Legal Definitions - compare with

Definition: "Compare...with" is a signal used in legal writing to encourage the reader to compare at least two cited sources. This comparison should either support or clarify the author's preceding statements. The signal is used in the following format: Compare [source 1] with [source 2]. Or, with more sources on each side of the comparison: Compare [source 1] and [source 2] with [source 3] and [source 4].

Example: Circuits were split on the issue of whether the Supreme Court decision of Crawford v. Washington applies retroactively to previous convictions or not. Compare Bockting v. Bayer, 399 F.3d 1010 (9th Cir. 2005) with Mungo v. Duncan, 393 F.3d 327 (2d Cir. 2004). By comparing the two sources, the reader will come to the intended conclusion that separate circuits disagreed over the issue of retroactively applying the decision of Crawford.

In this example, the author uses the signal "compare...with" to direct the reader to compare two sources that have different opinions on the issue at hand. By comparing the sources, the reader can understand the disagreement between the circuits and the complexity of the legal issue.