20 legal terms that are used very often in different fields of law terms
My name is Eva Raymond, and I have been in the Paralegal Technology since 2021. This glossary will be for me because it can help me with English words from my field of study. The phrase compensatory damages are a word used in the legal field for people who get money from something that happened to them.
Administrative law
Phrase
The area of law that concerns the government.
Example: I am in the administrative law field for government agencies
fr: Droit administratif
Appeal
Noun
Apply to a higher court for a reversal of the decision of a lower court.
Example: He will appeal in court
fr: comparaitre
Bail
noun
The temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, sometimes on condition that a sum of money be lodged to guarantee their appearance in court.
Example: he was bailed out of jail but they had to pay 1000$ to get him out
fr: Caution
Bankruptcy
Noun
The state of being bankrupt.
Example: The company was facing bankruptcy, so they had to fire a lot of employees
fr: La faillite
Capital offense
Phrase
A capital offense is a criminal charge that is punishable by the death penalty. It is not necessary that the actual punishment imposed was the death penalty, but rather a capital office is classified as such if the permissible punishment prescribed by the legislature for the offense is the death penalty.
Example: He will die, because is crime is a capital offence
fr: Infraction capitale
community service
phrase
Unpaid work, intended to be of social use, that an offender is required to do instead of going to prison.
Example: He will have to do community service for 3 months because of is crime.
fr: service publique
compensatory damages
Phrase
Damages that are recovered for injuries or economics loss.
Example: You will be sentenced to paying 20 000$ to the person that you had the accident with in compensatory damages because of is injuries and the fact that he is not able to work for 5 months
fr: dommages-intérêts compensatoires
Contract
Noun
A written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy, that is intended to be enforceable by law.
Example: It is a written and oral agreement between people for example a work contract
fr: contrat
court
noun
Tribunal presided over by a judge, judges, or a magistrate in civil and criminal cases.
Example: He will have to go to court to know if he has to go to jail or not.
fr: Cour
defendant
noun
An individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.
Example: The defendant pleads not guilty of the crime
fr: Accusé
depose
noun
Testify to or give (evidence) on oath, typically in a written statement.
"every affidavit shall state which of the facts deposed to are within the deponent's knowledge".
Example: I will testify against my neighbour
fr: déposer
Family law
phrase
The branch of law that deals with matters relating to the family, such as divorce and child custody.
Example: you should contact a family lawyer for your kids custody
fr: Droit de la famille
felony
noun
A crime, typically one involving violence, regarded as more serious than a misdemeanor, and usually punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or by death.
Example: you will be sentenced for five felonies
fr: crime
Fraud
noun
Wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.
Example: he was convicted for fraud
fr: Fraude
judge
noun
A public official appointed to decide cases in a court of law.
Example: The judge will decide if you have to go to jail or not
fr: Juge
jury
noun
A body of people (typically twelve in number) sworn to give a verdict in a legal case on the basis of evidence submitted to them in court.
Example: The jury will say if the defendant is guilty or not
fr: jury
laws
noun
He system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties.
Example: you will go to prison for breaking the law
fr: lois
Lawyer
Noun
A person who practices or studies law; an attorney or a counselor.
Example: You should get a lawyer fit you want to win your case
fr: Avocat
mens rea
phrase
Mens Rea refers to criminal intent. The literal translation from Latin is "guilty mind." The plural of mens rea is mentes reae. A mens rea refers to the state of mind statutorily required in order to convict a particular defendant of a particular crime.
Example: the defendant had a guilty mind when he committed the crime
fr: mens rea
prisoner
Noun
Person legally held in prison as a punishment for crimes they have committed or while awaiting trial.
