Legal Lingo: Legal Lingo, List 3

Explore this list of lawful lingo pro bono.

Here are links to our lists in the collection: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, List 6
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. defendant
    someone against whom an action is brought in a court of law
    South African law does not guarantee a defendant the right to legal representation, and thousands upon thousands of indigent men and women went to prison every year for lack of such representation. Long Walk to Freedom
  2. interrogate
    pose a series of questions to
    The KGB interrogated Powers for sixty-one days straight. Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia
  3. trustee
    a person who administers property for someone else's benefit
    The estate has been overseen by a trustee. Seattle Times
  4. writ
    a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer
    If she was incarcerated, her lawyer could file a writ of habeas corpus, which gives prisoners the right to challenge their imprisonment. Votes for Women!
  5. lawsuit
    any proceeding in a court whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy
    In 1987 he filed a lawsuit in federal court to halt Axel’s research on the grounds that it violated the 1975 National Environmental Policy Act, because it had never been proven environmentally safe. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
  6. damages
    a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury
    In the end, Kamen won his lawsuit and $7,500 in damages. Big Science
  7. bankruptcy
    a legal process for a corporation declared to be insolvent
    General Motors was days away from filing for bankruptcy. Becoming
  8. liability
    the state of being legally obliged and responsible
    “That’s right. Apparently they’re owned by a subcontractor with separate insurance. It’s all very complicated, with lots of people in lots of offices claiming it’s not their liability.” The Running Dream
  9. injunction
    a judicial remedy to prohibit a party from doing something
    A state court issued an injunction, and the mob eventually dissipated. Drama High
  10. bail
    money forfeited if the accused fails to appear in court
    People around the world heard about the jailed children and sent monetary donations to help pay their bail. While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement
  11. adjourn
    close at the end of a session
    The hearing had barely started when the Commissioner adjourned the court, to the great surprise of the people who were present. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad
  12. slander
    words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another
    “He threatened to sue your father for slander,” Miles Umlatt said. Flush
  13. redemption
    the act of purchasing back something previously sold
    The auction letter is on top, and under it are a notice of sale of tax-defaulted property, a notice to parties of interest, redemption amounts, rights of parties of interest after sale... The House That Lou Built
  14. indictment
    a formal document charging a person with some offense
    A letter to that effect was sent to Bobby in Belgrade, and upon announcement of the indictment, federal officials issued a warrant for his arrest. Endgame
  15. mitigate
    make less severe or harsh
    Further, I want to prevail upon this Court to consider this boy’s plea of guilty as evidence mitigating his punishment. Native Son
  16. dissolution
    the termination or disintegration of a relationship
    If a judge were to mandate the dissolution of the company, its factories would remain standing and its workers, accountants, managers and shareholders would continue to live—but Peugeot SA would immediately vanish. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
  17. trespass
    enter unlawfully on someone's property
    “They said I was trespassing on private property,” he says. The Fourteenth Goldfish
  18. conveyance
    transferring property title from one person to another
    Participants would be exempt from capital gains, conveyance and general excise taxes under this two-year program.
    – The Seattle Times
  19. dismissal
    a judgment disposing of the matter without a trial
    He told the defense team he would listen again to their argument for dismissal. Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War
  20. appellate
    relating to challenges to a legal decision
    The Court sent a clear message that appellate courts are largely free to accept the reasons offered by a prosecutor for excluding prospective black jurors—no matter how irrational or absurd the reasons may seem. The New Jim Crow
Created on Wed Feb 14 10:56:58 EST 2024 (updated Thu Mar 14 09:30:32 EDT 2024)

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