Legal technique is a school technique that is mainly based on Quebec laws. We learn about different court, sentences for different crimes and many more. This second glossary purposed is to know the correct terms of law related words to make the difference between common word and legal word and to learn 15 other legal words.
actus reus
noun
Action or conduct which is a constituent element of a crime, as opposed to the mental state of the accused.
Example: According to section 1 Homicide Act 1957 In terms of ACTUS REUS , it seems clear that in punching Delia, Felicity commits an assault which satisfies the requirement that the action be 'unlawful'; it was neither in self-defence nor an assault justifiable in any other way.
fr: actus reus
bill
noun
A proposal for a new law, or a proposal to significantly change an existing law.
Example: The government wants to create a new bill.
fr: projet de loi
cross-examination
noun
The formal interrogation of a witness called by the other party in a court of law to challenge or extend testimony already given.
Example: The judge could further draw the attention of the jury to the fact that the defendant's silence in court has "deprived [them]
of the opportunity of hearing his story tested in CROSS-EXAMINATION.
fr: contre-interrogatoire
defendant
noun
An individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.
Example: The judge was also able to comment, although not adversely, on a DEFENDANT's failure to make a statement.
fr: accusé
deposition
noun
A statement under oath, taken down in writing, to be used in court.
Example: Suzan gave her deposition at the local police station.
fr: déposition
evidence
noun
Information given personally, drawn from a document, or in the form of material objects, tending or used to establish facts in a legal investigation or admissible as testimony in court.
Example: In 1989, Yamamoto reported that the prevalence in Europe of FIV has been reported as a range of 2% in Germany and The Netherlands, to 33% in the UK with EVIDENCE that the US infection prevalence percentages varied from 1-16% and Japan showing a very high prevalence of infection of up to 44%.
fr: preuve
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: In relation to other offenses, for example in Hertfordshire between 1610 and 1619, 572 men and 36 women were called to give evidence in FELONY cases.
fr: crime
guilty
adjective
Culpable of or responsible for a specified wrongdoing.
Example: He is determined that someone should suffer the punishment of death, regardless of whether they are GUILTY.
fr: coupable
juror
noun
A member of a jury.
Example: Tomas is a member of the jury for a criminal case in court.
fr: juré(e)
mens rea
noun
The intention or knowledge of wrongdoing that constitutes part of a crime, as opposed to the action or conduct of the accused.
Example: The 'Identification' doctrine associates actions of individuals as those of the company which can be liable for almost any offence even if lack MENS REA.
fr: mens rea
plaintiff
noun
The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
Example: In Cooper v Wandsworth Board of Works , the PLAINTIFF recovered damages from the board in trespass for demolishing his partly-built house; it was held that the board should have given a hearing to the PLAINTIFF before exercising their statutory powers of demolition.
fr: demandeur
prosecutor
noun
A lawyer who conducts the case against a defendant in a criminal court. Also called prosecuting attorney.
Example: Prior to the CPIA, it was held in Kingston-upon-Hull Justices ex parte McCann that although disclosure is necessary in certain cases to fulfil the requirement of fairness, "there is no general obligation on a PROSECUTOR to disclose such [witness]
statements in advance of a summary trial.
fr: procureur(e)
sentence
noun
The punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court, or fixed by law for a particular offense.
Example: Fewer cases in the ICC do not mean a 'death SENTENCE' for international criminal law because the latter also includes national prosecutions and international criminal tribunals.
fr: peine
warrant
noun
A document issued by a legal or government official authorizing the police or some other body to make an arrest, search premises, or carry out some other action relating to the administration of justice.
Example: the Supreme court gave us a warrant to search your house
fr: mandat
witness
noun
Person who sees an event, typically a crime or accident, take place.
Example: A recent high profile example occurred in the Damilola Taylor case, during the cross-examination of the prosecution's leading WITNESS a 14-year old girl.
