Doctor of Jurisprudence

Etymology and abbreviations

In the United States, the professional doctorate in law may be conferred in Latin or in English as Juris Doctor (sometimes shown on Latin diplomas in the accusative form Juris Doctorem) and at some law schools Doctor of Law (JD), or Doctor of Jurisprudence (also abbreviated JD). "Juris Doctor" literally means "teacher of law", while the Latin for "Doctor of Jurisprudence" (Jurisprudentiae Doctor) literally means "teacher of legal knowledge". The JSD and SJD are equivalent to PhD degrees in law, while the LLD may be equivalent to the PhD or may be a higher doctorate. The JD differs from the Doctor of the Science of Law (Juridicae Scientiae Doctor; JSD), Doctor of Juridical Science (Scientiae Juridicae Doctor; SJD), or Doctor of Laws (Legum Doctor; LLD). In the US, the JSD and SJD both require students to hold a JD and a Master of Laws (LLM); the JSD is for those wanting to pursue an academic career in the US, while the SJD is typically for students who are pursuing careers as professors of law at universities in other countries.