hornbook

A primer; a book explaining the basics, fundamentals, or rudiments of any science or branch of knowledge. The phrase hornbook law is a colloquial designation of the rudiments or general principles of law.

A colloquial reference to a series of textbooks that review various fields of law in summary, narrative form, as opposed to casebooks, which are designed as primary teaching tools and include many reprints of court opinions.

---

hornbook noun abstract on the law, analysis, annotated text, capitulation, capsule, compendium, condensation, desk book, digest of the law, discourse on the law, dissection, dissertation on the law, encyclopedia, excursus, exposition, manual, manual of instruction, pandect, primer, recapitulation, review, study, study book, text, textbook, topical outline, treatise, treatise on the law