Useful English Legal Vocabulary
Legal vocabulary can be particularly difficult, even if you are a native English speaker! If you are a lawyer or a judge this blog post is for you! Even if you don’t work in the legal field a lot of this vocabulary can be useful for everyday things, for example: signing contracts or renting property. In this post we are going to be learning some important legalese vocabulary.
Accuse
To claim that somebody has committed a crime or done something wrong.
- The man was accused of stealing a car.
Accessory
An accessory is somebody who is complicit or involved with a crime.
- Julie was an accessory to the crime, she helped the defendant steal the money.
Jury/Juror
A group of people who are randomly selected to provide an impartial verdict. A juror is a member of the Jury
- The jury finds the defendant guilty!
- My friend was a juror on a murder trial!
Precedent
An earlier example of something.
- By committing acts of vandalism he was setting a precedent for her future life of crime.
Contract
A legal document stating a promise.
- I signed the contract at my new job yesterday!
Accounts
A company or a person’s financial records.
- They are going through my accounts to find any tax discrepancies.
Acquit
To absolve somebody of a crime.
- Due to a lack of evidence the judge has acquitted the defendant.
Arrest
To legally detain somebody who has committed a crime.
- The criminal was arrested for stealing a car.
Courtroom
The room where court cases happen.
- The hearing will take place in the courtroom in the next 10 minutes.
Convict
To put a criminal in prison
- The thief was convicted for 10 years.
I hope you found this list helpful. Remember there are a variety of different ways to use each of these words.
