APUNTES UNIT 2 LEGAL ENGLISH

Misdemeanours

Less serious criminal offenses, usually punishable by fines, community service, probation or short jail

Felonies

Seriuos criminal offences, usually punishable by impronment for more than one year and carrying significant legal consequences.

Vandalism, drug possession, speeding, shop lifting, public intoxication

Examples of Misdemeanours

Drug possession with intent to sell, leaving the scene of an accident, perjury, tax evasion

Examples of felonies

Manslaughter

killing unintentionally due to negligence or an illegal act.

Bribery

 receiving or offering money or anything of value to a public official to influence their behaviour

Murder

1.  killing someone intentionally. 

Robbery

1. stealing something using force or the threat of force. 

Blackmail

1.  demanding money by threatening someone. 

Burglary

entering a building unlawfully and stealing.

Assault and battery

threatening and physically injuring somebody

insider dealing

using information that is not available to the public to buy or sell securities for personal gain or to avoid a loss.

forgery

making, adapting, or imitating objects, signatures, or documents with the intention of deceiving or defrauding

embezzlement

 illegally using money entrusted to you by an organization or company for your own purposes

arson

deliberately setting fire to something with the aim of destroying it

ading and abetting

assisting in carrying out a crime.

money laundering

concealing the true origin and ownership of money made through criminal activities.

theft

taking property that belongs to another person.

Self-defense

A person uses reasonable force to protect himself from an attack of an aggressor

Duress

A person has been forced to act by threats of bodily harm.

Necessity

A person is compelled to break the law in an emergency situation.

Insanity

A person has a psychological disorder that makes him or her incapable of understanding right from wrong or prevented him from controlling his or her actions.

Alibi

Proof that a person was in a different place at the time of the crime.

Physical evidence, documentary evidence, digital evidence

Types of evidence

Exhibit

Each piece of evidence becomes an ____

discovery

Before the trial each party must reveal the evidence and witnesses they are going to call.

This is called _____.

 - eye-witness

-expert witness

-character witness

Types of witnesses

Lineup or mug

Eye-witness

in a criminal or civil case

Before the trial….

-may be asked to identify suspect from a group of people known as a _____  OR

-from a group of photos known as a photo lineup or ____ shots

testify, testimony, oath

At the trial….

-the witness takes the stand

-the witness answers questions about what he or shesaw =  to ____

    noun = ______

-the witness swears to tell the truth and 

    testifies under____

Perjury

-  Not telling the truth is a crime called         _____ 

Cross examination

-after answering questions on the stand, the witness

may be asked questions by the other party. 

e.g. a witness for the defense may be asked questions by the prosecution

- This is called ___ - _____

Subpoema

-the witness might agree to testify or might receivean order to testify.

- this order is called a _____

Committed and sentence

Character Witness

-in a criminal or civil case

-to show that the accused is less likely to have _____ the offence because he or she is a person of good character.

-to help the judge decide which _____ to impose in the case of someone who has already been convicted.