A written statement submitted in a trial or appellate proceeding that explains one side's legal and factual arguments.
Example: The brief for next week's case is on your desk.
fr: brève
chambers
noun
The offices of a judge and his or her staff.
Example: The judge may hear certain types of cases in the chamber, instead of in open court.
fr: chambres
civil code
adjective
A civil code is a codification of private law relating to property, family, and obligations.
Example: I use the civil code a lot in my law classes.
fr: code civil
common law
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.
contract
noun
An agreement between two or more people that creates an obligation to do or not to do a particular thing.
Example: The contract requires him to finish work by the end of the year.
fr: contrat
courtroom
noun
The place or room in which a court of law meets.
Example: Yesterday I went to the courtroom to contest a speeding ticketed a got last month.
fr: salle d'audience
criminology
noun
The scientific study of crime
Example: Was only 20 and had a degree in criminology.
fr: Criminologe
defendant
noun
In a civil case, the person or organization against whom the plaintiff brings suit; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
Example: The defendant tried to claim that it was self-defense.
fr: défendeur
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: He pleaded guilty to six felonies.
fr: crime
file
noun
A folder or box for holding loose papers that are typically arranged in a particular order for easy reference.
Example: There is a lot of personal information in my client file.
fr: dossier
gown
noun
A loose robe worn by lawyers and judges.
Example: In courtrooms, lawyer gowns command respect and dignity.
fr: une toge
injunction
noun
A court order preventing one or more named parties from taking some action. A preliminary injunction often is issued to allow fact-finding, so a judge can determine whether a permanent injunction is justified.
Example: The owners obtained an injunction to get rid of the squatters.
fr: injonction
judge
noun
A public official appointed to decide cases in a court of law.
Example: She's one of the strictest judges in the state.
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 returned unanimous guilty verdicts.
fr: jury
jury
noun
The group of persons selected to hear the evidence in a trial and render a verdict on matters of fact.
Example: She was selected to sit on the jury.
fr: jury
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 which resulted in harm to the plaintiff.
Example: He is facing a lawsuit as a result of his actions.
fr: procès
lawyer
Noun
a person who practices law
Example: I hope you have a good lawyer.
fr: Avocat
verdict
noun
The decision of a trial jury or a judge that determines the guilt or innocence of a criminal defendant, or that determines the final outcome of a civil case.
Example: The jury took a long time to reach a verdict.
fr: verdict
warrant
noun
Court authorization, most often for law enforcement officers, to conduct a search or make an arrest.
Example: There is no warrant for this assumption.
fr: mandat
witness
A person called upon by either side in a lawsuit to give testimony before the court or jury.
Example: I have been called as a witness in the Mulloy case.