In this epsiode of Video Vocab we’re going to look at basic vocabulary related to the law. This is the first in a three-part series: part 1 covers basic legal terms, part 2 will look words related to a court case and part 3 will look at the vocabulary related to commercial law.
Key Vocabulary:
1. Law (civil, criminal, contract, property, trust, tort, constituational, administrative & international)
2. Lawyer (AmE = Attorney, BrE = Solicitor)
3. Defense
4. Prosecution
5. Case
5. law A system of rules that people are supposed to follow in a society or country. The courts and police enforce this system of rules and punish people who break the law .
6. law A legal code is a written code of laws that are enforced. A lawyer is a professional who studies and argues the rules of law .
7. law law + adjective: civil law criminal law collocations law + verb: break the law enforce the law become law pass a law
8. civil law Part of the law that deals with disagreements between private individuals.
9. civil law Comes from 2 sources: 1. legislation - laws created by the government. 2. common law - laws based on previous legal decisions and tradition.
10. criminal law Criminal law is a system of law concerned with crimes and the punishment of criminals . Most criminal law is based on government legislation .
11. contract law Contract law sets rules on agreements to buy and sell items and services.
12. property law Property law states the rights and obligations that a person has when they buy, sell or rent homes and buildings.
13. trust law Trust law sets out the rules for money that is put into an investment, such as pension funds.
14. tort law Tort law helps people to make claims for compensation when someone hurts them or their property.
23. case A case is a legal action that will be decided in a court of law.
24. case court case A case that will be heard in court. criminal case A case involving a criminal act. civil case A case under civil law. collocations
25. case collocations bring a case (against somebody) To file charges against another person. defend a case To try to prove that the accused is innocent. consider a case To hear the defence and prosecution arguments and reach a decision.
26. case collocations hear a case (Same meaning as to consider a case.) handle a case To be in charge of representing either side. prosecute a case When the prosecution decides to press charges and asks a court to hear the case.
27. case collocations dismiss a case To end a case without reaching a verdict. settle a case To reach an agreement without finishing the trial. drop a case To decide not to prosecute a case.
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