Juris Doctor

A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States it is the only qualifying law degree, while other jurisdictions, such as Australia, Canada, and Hong Kong, offer both JD degrees and undergraduate qualifying law degrees.

Originating in the United States in the late 19th century, the JD has since replaced the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) as the most common law degree in the country. The degree generally requires three years of full-time study to complete and is conferred upon students who have successfully completed coursework and practical training in legal studies. The JD curriculum typically includes fundamental legal subjects such as constitutional law, civil procedure, criminal law, contracts, property, and torts, along with opportunities for specialization in areas like international law, corporate law, or public policy. Upon receiving a JD, graduates must pass a bar examination to be licensed to practice law. The American Bar Association does not allow an accredited JD degree to be issued in less than two years of law school studies.

In the United States, the JD has the academic standing of a professional doctorate (in contrast to a research doctorate), and is described as a "doctor's degree – professional practice" by the United States Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. In Australia, South Korea, and Hong Kong, it has the academic standing of a master's degree, while in Canada, it is considered a second-entry bachelor's degree.

To be fully authorized to practice law in the courts of a given state in the United States, the majority of individuals holding a JD degree must pass a bar examination, except from the state of Wisconsin. United States patent courts also involve a specialized "Patent Bar" which require applicants to hold an additional degree in certain scientific fields alongside their Juris Doctor degrees.