Legal Terminology Flashcards

These flashcards cover key legal terms and their definitions to aid in studying for legal concepts.

abuse

(noun) misuse of something or mistreatment of a person, often in a harmful context.

accumulation

(noun) the act of gathering or collecting something over time.

accuse (of)

(verb) to charge someone with a fault or crime.

act

(noun) a law or a statute enacted by a legislative body.

action

(noun) the process of doing something; can also refer to a legal proceeding.

adjudicate

(verb) to make a formal decision about a dispute or to settle a case.

adversarial

(noun) relating to or denoting a system of legal procedure in which the parties present their cases to an impartial judge.

apply

(verb) to make a formal request or to put something into operation.

arbiter

(noun) a person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a matter.

arrest

(noun) the act of catching and holding someone, usually for legal reasons.

ascertain

(verb) to find out or discover something with certainty.

attempt

(noun) an act of trying to achieve something; (verb) to make an effort to do something.

award

(noun) a decision or judgement made to confer a benefit or prize; (verb) to give something as a compensation.

bind (bound, bound)

(verb) to tie or fasten something.

blackmail

(noun) the act of obtaining money or favors through threats; (verb) to threaten someone for such ends.

breach

(noun) an act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct; (verb) to violate or break.

claim

(noun) a demand for something as due; (verb) to assert ownership or demand for something.

code

(noun) a systematic collection of laws or regulations.

codification

(noun) the process of compiling and organizing laws into a systematic code.

Commonwealth (British)

(noun) a political community founded for the common good; especially used to refer to the British Commonwealth.

comply (with)

(verb) to act in accordance with a request, rule, or order.

conduct

(noun) behavior or the manner in which a person behaves; (verb) to lead or guide.

consolidate

(verb) to combine or unite.

constitute

(verb) to be a part of a whole; to establish or create.

court

(noun) a place where legal cases are heard and decided.

defence (US defense)

(noun) the action of defending from or resisting an attack.

defendant

(noun) a person accused in a court of law.

derive (from)

(verb) to obtain something from a specified source.

discontented

(adjective) dissatisfied or unhappy.

discourage

(verb) to cause someone to lose confidence or enthusiasm.

discretion

(noun) the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation.

dispose (of)

(verb) to get rid of or to arrange something.

distribute

(verb) to give out or spread something.

enforce

(verb) to compel obedience to a law, rule, or obligation.

equitable

(adjective) fair and impartial.

estate

(noun) a sizable area of land; in legal terms, one's total assets.

fact

(noun) a thing that is indisputably the case; the facts of a case refer to the details of a legal matter.

fine

(noun) a monetary charge as a punishment for an offense; (verb) to impose a fine.

force

(noun) strength or energy as an attribute of physical action; (verb) to make someone do something against their will.

grant

(noun) a financial allowance or a subsidy; (verb) to agree to give something.

guidelines

(noun) general rules or instructions.

guilt

(noun) the fact of having committed a specified or implied offense or crime.

guilty

(adjective) having committed an offense.

hear

(verb) to listen to evidence during a court proceeding.

hostage

(noun) a person seized or held as security for the fulfillment of a condition.

illegal

(adjective) contrary to or forbidden by law, especially criminal law.

implement

(verb) to put a decision, plan, or agreement into effect.

inherit

(verb) to receive property or money from a person upon their death.

innocence

(noun) the state of being innocent; freedom from guilt.

inquisitorial

(adjective) relating to an investigative process where the judge plays an active role.

interpret

(verb) to explain the meaning of something.

judge

(noun) an official who is authorized to decide lawsuits; (verb) to form an opinion or conclusion about something.

jurisprudence

(noun) the theory or philosophy of law.

jury

(noun) a group of people sworn to render a verdict in a legal case.

justice

(noun) the quality of being fair and reasonable.

law

(noun) the system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members.

lawyer

(noun) a person who is qualified to practice law.

legislation

(noun) laws, considered collectively.

litigation

(noun) the process of taking legal action.

plaintiff

(noun) a person who brings a case against another in a court of law.

precedent

(noun) an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.

property

(noun) something that is owned.

prosecutor

(noun) a legal representative who brings a case against someone in a criminal trial.

remedy

(noun) a means of legal reparation; (verb) to set something right.

sentence

(noun) the punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court; (verb) to declare a judgment.

trial

(noun) a formal examination of evidence before a judge.

witness

(noun) a person who sees an event, specifically a crime or accident; (verb) to give testimony.

violate

(verb) to break a rule or law.

violator

(noun) a person who breaks a law or rule.