Law is a beautiful field. You learn how court works, what lawyers really do and what being a judge involves. New students are often stressed and anxious. One thing about law students is that they want to study hard and have good grades. They need to do a lot of lectures. However, the lectures can be hard to understand because there are a lot of new terms. This is why, I have decieded to create a glossary. In this glossary, you can find all the important words related to law. I found all the words and definition threw Google and Wikipedia.
acquittal
noun
A jury verdict that a criminal defendant is not guilty, or the finding of a judge that the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction.
Example: The courtroom witnessed the acquittal of the innocent man.
en: C’est un acquittement.
brief
noun
A written statement submitted by the lawyer for each side in a case that explains to the judge(s) why they should decide the case (or a particular part of a case) in favor of that lawyer's client.
Example: My lawyer took 3 days to write the brief because he wanted to make sure that his brief was convincing.
en: dossier
chambers
noun
The offices of a judge and his or her staff.
Example: After the end of the court ceremony, the judge went directly in the chambers.
en: Les cabinets, les chambres des juges.
chief judge
noun
The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court. The chief judge also decides cases, and the choice of chief judges is determined by seniority.
Example: The chief judge was a lawyer before, he worked really hard to ern this status.
en: juge en chef
Common law
noun
The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States, which relies on the articulation of legal principles in a historical succession of judicial decisions. Common law principles can be changed by legislation.
Example: In Canada, you can’t steal in stores it’s common law.
en: Droit commun
continuance
noun
Decision by a judge to postpone trial until a later date.
Example: The court decied to make a continuance because new evidences show up everyday.
en: prolongation
Docket
noun
A log containing the complete history of each case in the form of brief chronological entries summarizing the court proceedings.
Example: The judge keep the docket in a secure place.
en: C'est une fiche de renseignements.
felony
noun
A serious crime, usually punishable by at least one year in prison.
Example: Bad people make felonies as robbing a bank and stealing cars .
en: une infraction
jurisprudence
noun
The study of law and the structure of the legal system.
Example: This case looks familiar and common, we will use the jurisprudence to see how they handled this kind of case in the past.
en: C’est l'ensemble des arrêts et des jugements qu'ont rendu les Cours et les Tribunaux pour la solution d'une situation juridique donnée.
juror
noun
A person who is on the jury.
Example: My mom have been asked to be a juror but refused becquse she is a doctor and her patients need her.
en: juré
jury pool
noun
The group of people from which the actual jury is chosen. The jury pool is randomly selected from a source such as voter registration banks. Lawyers in the case choose the actual jurors from the jury pool through a process called voir dire.
Example: In the jury pool, we choose people open-minded, people who has free-time, and people who can see both sides to a situation.
lawsuit
noun
A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
Example: Celia wants to ingage a lawsuit against her lessee because she doesn’t pay her rent.
en: poursuite
legislature
noun
An assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city.
Example: The Canada's assembly is now working to see if they pass the law about the weekend of 3 days.
en: (corps législatif) Période durant laquelle une assemblée législative exerce ses pouvoirs.
misdemeanor
noun
An offense punishable by one year of imprisonment or less. See also felony.
Example: Be careful son, maybe you think that this Misdemeanor is minor, but you risk one year of jail for it.
en: C’est une infraction, un délit.
mistrial
noun
An invalid trial, caused by fundamental error. When a mistrial is declared, the trial must start again with the selection of a new jury.
Example: Last night the trial turned out to be a mistria because one of the lawyer fainted.
en: procès annulé
oath
noun
A promise to tell the truth.
Example: Before the testimony, the witness make the oath to say the truth and the only truth to the judge.
en: serment
plaintiff
noun
A person or business that files a formal complaint with the court.
Example: My mom is a plaintiff at the court cause she has been robbed multiple times this year.
en: C’est le demandeur, le réquérant la partie de la demanderesse.
testimony
noun
Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
Example: The judge allowed the witness to do a testimony today.
en: C’est un court l’apse de temps durant la ceremonie à la court ou chaque témoin raconte sa version des fait vécus(témoignage).
witness
noun
A person called upon by either side in a lawsuit to give testimony before the court or jury.
Example: The witness seemed anxious during his testimony as if he had something to hide.
en: témoin
writ
noun
A written court order directing a person to take, or refrain from taking, a certain act.
Example: Michel recieved an ordonnance from the court to stay away from Melissa his ex girlfriend and the kids.
