1. A brief summary of the facts and decision in a case, esp. one involving statutory interpretation.
2. A note that explains or criticizes a source of law, usu. a case. • Annotations appear, for example, in the United States Code Annotated (USCA).
3. A volume containing such explanatory or critical notes.
4. RESCRIPT(3). Cf. NOTE(2). — annotate (an-[schwa]-tayt), vb. — annotative (an-[schwa]-tay-tiv), adj. — annotator (an-[schwa]-tay-t[schwa]r), n.
“One of the most important classes of Search Books is those included in the category of Annotations. They are important and valuable, in that they often purport to give, in very condensed form, some indication of the law, deduced from the cases or statutes, as well as to point out where similar cases can be found.” William M. Lile et al., Brief Making and the Use of Law Books 84 (3d ed. 1914).
