Legal Vocabulary Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards defining key criminal and legal terms based on the provided transcript.

Homicide

Act of causing death to anoher human being

Murder

The unlawful killing of a human being by another

Manslaughter

The unlawful kiling of a person without planning or malicious intent.

Defendant

A person, company, or group accused of a crime in a criminal case or being sued in a civil case.

Prosecution

The legal process of bringing formal criminal charges against a person

Defense

The act or system of protecting someone or something from attack, harm, or loss

Indictment

A formal written accusation issued by a grand jury that charges a person with committing a serious crime.

Charge

Asking for money, storing power in a battery, a criminal accusation, or a basic property of matter

Alibi

Proof or a claim that a person was in a different place when a crime happened, making it impossible for them to do it.

Evidence

Any fact, object, or piece of information that helps show whether an idea or claim is true.

Witness

A person who sees, hears, or knows something firsthand, or someone who gives official testimony in a judicial proceeding

Testimony

A formal statement or declaration made to prove a fact

Cross-examination

The questioning of a witness by the opposing legal side during a trial or hearing.

Burden of Proof

The duty of a party in a legal or logical argument to prove their claim.

Verdict

The formal decision or finding made by a jury or judge at the end of a trial.

Sentencing

The final phase of a criminal trial where a judge or jury imposes a specific punishment

Plea Bargain

A person accused of a crime agrees to plead guilty

Grand Jury

A group of local citizens that listens to a prosecutor

Aggravating Factors

Specific facts or circumstances surrounding a crime that increase its seriousness or lead to a harsher legal penalty and longer prison sentence

Mitigating Factors

Any fact or situation that lessens the blame or severity of a criminal act.