White Book buyer
Sell The White Book
Trusted by more judges and lawyers than any other civil procedure text.
We buy annual editions of the White Book, current or past years, with or without supplements.
the White Book is part of Sweet & Maxwell's Common Law Library, alongside Archbold and McGregor on Damages.
When does the new edition come out? →
About the set
The standard reference for civil procedure.
The White Book is the standard reference for civil procedure in the High Court and County Court, tracing back to 1883 as the Annual Practice. Published annually by Sweet & Maxwell in two volumes plus regular supplements, it's trusted by more judges and lawyers than any other civil procedure text — and, like Archbold on the criminal side, chambers and firms often hold a run of several years' editions.
Current & recent years
The most recent one or two editions carry the most value, published annually by Sweet & Maxwell.
A run of years
Several consecutive years, complete with supplements, are genuinely useful to us and to the next buyer.
Single volumes
Even one year on its own is worth an enquiry — older years are considered case by case.
Early editions
The White Book has been published since 1883. Early and antiquarian volumes are a different market from the working run, and we value those case by case.
Every new edition
Trade in last year’s edition when the new one lands.
Civil Procedure is republished every year, so every civil practice generates a superseded edition annually. Most get shelved just in case and cleared years later in one go — by which time the recent editions that were worth the most have quietly become old ones that are worth the least.
Sell it while it is still current
Last year’s the White Book is still a working book for someone. Two editions later it is competing with everything published since. Clearing the superseded edition as it is replaced is worth more than clearing a decade of them together.
Tell us when yours is due
Mention which month your new edition arrives when you enquire, and we will come back to you then rather than leaving you to remember. Start an enquiry →
Who this is usually for
Most White Book sets reach us one of three ways.
Firms clearing shelf space
A civil practice moving office, taking less floor space, or turning a library room back into desks. Selling a solicitor’s library →
Practitioners retiring
Years of annual editions in a home study or an office room, cleared on leaving practice. Retiring from practice →
Executors and families
A library inherited with an estate, where nobody is certain what is worth keeping and what is not. Executors and probate →
While you're here
We buy the rest of the shelf too.
The White Book rarely sits alone. If you're clearing a library, we're also interested in the titles that usually sit alongside it.
Encyclopaedias & statutes
Law reports
Practitioner texts
Common questions
About selling your The White Book set
Should I sell each edition as it is superseded, or wait and clear several years at once?
Sell as you go if you can. A one or two year old edition is still a working book for someone; a ten year old one is competing with every edition published since. We will happily buy a long run in one go — it just tends to be worth more spread out.
The White Book is republished every year — do you only want the current edition?
We're happy to buy the current year and recent past years. A run of several years is fine too.
Do you buy the Costs & Funding supplement separately?
Yes, alongside the main two volumes if you have it.
What if I only have one year?
Still worth an enquiry — we buy single-year sets as well as multi-year runs.
Ready when you are
Submit an enquiry and get a valuation for your The White Book set.
Four details and we’ll come back with a valuation, usually within 24 hours. Nothing to catalogue or sort first, and no obligation either way.
We’ve got your enquiry.
Your reference is your enquiry. Worth a note — quoting it saves you explaining everything again if you call.
We’ll review what you’ve sent and come back with a valuation, normally within 24 hours. If anything’s unclear we’ll ask — usually just one question.
Got photographs? Send them to info@SellLawBooks.co.uk quoting your reference and we’ll add them to the file.