Paralegal Technology glossary for criminal law
20 Glossary for a student paralegal seeking clearance about terms related to criminal law. terms
This is a law glossary related especially to criminal law. It can help students in Paralegal Technology programs to translate the words below from French to English and vice versa.
The sources I used in order to make it are all the virtual writing tutor tools and referenced websites, the book Actively Engaged Online by Nicolas Walker and Wikipedia.
- accused
- noun
- The defendant or defendants appearing on a criminal charge.
- Example: O'Reilly argued that, "the use of adverse inferences will erode or eliminate the right to silence and, in doing so, shift the burden of proof to the accused, in some cases reduce the prosecution's burden of proof, and will weaken or remove the presumption of innocence ".
- fr: accusé
- assault
- noun
- Make a physical attack on.
- Example: Figures from Office for National Statistics British Crime Survey 2000 (website - see appendix) Babergh District Council are based at Corks Lane, Hadleigh, Suffolk and their housing team manages several thousand properties in the Babergh area Government publications outline that ASBO's should "protect the public from behaviour that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress," protecting "against anti-social behaviour," e.g. "loutish and unruly conduct...verbal abuse, harassment, assault, graffiti, and excessive noise."
- fr: agression
- burden of proof
- phrase
- the obligation to prove one's assertion.
- Example: O'Reilly argued that, "the use of adverse inferences will erode or eliminate the right to silence and, in doing so, shift the burden of proof to the accused, in some cases reduce the prosecution's burden of proof, and will weaken or remove the presumption of innocence ".
- fr: fardeau de la preuve
- burglar
- noun
- A person who commits burglary; housebreaker.
- fr: cambrioleur
- common good
- phrase
- The benefit or interests of all.
- Example: Governments are to be given power, that 'can never be suppos'd to extend farther than the common good' and that is to be used only towards the achievement of certain end.
- fr: bien commun
- condemn
- verb
- To express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on.
- Example: So great is and always has been our horror at the idea that a man might be questioned, forced to speak and perhaps condemn himself out of his own mouth that we grant everyone suspected or accused of crime at the beginning, at every stage and until the very end to say: "Ask me no questions.
- fr: condamner
- constitutional law
- phrase
- The body of law which defines the relationship of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary.
- Example: EU law prevails over national law (including constitutional law), even if it is far from having the simplicity that constitutions generally have, comprising more than 700 articles.
- fr: loi constitutionnelle
- criminal record
- phrase
- A history of being convicted for crime.
- Example: This may be because 'businessmen do not like being labeled as criminals' thereby risking their reputation and the implications of a criminal record.
- fr: Dossier criminel
- default judgement
- phrase
- A judgement entered in favor of the plaintiff when the defendant defaults (fails to appear in court).
- fr: jugement par défaut
- defendant
- noun
- An individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.
- Example: First there is the need to establish whether the defendant was in breach of a duty of care towards the victim.
- fr: défendeur
- denunciation
- noun
- A charge of accusation of crime made by an individual before a public prosecutor or tribunal.
- fr: dénonciation
- enact
- verb
- To represent or perform in or as in a play; to act out.
- fr: jouer un rôle
- evidence
- noun
- Matter produced before a court of law in an attempt to prove or disprove a point in issue, such as the statements of witnesses, documents, material objects, etc.
- fr: éléments de preuve
- felony
- noun
- A serious crime, usually punishable by at least one year in prison.
- fr: crime
- fraud
- noun
- Wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.
- Example: Is the firm violating GAAP or committing outright fraud?
- fr: fraude
- grand jury
- phrase
- A jury, normally of twenty-three jurors, selected to examine the validity of an accusation before trial.
- fr: grand jury
- guilty
- adjective
- Culpable of or responsible for a specific wrongdoing.
- Example: The case was concerned with the interpretation of s.118 of the County Courts Act 1984, relating to the powers of the county court to protect its witnesses by punishment of those guilty of contempt of court.
- fr: coupable
- habeas corpus
- phrase
- A writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court, esp. To secure the person's release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention.
- fr: habeas corpus
- half-way house
- noun
- A place where persons are aided in readjusting to society following a period of imprisonment, hospitalization, etc.
- fr: maison de transition
- hearing
- noun
- An opportunity to state one's case.
- Example: However the appellants believed that it was disproportionate, and in agreement with Sedley LJ in his dissenting judgement of the Court of Appeal hearing, argued that the authorities should use their discretion to decide whether to retain evidence.
- fr: audience