Legal English, Systems of Government, and Separation of Powers

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering everything

Contract law

Laws relating to agreements.

Slovak translation: zmluvné právo

Case law

Law based on court decisions, rather than on written statutory laws.

Slovak translation: precedenčné právo

Commercial law

Law relating to business and commercial activities.

Slovak translation: obchodné právo

Property law

Law dealing with ownership rights.

Slovak translation: majetkové právo

Law of succession

Law relating to the transfer of property after the owner's death.

Slovak translation: dedičské právo

Law reform

The process of changing laws to better meet the needs of society.

Slovak translation: právna reforma

Law enforcement

Activities aimed at making sure that people obey the law.

Slovak translation: presadzovanie práva

Lawful act

An action that is permitted by law.

Slovak translation: zákonný čin

Common-law wife

A woman who lives with a man as his wife, although they are not legally married.

Slovak translation: družka

Legal executive

An employee of a law firm who is not a solicitor.

Slovak translation: právny administratívny pracovník

Legal aid

Financial help provided by the state to pay for a lawyer.

Slovak translation: právna pomoc

Legal tender

Money that can officially be used to pay for things in a country.

Slovak translation: zákonné platidlo

Legal separation

A court decision that a married couple no longer live together but are not yet divorced.

Slovak translation: právna odluka

Private law

The branch of law that regulates relationships between individuals or private bodies.

Slovak translation: súkromné právo

Public law

The branch of law that regulates legal relationships between the state and individual people or bodies.

Slovak translation: verejné právo

Substantive law

Law that deals with the rights exercised by and duties imposed upon individual persons.

Slovak translation: hmotné právo

Procedural law

Law that deals with the procedure of how rights and duties may be enforced in court, how a case is presented, and how it is tried.

Slovak translation: procesné právo

Tort

A civil wrong committed by one individual against another individual's person, property, or reputation.

Slovak translation: občianskoprávny delikt

Actus reus

The physical element of criminal liability representing prohibited conduct, including both physical actions and omissions.

Slovak translation: materiálny prvok trestného činu / protiprávne konanie

Mens rea

The mental element of criminal liability representing a guilty mind or criminal intent.

Slovak translation: psychický prvok trestnej zodpovednosti / zavinenie

Recklessness

A form of mens rea that amounts to less than intention but more than negligence.

Slovak translation: bezohľadnosť / vedomá nedbanlivosť

Strict liability offences

Offences that do not require fault and require only a more limited form of mens rea.

Slovak translation: delikty objektívnej zodpovednosti

Balance of probabilities

The standard of proof required in civil law proceedings.

Slovak translation: po zvážení všetkých pravdepodobností

Beyond reasonable doubt

The standard of proof required in criminal law proceedings to convict a defendant.

Slovak translation: mimo odôvodnených pochybností

Damages

Money claimed by someone as compensation for harm done.

Slovak translation: náhrada škody / odškodné

Injunction

A court order telling someone to stop doing something or not to do something.

Slovak translation: súdny príkaz / zákaz

Tribunal

A specialist court outside the traditional judicial system that examines special problems.

Slovak translation: tribunál / osobitný súd

Claimant

A person who initiates legal proceedings or makes a claim against someone in a civil court.

Slovak translation: žalobca / navrhovateľ

Arraignment

A stage in criminal procedure where the accused is brought before the court to enter a plea.

Slovak translation: predvedenie obvineného na súd

Malice aforethought

A premeditated and deliberate evil intention or plan to kill or cause serious harm.

Slovak translation: vopred naplánovaný zlý úmysel

Double jeopardy clause

A constitutional protection that prevents an individual from being tried twice for the same criminal offense.

Slovak translation: zákaz dvojitého stíhania v rovnakej veci

Presidential government

A system of government where the executive powers of the president and the powers of the legislature are separate and elected independently.

Slovak translation: prezidentská forma vlády

Parliamentary government

A system of government consisting of a legislature and a cabinet of ministers drawn from the majority party in parliament.

Slovak translation: parlamentná forma vlády

Constituency

A geographical area that elects a representative or Member of Parliament to the legislature.

Slovak translation: volebný obvod

By-election

An election held to replace a Member of Parliament who has died or left office.

Slovak translation: doplňujúce voľby

Referendum

A direct vote by eligible citizens on an important public or constitutional issue.

Slovak translation: referendum / ľudové hlasovanie

Separation of powers

The division of government authority into three distinct branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Slovak translation: rozdelenie moci

Checks and balances

A system where each branch of government exercises control and limits the power of the other branches to prevent the abuse of power.

Slovak translation: systém bŕzd a protiváh

Enter a market

To begin selling goods or services in a particular market or commercial sector.

Slovak translation: vstúpiť na trh

Evade taxes

To illegally avoid paying taxes that are owed to the government.

Slovak translation: vyhýbať sa plateniu daní

Hear a case

To listen to the arguments and officially examine a legal proceeding in a court of law.

Slovak translation: prejednávať súdny prípad

Negotiate terms

To discuss and agree upon the specific conditions or clauses of an agreement or contract.

Slovak translation: vyjednávať podmienky

Return a verdict

To officially announce the formal decision reached by a jury or judge at the end of a trial.

Slovak translation: vyniesť rozsudok

Break the law

To perform an action that violates or disobeys a legal rule or statute.

Slovak translation: porušiť zákon

Commit a crime

To carry out an unlawful act that is punishable by legal sanctions.

Slovak translation: spáchať trestný čin

Cross-examine a witness

To systematically interrogate a witness called by the opposing party in a court trial.

Slovak translation: krížovo vypočúvať svedka

Charge a fee

To require a specific monetary payment in exchange for professional or legal services.

Slovak translation: účtovať poplatok

Declare an interest

To officially announce that one has a personal or financial stake in a particular matter.

Slovak translation: oznámiť svoj záujem

Within the law

Acting in strict accordance with the rules and statutes of a country.

Slovak translation: v súlade so zákonom

Against the law

Forbidden by or in direct violation of the rules of a legal jurisdiction; illegal.

Slovak translation: proti zákonu

Law and order

A condition in society where legal rules are obeyed and public peace is preserved.

Slovak translation: zákon a poriadok

Law-abiding

Respectful of and consistently obedient to legal rules and statutory provisions.

Slovak translation: dodržiavajúci zákony

Above the law

Exempt from having to follow the laws and rules that govern other citizens.

Slovak translation: nad zákonom

Lay down the law

To state rules with firmness and authority, dictating exactly what others must do.

Slovak translation: stanoviť pravidlá / rozkazovať

Take the law into one's own hands

To enforce justice or punish someone personally without following legitimate legal proceedings.

Slovak translation: brať spravodlivosť do vlastných rúk

Legal claim

A formal assertion or demand asserting that someone has an enforceable right to something.

Slovak translation: právny nárok

Legal action

Proceedings instituted by one party against another in a court of law to assert a right.

Slovak translation: právne kroky / súdne konanie

Legal costs

The total expenses paid for lawyers, counsel representation, and judicial proceedings.

Slovak translation: trovy právneho konania

Legal status

The official standing, rights, and responsibilities recognized by the law for an individual or entity.

Slovak translation: právne postavenie

Constitutional law

The branch of law regulating the fundamental principles of governance and the distribution of state power.

Slovak translation: ústavné právo

International law

The legal framework and treaties governing relationships between sovereign states and international entities.

Slovak translation: medzinárodné právo

Administrative law

The branch of public law regulating the operations, procedures, and decisions of government bodies.

Slovak translation: správne právo

Tax law

The branch of law dealing with compulsory contributions and duties collected by public authorities.

Slovak translation: daňové právo

Land law

The branch of law governing rights, ownership, and transactions concerning real property and land.

Slovak translation: pozemkové právo

Family law

The branch of law regulating matters such as marriage, divorce, custody, and adoption.

Slovak translation: rodinné právo

Criminal law

The system of law dealing with conduct recognized as an offense against society and punished by the state.

Slovak translation: trestné právo

Judicial review

The power of a court to examine and determine the legality of actions or decisions taken by public authorities.

Slovak translation: súdne preskúmanie rozhodnutí orgánov štátnej správy

Trust

A legal arrangement in which property is held by a trustee for the benefit of another person.

Slovak translation: trust / správa cudzieho majetku

Specific performance

An equitable court remedy compelling a party to execute the precise obligations specified in a contract.

Slovak translation: špecifické plnenie zmluvy

Burden of proof

The obligation of a party in a trial to produce evidence establishing the facts required for their claim.

Slovak translation: dôkazné bremeno

Acquit

To formally deliver a verdict stating that an accused defendant is not guilty of a criminal charge.

Slovak translation: zbaviť viny / oslobodiť

Discharge

To release a person from a legal charge, custody, or official obligation.

Slovak translation: oslobodiť / prepustiť

Lack of evidence

An insufficient amount of proof available to establish liability or convict a defendant.

Slovak translation: nedostatok dôkazov

Sue

To bring civil legal proceedings against a person or organization to obtain a judicial remedy.

Slovak translation: žalovať v občianskoprávnom zmysle

Negligence

A failure to behave with the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise under similar circumstances.

Slovak translation: nedbanlivosť

Life imprisonment

A sentence of imprisonment that keeps a convicted offender incarcerated for the rest of their natural life.

Slovak translation: doživotný trest odňatia slobody

Settlement

A formal resolution of a civil dispute or lawsuit agreed upon by opposing parties before a final trial judgment.

Slovak translation: urovnanie sporu / dohoda

Breach of contract

The unjustifiable failure to perform a promised obligation or condition specified in an agreement.

Slovak translation: porušenie zmluvy

Prosecute

To institute and maintain legal proceedings against a person accused of a criminal offense.

Slovak translation: trestne stíhať

Appeal

A formal request to a superior court to review, modify, or overturn the decision of a lower court.

Slovak translation: odvolať sa / odvolanie

Binding

Possessing legal force that imposes an inescapable obligation on all involved parties.

Slovak translation: právne záväzný

Jury

A group of citizens sworn to render an impartial verdict based on the evidence presented in a trial.

Slovak translation: porota

Miranda rights

The procedural warnings that law enforcement must advise an arrested suspect of prior to custodial interrogation.

Slovak translation: poučenie o právach v trestnom konaní

Preliminary hearing

A judicial hearing held before a trial to assess whether there is probable cause to hold the defendant for trial.

Slovak translation: predbežné pojednávanie

Discovery

The formal procedure whereby opposing parties in litigation obtain and exchange information and evidence from each other.

Slovak translation: sprístupnenie dôkazov protistrane

Inadmissible evidence

Material or testimony that cannot be lawfully admitted or considered by the court when deciding a case.

Slovak translation: neprípustný dôkaz

Coerced confession

An admission of guilt obtained involuntarily through duress, intimidation, physical force, or illegal pressure.

Slovak translation: vynútené priznanie

Public defender

A lawyer appointed by the government to represent defendants who cannot afford private legal counsel.

Slovak translation: verejný ochranca / verejný obhajca