Legal English

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Question English Answer English
someone charged with a crime the defendant in a criminal proceeding
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accused
case brought in court, seeking damages for a tort
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action in tort
criminal deed or act - compare to mens rea, which means the criminal intent
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actus reus
to act as a judge in a dispute; to make a formal decision about something
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adjudicate
body of law, such as rules, regulations, orders and decisions, created by and related to administrative agencies
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administrative law
law regarding the relationship where one person /the agent/ acts and is authorised to act for another /the principal/
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agency law
written agreement between states or nations governed by international laws
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agreement /international/
form or method or resolving disputes apart from litigation
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alternative dispute resolution /ADR/
impartial person given power to decide a dispute
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arbiter
collective body of arbitrators or arbiters
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arbitral tribunal
form of dispute resolution /an alternative to litigation through the court system/ in which disputes are heard and decided by an impartial arbitrator or arbitrators, chosen by the parties to the dispute
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arbitration
impartial person having power to decide a dispute
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arbitrator
/UK/ document that defines a company's internal organisation /US - bylaws/
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articles of association
intentional attempt or threat to injure another person that causes them to reasonably expect to be harmed
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assault
person who receives an assignment
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assignee
transfer of one's contractual rights to a third party
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assignment
person who transfers his/her rights or duties to another
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assignor
lawyer
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attorney
where proof of liability must be shown to be more likely than not
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balance of probabilities
law regarding a legal procedure for the settling of debts of individuals or businesses unable to pay what they owe; all their property is surrendered to a court-appointed official who liquidates the property to pay the claims of creditors
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bankruptcy law
/UK/ lawyer admitted to plead at the bar and in superior courts; a member of one of the Inns of Court
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barrister
group of individuals elected by shareholders to make the major decisions of the company
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board of directors
organisation or entity /active inernationally/
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body /international/
failure to perform a contractual obligation or inference with another party's performance which incurs a right for the other party to claim damages
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breach of contract
party violating the terms of the contract
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breaching party
requirement of presenting enough evidence to support a claim
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burden of proof
unlawful entering of a building with the intent to commit a crime
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burglary
legally recognised organisational structure designed to provide and sell goods and services; basically, three separate categories of entites exist: sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies /US - corporations/
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business entity
field concerned with the legal relationships between the shipper /or owner/ of goods, the carrier, and the receiver/consignee of goods
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carriage of goods
document issued by a governmental authority granting a company status of a legal entity
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certificate of incorporation
to make a formal accusation of a crime
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charge
international agreement granting certain rights to an international body by the signatory nations of such agreement
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charter /international/
personal property /excluding freeholds/
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chattels
any case concerned with non-criminal matters, rights and remedies
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civil cases
set of laws in written formulation used in civil-law systems developed from Roman law and used in many European countries
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civil code /civil law/
1. legal system developed from Roman codified law, established by a state for its regulation; 2. area of the law concerned with non-criminal matters, rights and remedies
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civil law
injury or damage that is not the result of a crime
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civil wrong
person who brings civil action
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/UK/ - claimant; /US/ - plaintiff
paragraph or section of a contract
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clause
body of law governing the relations between persons engaged in business
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commercial law
dealing and acts or carrying out of commercial functions including procedures of creation, transformation, agreements and exchanges, in conducting and negotiationg business and econominc activities
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commercial transactions
body of law formed through judicial/court decisions, as opposed to law formed through statutes or written legislation /also case law, judge-made law/
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common law
alternative to prison, a criminal entence that requires the offender to do unpaid work in the community
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community service order
/UK/ institution created to conduct business, usually an association of persons /US - corporation/; it exists as a separate legal entity from the owners /who are called shareholders/; in common usage, it is sometimes used just to refer to a business
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company
process of registering a company; companies can be created by individuals, agents, attorneys or accountants; the majority of companies formed in the UK and the USA today are formed electronically
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company formation
body of law related to forming, registering, governing and dissolving companies
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company law
study of the differences, similiarities and interrelationships between different legal systems
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comparative law
payment for performance of work or for loss sustained
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compensation
as a result of a lawsuit, the award of an amount of money to the injured party in an amount equivalent to the financial value of his injury
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compensatory damages
body of law that regulates business activities and markets, especially agreements and practices that limit competition
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/UK - competition law/ /US - antitrust law/
something of vaule given by one party to another in order to induce the other to contract; in common law, consideration is a necessary element for an enforceable contract
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consideration
documents which define the existence of a legal entity and regulate the structure and control of the entity and its members; the exact form of the constitutional documents depends upon the type of entity
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constitutional documents
body of law which includes legislation based on the constitution, that is the fundamental law of a nation, as well as judicial decisions which interpret and apply the constitution
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constitutional law
struggle of effort, causing, involving, or characterised by argument or controversy peraining to causes between opposing parties; it commonly involves the consequences of breach of contract and also maybe be known as litigation
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contentious work
written agreement between states of nations governed by international laws, e.g. the Bern Convention with respect to the protection of copyrights
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convention /international/
transfer of property rights in land from one person to another; instrument used to transfer title to property
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conveyance
finding of guilt in a criminal case
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conviction
punishment inflicted on the body, such as whipping
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corporal punishment
lawyer representing a party in a legal matter, any person conducting a matter in court
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counsel
new offer with new terms made as a reply to an offer received
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counter-offer
place where cases are heard and justice administered; the judges and all other officers and jury are also referred to as the court
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court
person or company who is owed a financial obligation
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creditor
a violation of public law which is subject to punishment such as imprisonment or fine
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crime
area of law that deals with crime, punishment or penalties /also penal law/
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criminal law
long-established practice recognised as having the force of law
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custom
international law that has not been made manifest or ratified, but is based primarily on natural law and is recognised by the International Court of Justice and the member nations of UN
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customary international law
group of nations or tariff areas created to remove customs barriers between them and to agree to a common tariff policy in realtion to non-member nations
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customs union
money awarded by a court in compensation for loss or injury
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damages
law in regards to financial obligations and legal interactions where one party is unable to pay a monetary debt to another; it may include insolvency, bankruptcy, foreclosures and repossessions
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debtor and creditor law
a written instrument transferring ownership in property
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deed
person against whom an action is brought in court
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defendant /also respondent/
period before trial when formal procedures are used to obtain relevant information from the other party/parties
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discovery phase
disposing of, parting with or otherwise giving up of property; transferring care or possession
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disposition
conflict or disagreement
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dispute
settling of a dispute
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dispute resolution
persons including companies or agencies involved in disagreement
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disputing parties
body of law governing the relationship between employers and employees, including the right to organise in unions
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employment law
to make effective; in the case of an agreement, it is where one party legally compels performance by the other party
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enforce
legally compelling performance by the other party
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enforcement
carrying out of judicial mandates, usually orders
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enforcement of judgements
legal principles applied to achieve fairness where the strict rules of law would be too harsh
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equity and trusts
provisions required for a contract to exist
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essential terms
estate granted only for the life of someone other than the grantee
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estate pur autre vie
sole use and benefit of a property
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exclusive possession
death penalty, capital punishment
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execution
body of law related to family relationships especially divorce
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family law
whole interest in a piece of real property; the broadest interest in property allowed by common law
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fee simple
estate which lasts as long as the original grantee or any of his descendants live
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fee tail
grave crime punishable by a harsher sentence than misdemeanour, which is a less serious crime
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felony
to deliver a document to the custody or records of a court or proper authorities for the purpose of being kept as a matter of record and reference
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file
act of bringing a contract into existence
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formation
international agreement that provides astandards and guidelines for signatory nations to implement on a national level, e.g. the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
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framework convention
the act of misleading someone so as to entice them to enter into an agreement
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fraudulent misrepresentation /fraud in the inducement/
property whose duration of ownership or occupation is not determined
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freehold estate
a dispute in court that has little chance of success as it lacks merit in law and/or fact
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frivolous litigation
a financial loss which can be reasonably expected to occur in the future
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future expected losses
the process of moving towards a more interconnected world
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globalisation
department, authority, administration of government created by legislation
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government agency
party who receives title to real property /e.g. the buyer/
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grantee
party who transfers /grants/ title to real property /e.g. the seller/
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grantor
amount of proof needed to convict a defendant of a crime
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guilty beyond a reasonable doubt
process of nations adopting laws which are similar to or the same as other nations
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harmonisation /unification/
formal proceeding before any body having decision-making powers or authority
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hearing
person who inherits or is entitled to inherit property on the death of another
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heir
body of law relating to the rights of tenants and homeowners, and the financing of housing
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housing law
third party appointed to decide a dispute
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impartial referee
being confined in jail or prison
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imprisonment /also incarceration/
property which can be transferred upon death to a person designated as heir
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inheritable
official order from a court for a person to do or stop doing something
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injunction
person whose legally protected interests have been harmed
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injured party
use of confidential, price-sensitive information when trading in stocks and other securities
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insider dealing /US - insider trading/
written formal legal document
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instrument
law of property that protects legal rights associated with products of the mind, creativity or thought like copyrights, patents and trademarks
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intellectual property law
non-criminal, non-contractual injury in which the person who caused it intended to cause injury
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intentional tort
tort of intentionally causing a breach of a valid contract
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interference in contractual relations
international institutions established by governments as opposed to organisations established privately and acting internationally
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intergovernmental organisations
arbitration of disputes between parties to international commercial contracts
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international arbitration
public official who hears and decides cases in court
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judge
territory or district in which a court has authority to hear cases
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jurisdiction
science or philosophy of law, study of legal systems and a collective term used for the body of case law
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jurisprudence
group of people selected to come to a verdict on questions of fact based on evidence presented in court
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jury
body of law relating to the ownership of real estate, that is land and the buildings on it
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land law
includes both contract and property law, and governs the commercial and residential property rights and obligations of an owner and renter of a real property interestfor a given period of time, usually determined by lease
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landlord and tenant law
person who owns property and either rents it or leases it to another for money
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landlord or landlady
facility offering free or discounted legal assistance, often run by law students under supervision of lawyers
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law clinic
company formed by lawyers to engage in the practice of law
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law firm /also law practice/
action or proceeding brought in court
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lawsuit /also suit/
contract for which the use and occupation of a property is conveyed to another, usually in exchange for a sum of money /rent/
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lease
property whose duration of ownership or occupation is fixed or capable of being fixed
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leasehold
advice and representation in legal matters
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legal assistance
broad system of rules on which to make decisions
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legal framework
artificial entity created by law and given legal rights and duties, for example a corporation
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legal person
selected body of people, usually elected, invested with the responsibility and power to make and repeal laws for a political unit, such as a state or nation
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legislature
legal responsibility
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liability
to be legally responsible
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liable
a right to use property for a purpose without conferring ownership or possession; such right can be taken away at the will of the one granting the right
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licence /US - license/
person to whom the right to use property for a particular purpose is granted
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licensee
estate granted only for the life of the grantee
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life estate
limitation of an owner/investor's financial losses or responsibility, usually limited to the value of person's investment in a company or partnership with limited liability
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limited liability
dispute brought before a court for determination or solution
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litigation
to lose one's ability to make a living
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loss of earnings capacity
method of resolving disputes where the parties are actively involved in the decision-making process
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mediation
legal document that sets out the important elements of the corporation, including its name, address, objects and powers; it is one of the two fundamental documents upon which registration of a company is based
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memorandum of association /US - articles of incorporation/
criminal intent - compare to actus reus, the criminal act)
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mens rea
institution which deals with the supply of credit information about business organisations to other businesses and financial institutions
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mercantile agency
petty offence, a crime less serious than a felony
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misdemeanour /US - misdemeanor/
statement that is false, misleading or contains a mistake
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misstatement
privilege granted by the government /e.g. patent/ to a person or entity to exclude all others from using, producing or selling a certain invention
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monopoly right
transfer of legal title of a property, often land, to another as security for payment of a debt
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mortgage/s/
independent state in which the majority of the citizens share the same cultural heritage and, particulary, the same language
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nation state
failure to be as careful as the law demands
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negligence
unintended injury caused by lack of care or failure to act, in contrast to an intentional tort
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negligent tort
written and signed documents which represent an intangible right of payment for a specified sum of money on demand or at a defined time; some examples are bills of exchange, promissory notes, bank cheques or certificates of deposit
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negotiable instruments /US - commercial paper/
process in which parties who are considering forming a contract discuss and settle on the terms and conditions of the contract
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negotiation
party to a contract who has suffered a breach by the breaching party
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non-breaching party
work that largely involves advising clients and is not between contending parties, such as the drafting of contracts
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non-contentious work
commonly accepted standard of behaviour or manner of doing things
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norm
court's finding acquittal, finding that the defendant is legally blameless
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not guilty
duties that a party has as a result of the terms and conditions of the contract
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obligations
crime
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offence /US - offense/
person who commits a crime
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offender
unwritten, binding agreement
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oral contract
direction or command by an authorised person or body
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order
like framework convention, but used generally in the EU context
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outline convention
physical, mental and emotional distress or trauma for which compensation is given in a tort case
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pain and suffering
early release from prison after serving part of the sentence, usually under supervision and upon certain conditions
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parole
business organisation in which two or more people agree to do business together, sharing the profits and losses of the business together
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partnership
person taking part in a business or transaction, person involved in a suit or dispute resolution proceedings
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party
grant from the government giving exclusive rights to an inventor to make, use or sell an invention for a specified period of time
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patent
things that are movable /as opposed to real property/ and capable of being owned
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personal property /also chattels in common law/
sometimes called an artificial person or legal entity/person; it is legal fiction of identity in law which allows natural persons to act as if they were a single composite individual for certain purposes such as creating a business entity or structure
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personality
stealing something of low value /in some jurisdictions less than $400/, in contrast to grand theft where the value of the stolen goods is greater
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petty theft
formal written statements setting out the cause of action or defence in case
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pleadings
standard of proof in civil cases requiring that one side's case must be more probable than not
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preponderance of the evidence
work carried out before the matter proceeds to trial before a court
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pre-trial works
body of law dealing with disputes between private persons living in different jurisdictions and governing such things as applicable law, jurisdictions and enforcement of judgements
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private international law /also conflict of laws/
body of law that is concerned with the aspects of relationships between individuals that are of no direct concern to the state and in which the government is not directly concerned; it includes the law of property and of trusts, family law, etc.
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private law
sentence which allows the convicted offender to be released into the community under supervision instead of going to prison
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probation
formal process including the steps taken in action or dispute
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proceedings
share, claim, title or right in property
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property interest
to prohibit
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proscribe
bringing a criminal case before a court
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prosecution
lawyer who brings criminal cases on behalf of the state
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prosecutor
performing a sexual act in exchange for money
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prostitution
body of laws governing relationships between states or nations
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public international law
body of law that deals with the relationship between the state and individuals; examples may include constitutional law, criminal law, tax law and administrative law
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public law
behaviour that is criminalised because it is not compatible with society's shared values; there is usually no direct victim but the community, as a whole, suffers; e.g. drug crimes, public drunkenness and gambling
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public-order crime
business structure which is permitted to offer its shares for sale to the general public and traded on a public stock exchange
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publicly listed company
compensation designed to punish the breaching party for conduct found to be reprehensible; e.g. fraud
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punitive damages /also exemplary damages/
unlawful sexual intercourse commited by force or threat or otherwise without consent
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rape
to adopt, approve and sanction; to make valid; to establish; to settle to affirm by express or implied consent to something done by an agent or servant; as, to ratify an agreement, treaty or contract; to ratify a nomination
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ratify
land and anything attached to it
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real estate
land, including anything attached to it
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real property
law associated with the obligations, use and rights of ownership of land or whatever is growing on it or built on it
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real property law
cost of medical care for injuries caused by a tort for which compensation is given in a tort case
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reasonable medical expenses
act of regulating by a rule of conduct or order usually issued by a government agency or established authority having the force of law
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regulation
official responsible for the control and supervision of a particular activity or area of public interest, who ensures compliance with laws and established rules and regulations
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regulator
actions by a party showing that he or she expected another party to act in a certain way
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reliance
granting of a remedy by a court /e.g. damages, injunciton, return of property etc./
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relief
systems of legal rules based on realigious teachings
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religious /or theological/ legal systems
to enforce a right, cure a wrong or compensate an injury
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remedy
payment made to a landlord or landlady for the use of property
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rent
right to specific use of property that is less than a full right of ownership
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right of use
interests that are recognised and protected by law
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rights
loans or credit transactions in which the lender acquires a security interest in certain property owned by the borrower and has the right to repossess the property if the borrower cannot pay
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secured transactions
investment instruments like stocks or bonds
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securities
to impose a certain punishment
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sentence /to/
1. agreement reached between the parties to a dispute resolving the dispute; 2. the amount granted or paid under such an agreement
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settlement
owners of a share of a company/corporation through a proportionate ownership interest of stock or equity
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shareholders
those who invest money in a business entity and receive shares in return representing a proportional ownership
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shareholding members
used to refer to the system of legal rules used in socialist countries
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socialist law /also Soviet law/
lawyer who practises on his/her own
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sole practicioner
single person who earns all the profits and is personally liable for all the debts or losses of the business structure
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sole proprietor
/UK/ lawyer who is qulified to give legal advice and prepare legal documents
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solicitor
when a court orders the breaching party to perform its part of a contract
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specific performance
amount of evidence needed in a certain type of case, for example in criminal case it is proof beyond a reasonable doubt, in civil cases it is a preponderance of the evidence
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standard of proof
piece of legislation which declares that certain kinds of contract, for example those regarding land, pending marriage and the sale of goods worth over a certain amount of money, will be invalid unless put into writing and signed by both parties;
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Statute of Frauds (enacted in England in 1677, serves as a basis for the US statutes)
standardised documents of basic corporate constitution requirements, which a company may adopt in the creation of a company
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statutory forms /statute/
crime that does not require intent to break the law; among these crimes are parking violations and acts that endanger public welfare, like dumping of toxic wastes
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strict liability crime
where liability is imposed for damages caused regardless of fault or intent; that means the victim does not need to prove negligence; it is common in cases regarding defectively manufactured products
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strict liability tort
body of law defining rights, duties and obligations and all matters that are not procedural
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substantive law
to start civil proceedings in a court
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sue /for/
international law dealing with the constraint on the rights of states or nations in relation to each other
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supranational law
law regulating rates or sums of money which may be assessed on personal and business income, real property vaules, and commercial transactions paid for the financial support of a government
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tax law
person who has a right to hold or possess property usually in return for the payment of rent
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tenant
person who is not party to an agreement or an action but who may have an interest in it
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third party /third-party beneficiary/
right to control or dispense of property or the right to ownership in property
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title interest
any wrongdoing that results in an injury, other than breach of contract for which the court will give damages
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tort
person who commits a tort
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tortfeasor
wrongful acts in the nature of a tort
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tortious conduct
treaty or enforceable arrangement between two nations or multi-nations committing them to specified terms of commerce, usually involving mutually beneficial concessions including eliminating trade barriers
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trade agreement
unlawful invasion of the person, property or rights of another
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trespass
legal examination in court of a dispute between parties
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trial
acts by businesses against consumers which are misleading or fraudulent
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unfair business practices
law which has become the same or similar in different nations
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uniform law
injured party or the person was the object of a crime or tort
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victim
non-violent offences usually committed by business people or government officials, typically property crimes and economic crimes; also includes bribery, environmental law violations and money laundering, among many others
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white-collar crime /business/corporate crime/

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