A J.D. is considered a terminal degree (there is no further degree beyond a J.D.; the S.J.D. is considered a different track), so technically you do have a doctorate.

But ethical rules are questionable as to whether you can call yourself a "doctor," because it's potentially misleading. So US lawyers are in the strange position of having doctorates, but being unable to say so.

Here's some more info: http://abajournal.com/magazine/lawyers_are_doctors_too/

Don't lawyers (i.e. our friends with the J.D.) get to refer to themselves as esquire? i.e. Bob Jones, esq or something like that.

I think that is the conventional use of the term "esquire" in the United States, but I can't recall the last time when I saw a lawyer use that title. Most lawyers like best the title "attorney at law," which is the title for the regulated occupation they enjoy once they have passed a state bar examination.

But it's a D. There are other D's besides a Ph.D.: there's the Psy.D and others: (from Wikipedia)

The Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree is an applied doctorate on the same level as (in alphabetical order) the D.B.A. (Doctor of Business Administration), D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery), D.Div. (Doctor of Divinity), D.M. (Doctor of Ministry), D.M.F.T. (Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy), N.D. (Doctor of Naturopathy), D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy), D.P.M. (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine), D.R.E. (Doctor of Religious Education), D.S.M. (Doctor of Sacred Music), D.S.W. (Doctor of Social Work), D.V.M. (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine), Ed.D. (Doctor of Education), M.D. (Doctor of Medicine), O.D. (Dr of Optometry) and other applied or specialty doctoral degrees. Most of these degrees do not require either a master's level thesis or a doctoral dissertation.

It's even tricker because there are a couple other doctoral law degrees that can be awarded in the United States (S.J.D. and LL.D.) that are much closer in spirit to the Ph.D., as they are research degrees. Although in fairness, in many cases they are given as honorary degrees.

Additionally, consider the LL.M. degree. It further complicates things because it is awarded after the J.D.

Yes, if I had an LL.D. degree, I would have blushed and chosen "Doctorate" on the poll.

So which one is best to have around if you happen to get hit by a bus?

It depends. If you're mostly unhurt but your teeth are knocked out, a D.D.S. would be rather convenient. If you're badly hurt but can still survive, then the M.D. would be best. If you're mostly unhurt and the bus rolls over your foot, it looks like the D.P.M. would be a safe bet. However, if you're hurt too badly to recover, then the D.Div. or D.M. may be appropriate, depending upon your religious beliefs.

Thanks to the popularity of physical injury or wrongful death lawsuits, the J.D. will be with you soon regardless of who else is around when the bus hits you.

Seriously.....Doctor of Sacred Music?

Is that the same thing as Doctor of Ministry?

Guess it depends on your definition of 'sacred'...

What J.D. stands for?

Juris Doctor