Law and Obligations: English Vocabulary List

the formal process or legal action taken within a court to resolve a dispute, administer justice, etc.

"Legal proceeding began."

"The legal proceeding lasted for several weeks as both sides presented evidence and witnesses."

a written statement affirmed by oath that can be used as evidence in court

"He signed an affidavit swearing that his statement was true."

"An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation"

a formal statement saying something is true, particularly made by a witness in court

"He gave his testimony today."

"The witness's testimony in court was crucial because it helped the jury understand exactly what had happened."

a serious crime such as arson, murder, rape, etc.

"Murder is a very serious felony with a long prison sentence."

"Armed robbery is considered a felony in most legal systems and can result in a prison sentence of many years for convicted criminals."

(law) the permission for a prisoner to leave prison before the end of their imprisonment sentence, on the condition of good conduct

"The prisoner was released on parole after five years."

"The prisoner was released on parole after serving fifteen years of his twenty five year sentence."

the act of breaking or not obeying a law, agreement, etc.

"He received a fine for a minor traffic infraction."

"Parking too close to a fire hydrant is a minor traffic infraction that usually results in a small fine but not a criminal record."

a person or group of people who control the property or money that belongs to another person

"The trustee managed money."

"The appointed trustee is responsible for managing the charitable foundation's endowment fund responsibly."

a response in court, stating an opposing demand

"She filed a counterclaim."

"The defendant filed a strong counterclaim against the original plaintiff in the court."

a person who commits a crime

"The offender confessed."

"The offender was apprehended by the authorities shortly after the robbery."

an action that is against a law. regulation, or agreement

"That is an infringement."

"Sharing copyrighted music without permission is an infringement of intellectual property law."

an official judgment in court of law that declares someone not guilty of the crime they were charged with

"The acquittal meant he was free to go home at last."

"The defendant cried tears of relief when the jury returned a verdict of acquittal after deliberating for only two hours."

an institution designed to reform or rehabilitate young offenders rather than simply punish them

"The youth went to reformatory."

"The young offender was sent to a reformatory for rehabilitation and education."

a prison or correctional facility where individuals convicted of serious crimes are confined and undergo rehabilitation

"He went to the penitentiary."

"The prisoner was sent to a high-security state penitentiary for many years."

according to or allowed by law

"This is a statutory right."

"The statutory requirement says that all drivers must carry insurance and those who do not can be fined or lose their licenses."

belonging or appropriate for a court, a judge, or the administration of justice

"The system is judicial."

"The judicial system in the country is independent and judges make decisions based only on the law and the evidence presented."

not known, measured, or specified precisely

"The result is indeterminate."

"The length of the prison sentence was indeterminate and the judge would decide how many years the convict would serve based on his behavior while incarcerated."

to officially accuse a person of a crime

"They will indict him."

"The grand jury decided to indict the former CEO on multiple charges of fraud and embezzlement."

to force someone to leave a country, often as a form of punishment or to keep them away

"They will banish him."

"The king decided to banish the traitor from the kingdom to prevent further acts of disloyalty."

to make false and adverse statements about someone for defamation

"It is illegal to slander someone's reputation."

"It is illegal to slander someone's reputation by spreading false rumors that damage their good name."

to force someone to live away from their native country, usually due to political reasons or as a punishment

"The king exiled his political enemies."

"The king decided to exile his political opponents to a remote island so that they could not cause any more trouble for him."

to officially state that something is illegal

"The government outlawed the dangerous drug."

"Many countries have decided to outlaw the use of plastic bags to reduce pollution and protect the environment for future generations."

to voluntarily relinquish or give up a right, claim, or privilege

"The school waived the application fee."

"The university decided to waive the application fee for students from low income families to encourage more people to apply."

to officially give permission for a specific action, process, etc.

"The manager will authorize your request."

"Only the bank manager can authorize a transaction that is larger than five thousand dollars at this branch."

to announce officially that someone is guilty of a crime in a court of law

"The jury will convict the defendant."

"The jury took only three hours to convict the defendant based on the overwhelming amount of evidence presented during the trial."

to try to charge someone officially with a crime in a court as the lawyer of the accuser

"The state will prosecute the criminal."

"The district attorney decided to prosecute the suspect for fraud after collecting enough evidence to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."

to officially resolve a disagreement between people

"He will arbitrate the issue."

"The neutral third party was called in to arbitrate the dispute between the two companies and help them reach an agreement."

a legally binding contract between parties, typically individuals or businesses, that outlines confidential information that the parties agree not to disclose to others

"Sign the non-disclosure agreement."

"All employees must sign a strict non-disclosure agreement before starting work in the company."

the assurance that sensitive information will not be divulged without proper consent

"Confidentiality is crucial."

"The doctor assured the patient that strict confidentiality would be maintained regarding their medical records."

to officially excuse someone from a requirement or obligation

"The law exempts low-income families from taxes."

"The new law will exempt small businesses from paying the additional tax next year."

to give someone the responsibility of taking care of something important, such as a task, duty, or information

"We entrust you now."

"I will entrust you with the secret code because I know you are loyal and will not betray me."

the act of blaming and charging someone for their wrong act

"That is an accusation."

"The baseless accusation threatened to ruin his reputation, despite his strong denial."

a decision made by someone with official power, particularly a judge

"The court's ruling was final and could not be appealed."

"The Supreme Court's ruling legalized same sex marriage across the entire country."

a punishment given for breaking a rule, law, or legal agreement

"He got a big penalty today."

"The penalty for driving without a license is a large fine and possible jail time."

a published false statement that damages a person's reputation

"The newspaper was sued for libel after printing the false story."

"Libel is the publication of a false written statement that damages a person's reputation"

an authorized practitioner of law who defends a person's case in a courtroom

"The advocate spoke well."

"The skilled advocate presented a compelling defense, meticulously dissecting the prosecution's evidence to protect her client's rights."

an official decision made by the jury in a court after the legal proceedings

"The verdict made her cry."

"After hours of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty."

(of a judicial sentence) establishing a range of time within which the offender will serve their sentence, with the possibility of early release

"The sentence is indeterminate."

"The judge handed down an indeterminate sentence, allowing for parole after a minimum period of incarceration."

to approve a proposed law

"Parliament will enact the new law."

"The parliament voted to enact the new education reform bill which will change the way that schools teach math and science subjects."

to kill someone, especially as a legal penalty

"Execute the prisoner."

"The soldiers were ordered to execute the traitor immediately after the court martial found him guilty of betraying his country during the war."

an action that one must perform because they are legally or morally forced to do so

"He has an obligation."

"Parents have an obligation to care for children."

an agreed-upon condition or requirement outlined in an agreement, law, or document

"Contract provision agreed."

"The new provision in the contract protects the rights of small suppliers and workers."

unable to be broken or dishonored, often due to its importance or protection by law or custom

"His privacy is inviolable."

"The inviolable rights of the citizens are protected by the constitution and no law can take them away."

to state that one is bound to do something specific

"I commit to this."

"She decided to commit herself fully to the challenging project, promising to see it through."

to make a binding agreement

"I pledge my support."

"The organization will pledge a significant portion of its profits to support charitable causes and community projects."