Hello everyone!
I graduated with an LLM degree from a U.S. law school. Nevertheless, I am still wondering should I study a PhD or SJD. I got an acceptance from Indiana University and I applied to a number of law schools in UK. I will appreciate any info you can give me to make my decision.
Thanks

What's the difference between a PhD and a SJD?

Ph.D. stands for Doctor of Philosophy and SJD stands for a Doctor of Juridical Science

Well in Europe a PhD is the way to become a doctor and I heard the equivalent in the US is the SJD/JSD so I really don't see what the difference is =)

Edited to avoid any confusion between the American and European use of the abbreviation "Ph.D".

Several law schools call their highest law degree a Ph.D even if all you do in it is study/research law. Statements such "Ph.D in Corporate & Economic Law, University of Paris I, Sorbonne" are common for foreign grads.
In this case, "Ph.D" is used as the abbreviation of "Doctorate in Law" and most of these Ph.D holders don't have more knowledge in philosophy than high school students.

If you're hesitating between two law degrees within the same law school, a Ph.D is more convenient when dealing with foreign and/or non legal recruiters.
If you're hesitating between an S.J.D. from one and a law focused Ph.D from another, you should probably weigh in the overall reputation of the university, rather than the denomination of the degree itself.

Several reasons can explain why US law schools are sometimes adopting the European denomination for their highest law research degree. For example, attract foreign scholars who can make better use of a "Ph.D" in their home country. Or create a more interdisciplinary version of the SJD, which seems to be the case at Bloomington.

If you want to specialize in a field of law which is closely tied to philosophical thoughts (e.g. human rights, natural law, international public law, history of law, jurisprudence etc.) then a true philosophy Ph.D would also be a valuable choice.

To get a better idea of the professor job market, visit websites of a few sample law schools (1 top 3, 1 top 14, 1 top 20 and 1 top 50) and count how many professors have SJD and how many PhD (perhaps by narrowing it down to only those who teach in your field of interest).

In General, there is really no difference between a SJD and phD. In places like the UK, a doctorate in Law is called a phD, in north America such a doctorate is called an SJD.

Furthermore despite its name (Doctor of Philosophy), there is no necessary relation between the title phD and the subject of philosophy. In the UK, almost all doctorates regardless of the subject, are labeled as phD. Thus, there's a phD in chemistry for example.

As I thought. Thanks.

A PhD does not mean you need to research philosophy/legal history - it's merely a generic, terminal degree title for a research degree in just about any discipline. E.g., you can hold a PhD in corporate law, criminal law, IP law, chemistry, biology or 17th Century English literature...etc. (EDIT: this clarification was in response a poster above who originally stated a PhD in law was aimed at research in legal philosophy).

In essense, there is little difference between the US SJD/JSD and a PhD in law - both involving the production of a substantial thesis.

But at an international level, it is debatable whether the SJD holds the same cachet as a PhD in law. Some SJD programmes are shorter than PhDs, and some don't seem to subscribe to same standards as a PhD.

The SJD is generally utilised by foreign students in the US and is not popular amongst domestic academics because it isn't a necessary credential for pursuing an academic career in an American law school. Therefore, you'd probably be better off studying for the US JD if your intention is to pursue a US academic career. If your intention is to research/teach in another country, then a PhD in law will be more recognisable and thus carry more cachet.

Some American law schools also seem keen to have PhD holders now, eg. if you look at Northwestern Law School they actively show off the number of 'PhD trained' faculty members.

Thanks everyone for your responds! Nevertheless, I am still confused which one shall I choose. Let me give you the situation my field of my study is criminal law, I have a teaching job in my country and my future plans is to continue teaching in my country. I have an acceptance from Indiana Bloomington and I have applied to several PhD programs in UK such as the one in the University of Nottingham, Birmingham, UCL and kings college but I still did not hear anything from these schools. Therefore, do you think it is worth it to wait for the PhD? Or shall I go for the SJD? That is Indiana is ranked 23 in the US and no one in my country, holds a SJD.
I really appreciate your help:)

no one in my country, holds a SJD.

Indeed Kerfuffle.

SJDs seem to be designed for those who intend to live and work in the USA. Unless the SJD is from a university that's really famous abroad: Harvard (perhaps Columbia Yale and Stanford too). But then they probably won't even care what an SJD is, they'll just see "Harvard" and go "you're hired".
I might be oversimplifying, but recruiters hate it when they encounter something they don't know. If they have to look up your degree or your university, you probably won't get hired anyway.
Recruiters will always react more positively to a famous degree from a university he's never heard of or an unknown degree from a famous university.

Indeed Kerfuffle.

SJDs seem to be designed for those who intend to live and work in the USA. Unless the SJD is from a university that's really famous abroad: Harvard (perhaps Columbia Yale and Stanford too). But then they probably won't even care what an SJD is, they'll just see "Harvard" and go "you're hired". I might be oversimplifying, but you'd be amazed how lazy and/or easily impressed some recruiters are.

I actually disagree with this. I'm not sure how the situation is like in the Original Poster's home country, but - at least - where I'm from, getting a job in academia is a lot more dependent on (i) the quality of the doctoral thesis and (ii) the uniqueness of your field of teaching/research rather than just the brand name of the school.

I'd like to ask how much does a Ph.D / SJD Student earn in USA/UK/AUS? (average)...

I'd like to ask how much does a Ph.D / SJD Student earn in USA/UK/AUS? (average)...

In my understanding, an SJD/JSD is a professional doctorate (like a DBA), whereas a PhD may perhaps be designated as an academic doctorate. That's why a legal research programme (like the one at Indiana Bloomington -- an interdiciplinary programme) that is more academic in orientation, is likely to be designated as a PhD programme.

A holder of an SJD has kind of subscribed to different standards (presumably less rigorous?) than those normally required for a PhD. If I was not mistaken, professional doctorates originted in the United States, and they are now being adopted more widely in the UK (and elsewhere in Europe?). Anyway, my feeling is that a PhD (in America) is far more prestigious than an SJD/JSD (very few Americans have taken the trouble to earn this qualification). As someone has said, a JD is enough for them. For a foreigner it's OK: back home he or she will be entitled as "Dr"!

In my understanding, an SJD/JSD is a professional doctorate (like a DBA), whereas a PhD may perhaps be designated as an academic doctorate. That's why a legal research programme (like the one at Indiana Bloomington -- an interdiciplinary programme) that is more academic in orientation, is likely to be designated as a PhD programme.

A holder of an SJD has kind of subscribed to different standards (presumably less rigorous?) than those normally required for a PhD. If I was not mistaken, professional doctorates originted in the United States, and they are now being adopted more widely in the UK (and elsewhere in Europe?).

Anyway, my feeling is that a PhD (in America) is far more prestigious than an SJD/JSD (very few Americans have taken the trouble to earn this qualification). As someone has said, a JD is enough for them.

In my understanding, an SJD/JSD is a professional doctorate (like a DBA), whereas a PhD may perhaps be designated as an academic doctorate. That's why a legal research programme (like the one at Indiana Bloomington -- an interdiciplinary programme) that is more academic in orientation, is likely to be designated as a PhD programme.

A holder of an SJD has kind of subscribed to different standards (presumably less rigorous?) than those normally required for a PhD. If I was not mistaken, professional doctorates originted in the United States, and they are now being adopted more widely in the UK (and elsewhere in Europe?). Anyway, my feeling is that a PhD (in America) is far more prestigious than an SJD/JSD (very few Americans have taken the trouble to earn this qualification). As someone has said, a JD is enough for them. For a foreigner it's OK: back home he or she will be entitled as "Dr"!

"It makes no sense for American law schools to use the abbreviation "Ph.D". Technically speaking, JD is the law equivalent of a Ph.D in other fields (and MD in medicine).
The JSD is higher than a Ph.D.
A JSD is at least 10 years of study (4 years of undergrad, 3 years of JD, 1 year LL.M and 2 years of JSD). A Ph.D can be completed in 6 years (4 years of undergrad and 2 years of Ph.D).
The Harvard Law School JD admission requirement is the same as the Ph.D in Economics at the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: a bachelor's degree.
http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/programs_of_study/economics.php"

The JD is not equivalent to a PhD (the two are not comparable), and an JSD is simply not higher than a PhD.

Simply very few US academics pursue the JSD, it is generally a foreign-student degree ...directed at those that probably hold an LLB (or equivalent) and an LLM. Contary to the practice of most other countries, US law academics don't pursue an academic research degree for entry into an academic career, and obvioulsy this relates to the fact that their first law degree (JD) is taken at a postgraduate level.

A standard US PhD does not take two years, but five years.

With respect to comparing an JSD to a US PhD, then I would also agree the PhD is far more prestigious. US PhDs are generally excellent - often requiring five years of research which is a lot longer than the residence terms for a JSD.