Just Mercy Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms and definitions from the study of Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy.

litigation

a legal proceeding in a court

esoteric

understandable only by an enlightened inner circle

ambivalence

mixed feelings or emotions

ominously

in a manner suggesting something bad will happen

exonerate

pronounce not guilty of criminal charges

vagrant

a wanderer with no established residence or means of support

indigent

poor enough to need help from others

precocious

characterized by exceptionally early development

dilapidated

in a state of decay, ruin, or deterioration

subpoena

a writ issued to compel the attendance of a witness

confluence

a flowing together

miscegenation

marriage or reproduction by people of different races

indiscretion

a petty misdeed

culpability

a state of guilt

vindicate

show to be right by providing justification or proof

emphatic

forceful and definite in expression or action

incredulous

not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving

embellishment

elaboration of an interpretation with decorative detail

clemency

leniency and compassion shown toward offenders

peremptory

not allowing contradiction or refusal

affluent

having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value

scathing

marked by harshly abusive criticism

jeremiad

a long and mournful complaint

tort

a wrongdoing for which an action for damages may be brought

deposition

a pretrial interrogation of a witness

bureaucratic

of or relating to unnecessary procedures and red tape

meticulous

marked by precise accordance with details

habeas corpus

the right to a writ protecting against illegal imprisonment

mitigate

lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

contentious

showing an inclination to disagree