Judicial Notice. 

Courts are generally required to take judicial notice of the meaning of words, phrases and legal expressions.{footnote}Maryland Casualty Co. v. Lawson, 101 F.2d 732 (5th Cir. 1939)(maritime terms); Ziggity Systems, Inc. v. Val Watering Systems, 769 F. Supp. 752 (E.D.Pa. 1990); Village of Morrisville Water & Light Dept. v. U.S. Fidelity & Guar. Co., 775 F. Supp. 718 (D. Vt. 1991)(Vermont law).
{/footnote}  Courts have taken judicial notice of the meaning of a variety of words a phrases.{footnote}Comerica Bank v. Lexington Ins. Co., 3 F.3d __ (6th Cir. 1993)(dictionary definition of "arising" as used in insurance policy); Nestle Co. v. Chester’s Mkting., Inc., 571 F. Supp. 763 (D. Conn. 1983)("Toll House" cookies).{/footnote}  Courts may also take judicial notice of slang terms.{footnote}Smith v. Moran, 43 Ill. App. 2d 373, 193 N.E.2d 466 (__ Dist. 1963).
{/footnote}   Where there is a genuine dispute as to the meaning of a phrase in a particular context, judicial notice is inappropriate.{footnote}Antco Shipping Co. v. Sidemar S.P.A., 417 F. Supp. 207 (S.D.N.Y. 1976), aff’d, 553 F.2d 93 (2d Cir. 1977).{/footnote}  See also JUDICIAL NOTICE.

Other Evidence

It is within the trial court’s discretion to allow expert testimony as to the special meaning of a word within a particular business or trade.{footnote}Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 26, & 205 (reasonable notice required of intention to introduce evidence of trade usage); Village of Glenview v. Northfield Woods Water and Utility Co., 216 Ill. App. 3d 40, 576 N.E.2d 238 (1st Dist. 1991).{/footnote}   The testimony should be excluded, however, where the terms used by the witness have a separate, distinct and special legal meaning.  See OPINIONS–Ultimate Issues and Legal Opinions.  The special meaning accorded a term by the parties through a prior course of dealing is also admissible.{footnote}Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 26, & 205.{/footnote}  Courts may also allow a party to introduce case law from states other than the state whose law governs the contract to show the meaning of words in a contract.{footnote}Village of Glenview v. Northfield Woods Water and Utility Co., 216 Ill. App. 3d 40, 576 N.E.2d 238 (1st Dist. 1991).{/footnote}  See also COURSE OF DEALINGS; CUSTOM; OTHER ACTS, TRANSACTIONS AND OCCURRENCES–Habit or Custom; PAROL EVIDENCE–Interpretation of Contracts.