The law glossary
The law glossary
Hi, my name is Catherine. I have been studying Social Science for 3 years now.This glossary will be helpful for people who want to know more about the terms that are used in law, because it can help them understand unusual words. In this glossary, you'll find definitions, translations and pronunciation tools.
- Acquittal
- In law, acquitted mean that the person who was accused is not guilty of what he has been charged with.
- en: Acquittement
- Appeal
- Request made after a trial by the party who has lost to a higher court to reverse the decision of the previous trial.
- en: Faire appel
- Attorney
- A member of the legal profession who represent a client in court.
- en: Avocat
- Barrister
- A type of lawyer who has the exclusive right to argument in all of the superior courts. He is also involved in the litigation process (drafting court documents).
- en: Avocat
- Bench trial
- A type of trial in which the judge serves as the fact-finder. The judge has to decide all of the questions of law and questions of fact. This is a trial without a jury.
- en: Procès devant juge
- Common law
- The legal system articulated by legal principles of a historical succession of judicial decisions.
- en: Loi commune
- Damage
- Money that a defendant pays if the plaintiff won the trial in a civil case. It can also be a compensatory if there was a loss or injury or it can be punitive.
- en: Dommage
- Fused profession
- Term used when the legal profession related to jurisdictions isn't divided between solicitors and barristers.
- en: Profession fusionnée
- Jurisdiction
- Power of a court to adjudicate cases and issue orders. It is also the legal authority that the court has over a type of case and physical area.
- en: Juridiction
- Lawsuit
- Legal action initiated by someone (plaintiff) against someone else (defendant). It's the legal act of suing between private parties.
- en: Procès
- Paralegal
- A person who's not completely qualified as a lawyer, but trained in subsidiary. A paralegal performs delegated substantive legal work.
- en: Parajuriste
- Prosecutor
- An attorney who brings the case against a defendant in a criminal court. By bringing someone in a court, he accuses this person of committing a crime.
- en: Procureur
- Solicitor
- A lawyer who gives legal advice and prepare formal legal documents. Normally, he doesn't have to appear in court or litigate.
- en: Solliciteur
- Testimony
- A testimony is an oral or written evidence presented by witnesses during trials.
- en: Témoignage
- Trial
- A structured process in which a jury is in charge of deciding if the defendant is guilty or not guilty of the charge offered. All of the facts of the case are represented to them.
- en: Procès (devant jury)
- Uphold
- When a court uphold something such a law, a decision or a principle, it means that the court is going to maintain it. The court agrees with the previous law, decision or principle and allows it to stand.
- en: Défendre, respecter
- Verdict
- A verdict is the decision of a judge or a trial jury that determines the guilt or innocence of a defendant. Normally, this is the final outcome.
- en: Verdict
- Warrant
- It is a court authorization to make an arrest or conduct a search. It gives the authority to do something specific.
- en: Mandat
- Witness
- A person who is called upon to give testimony by answering questions about a case and promising to tell the truth. These answers are called evidence.
- en: Témoin