 of the Atlantic Reporter, Second Series, starting on page 789. This allows other lawyers, judges, or researchers to easily find and review the exact court opinion being referenced.

• Researching Case Law in Law School: A law student researching property law in New Jersey comes across a reference to a significant appellate court decision from the 1990s. The citation might be "Jones v. Brown, 250 N.J. Super. 100, 600 A.2d 123 (App. Div. 1992)."

  The "600 A.2d 123" directs the student to volume 600 of the Atlantic Reporter, Second Series, page 123, to read the full opinion of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division. This specific citation ensures the student can pinpoint the exact legal authority for their research.

• Judicial Reference in an Opinion: A judge in Delaware is writing an opinion for a new case and wishes to reference a binding precedent from the Delaware Supreme Court that clarifies a point of law. They might write, "As established in Doe v. Roe, 750 A.2d 400 (Del. 2001), the principle of X applies to these facts."

  The "750 A.2d 400" provides the exact location in the Atlantic Reporter, Second Series, where this foundational ruling can be found. This ensures clarity and verifiability for legal researchers, other courts, and the parties involved, demonstrating the legal basis for the judge's decision.