Legal Definitions - annotation

An annotation in a legal context refers to a note, summary, or commentary added to a legal text, such as a statute, regulation, or court decision. These annotations serve to explain, clarify, or provide additional context, often by summarizing related cases, discussing interpretations, or pointing out connections to other laws. They help legal professionals understand how a particular piece of law has been applied or interpreted by the courts. The term can also refer to a collection of such notes found in a legal publication.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of an annotation:

• Imagine a lawyer researching a specific section of a state's consumer protection law. They consult a legal publication that prints the full text of the statute. Beneath each section of the law, there are concise paragraphs summarizing various court cases where that particular section was interpreted or applied. These summaries are annotations, providing quick insight into how courts have practically dealt with the statute's language and offering guidance on its real-world application.

• A law student is studying a landmark Supreme Court decision that is hundreds of pages long. Before the main body of the court's opinion, the published version includes several short, editor-written paragraphs that highlight the key legal issues, the court's main holding, and the significant legal principles established by the case. These introductory summaries function as annotations, helping the student quickly grasp the core legal takeaways from the extensive judgment.

• An international law scholar is examining a complex treaty on environmental protection. They use a specialized legal commentary that reproduces the treaty's articles. For each article, the commentary includes detailed notes explaining its historical development, how different signatory nations have implemented it, and relevant decisions from international tribunals. These explanatory notes are annotations, offering a comprehensive understanding of the treaty's meaning and practical impact beyond its literal text.