Legal Terms and Definitions: A Comprehensive Glossary
Legal Vocabulary
Crimes
Murder: Unlawfully and deliberately killing someone
Manslaughter: Killing someone by accident through a dangerous act
Pickpocketing: To steal from someone’s pocket without them realizing
Blackmail: To demand money or something different from someone in return for not revealing compromising information
Mugging: To take something by force from someone
Theft: Stealing, usually secretly and without violence
Shoplifting: To steal things while pretending to shop
Smuggling: To bring illegal goods, like drugs, into a country or to bring goods without paying taxes
Kidnapping: Taking somebody and demanding money or conditions to free that person.
Burglary: To enter a building (often when no one is in it) and steal money or objects
Fraud: To deceive or cheat someone to get money
Rape: To violently attack a person sexually
Arson: To set fire to a building illegally
Hijacking: To use force to control a plane, ship…
Nuisance: To make high-pitched noises during bedtime
Types of Crimes
1. Against the Person: Assault (threats), battery (aggression), domestic violence, homicide, kidnapping, manslaughter, rape, stalking
2. Against Property: Squatting (occupation), vandalism, theft, shoplifting, robbery, armed robbery, burglary, forgery (falsification)
3. Statutory Crimes: Arson, bribery (soborno), drug trafficking, driving under the influence, extortion, hate crime, money laundering, perjury, obstruction of justice, sedition, treason (to not show loyalty to your country), espionage
Areas of Law
Real Estate/Property/Land Law: The form of law that deals with the right to use or exclude others from land.
Contract Law: Area of law that governs making contracts
Company/Business Law: The area of law that controls how businesses are formed and managed
Labor Law/Employment Law: Area of law that regulates the relationship between employers and employees.
Family Law: Area of law that deals with family matters and domestic relations
Migratory/Immigration Law: Refers to the rules established by a government for determining who is allowed to enter the country and for how long.
Intellectual Property Law: Area that deals with the rules for securing and enforcing legal rights to inventions, designs…
Criminal Law: The body of law that defines criminal offenses, regulates the apprehension, charging, trials for suspects…
Banking/Financial Law: Area of law which involves the regulation of financial products and is primarily focused on loan transactions
Construction Law: Area of law that deals with issues relating to building, construction, and engineering
Environmental Law: It is shaped by treaties, statutes, regulations, common and customary laws which address the effects of human activity on the natural environment
Insurance Law: Relates to the regulation of insurance policies and claims
Tax Law: Regulates the taxation of individuals and companies
Claims vs. Lawsuits
Claims are legal demands for compensation, such as a request to an insurance company for payment following an accident. Lawsuits are legal actions decided in court, involving one party, the plaintiff, suing another party.
Important Terms
Dispute: Disagreement, argument, or controversy often that gives rise to a legal proceeding
Settlement: An agreement that ends a dispute and results in a voluntary dismissal of any related litigation
Find: To determine an issue after judicial inquiry
On the grounds of: Discrimination on the grounds of sex or race is unlawful
Barrister and Solicitor/Advocate: One goes to court and does trial work, the other one does the paperwork…
Civil Trial Participants
Court Officer or Bailiff: Opens court and is responsible for maintaining order and security in the courtroom
Court Recorder: Records and logs all trial proceedings
Judge: Will preside over the trial, instructs the jury, makes rulings on points of law, having general charge over the proceeding and its participants
Parties: In the civil trial are the plaintiff and defendant; in a criminal trial, they are the prosecutor and the defendant
Prosecuting Attorney: Is the official representing the state or a local city, township, or village in a criminal case
Witnesses: Present testimony under oath concerning what they have seen or know about the facts of the case
Connectors
By contrast – Even so – However – Instead of – Nevertheless – On the contrary – On the one hand (on the other hand) – Still – Although – Even though – Unlike – While – Whereas – Despite – In spite of – At least – Rather than
Expressions
File or Drop a Lawsuit
Settle a Lawsuit
Face Charges / Press charges against someone
Negotiate a deal, settlement, or agreement
Breach of Contract / Friendly settlement
Serious / Minor / Lengthy dispute
Vocabulary
Damages: Money claimed by someone as compensation for harm done
Commit: To send someone to prison or to a court
Judicial: An adjective referring to a judge or to the law
Innocent: Not guilty of a crime
Offense: Any act which is not legal
Lawyer: Person who has studied law and can act for people and legal business
Dispute: An argument between parties
Tribunal: A specialist court outside the judicial system which examines special problems
Case: Set of arguments put forward by one side in a legal proceeding
Judge: An official who presides over a court
Pleads (alegar/declarar): To make an allegation in legal proceedings
Defendant (acusado): Someone who is accused of a crime in a criminal case
Claimant (demandante): A person who makes a claim against someone in a civil court
Settlement: An agreement reached after an argument
Arrest: To hold someone legally so as to charge him with a crime
A Hearing (audiencia): A case which is being heard by a committee, tribunal, or court of law
Convict: To find that someone is guilty of a crime
Breach: Failure to carry out the terms of an agreement
Prosecute (procesar): To bring someone to court to answer a criminal charge
Appeal: To ask a higher law court to change its sentence
Jury: Group of 12 citizens who decide whether or not someone is guilty in a trial
Injunction: A court order telling someone to stop doing something