English for Professional Communication in Law - Vocabulary

Flashcards covering essential legal terms, court procedures, human rights concepts, and penological terminology from the English for Law transcript.

Magna Carta

A historical charter signed by King John of England that established principles of due process, equality before the law, and guaranteed rights such as freedom of the church from governmental interference and protection from excessive taxes.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

A non-binding declaration consisting of 30 articles adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 outlining fundamental human, civil, economic, social, and cultural rights.

Laws of the Land

Laws that apply to everyone throughout an entire nation or state, such as general prohibitions against theft or drug trafficking.

By-laws

Special local laws that apply only within specific local geographic areas, governing matters such as local traffic or local park behavior.

Transnational Crimes

Criminal acts, deals, and schemes whose activities violate the laws of more than one country.

Money Laundering

The criminal process of legalizing ill-gotten profits by clandestinely transferring money through foreign bank accounts to hide its origin before legally investing it into the economy.

Statistical Delinquent

A youngster who becomes involved in a delinquent act primarily due to impulsiveness or immaturity rather than habitual criminal behavior.

Personality-disordered Delinquent

A youth who is repeatedly involved in a series of persistent antisocial acts, requiring official intervention or custodial care.

Arraignment

The initial stage of a criminal trial where the defendant is formally accused in court as the clerk reads the indictment and asks for a plea of guilty or not guilty.

Indictment

The formal written legal document read during an arraignment that contains the specific charges against a defendant.

Examination-in-chief

The initial questioning of a witness by the party (prosecution or defence) that called them to testify, during which leading questions are forbidden.

Cross-examination

The questioning of a witness by the opposing party's lawyer to test the accuracy and credibility of their testimony.

Submission of No Case

An argument presented by the defence to the judge claiming that the prosecution has failed to produce sufficient reliable evidence to justify a guilty verdict.

Perjury

The criminal offence committed when a witness intentionally gives false evidence under oath in court concerning a material issue.

Leading Question

A question asked of a witness that suggests or prompts the specific answer desired by the examiner.

Hearsay Evidence

Testimony based on statements made by individuals outside of the courtroom rather than on the witness's own direct firsthand experience.

Custodial Sentence

A judicial punishment requiring an offender to be deprived of their liberty and placed in custody, such as a prison or youth offender institution.

Community Sentence

A court order allowing an offender to serve their sentence in the community under specific conditions and supervision rather than being detained in custody.

Parole

The supervised release of a prisoner on licence before the completion of their full prison term, subject to recall if release conditions are breached.

Absolute Discharge

A disposition in which the court releases a convicted offender without imposing any punishment or creating a criminal record.

Recognizance

An obligation recorded before a court where an accused person promises to abide by specific conditions, such as attending proceedings, without depositing cash up front.

Retribution

A theory of punishment asserting that criminal penalties should penalize offenders in proportion to the harm done to satisfy justice and public moral outrage.