Law Vocabulary

legal system — the complete set of courts, laws, and institutions a country uses to create and enforce rules: “Every country has its own legal system.”

court — the place, and the institution, where legal cases are decided: “The case was heard in a local court.”

regulation — a specific, detailed rule, usually created by an authority to control how something is done: “The company must follow safety regulations.”

law — a general, binding rule within a legal system: “It’s against the law to drive without a licence.”

legislation — laws considered as a body, especially newly created ones: “New legislation was introduced to protect consumers.”

regulation — a specific rule, often more detailed and practical, that puts a law into effect: “The regulations explain exactly how the law must be followed.”

defendant — the person or organisation a legal case is brought against, in either a criminal or civil case: “The defendant appeared in court on Monday.”

plaintiff — the person or organisation that brings a civil case against another party: “The plaintiff claimed the company had breached the contract.”

prosecution — the side that brings a criminal case, on behalf of the state: “The prosecution presented its evidence first.”

criminal law — commonly deals with actions considered harmful to society as a whole, prosecuted by the state; a person found responsible is often described as guilty: “Theft is typically dealt with under criminal law.”

civil law — commonly deals with disputes between individuals or organisations, such as contracts or property; a party found responsible is typically described as liable, rather than guilty: “The contract dispute was settled under civil law.”

crime and offence (British English) / offense (American English) are both used for acts prohibited by criminal law. The exact distinction between the terms, and how serious they sound, varies by legal system and variety of English: “Theft is a crime.” / “Parking here without a permit is a minor offence.”

obligation — something a person or organisation is legally required to do: “The tenant has an obligation to pay rent on time.”

terms and conditions — the specific rules and details that make up a contract or agreement: “Read the terms and conditions before signing.”

legally binding — describes an agreement that the law will enforce: “The agreement is legally binding on both parties.”

breach (noun/verb) — a failure to follow the terms of a contract or law: “Missing three payments was considered a breach of contract.”

agreement — a general understanding or arrangement between parties, which may or may not create legal obligations: “They reached an informal agreement to share the cost.”

contract — an agreement that creates legally enforceable obligations; contracts are often written, but they are not necessarily written in every legal system: “She signed a contract with her new employer.”

evidence (uncountable) — facts, documents, or testimony used to prove or disprove something in court: “The lawyer presented new evidence.”

testify — to give a formal, spoken account of what you know as part of a legal case: “The witness testified about what she had seen.”

settle — to resolve a dispute by agreement, without a full trial or verdict: “The two companies settled the case out of court.”

appeal — a formal request for a higher court to review a decision: “The company said it would appeal the decision.”

guilty — the verdict in a criminal case, when a person is found responsible for a crime: “He was found guilty of the offence.”

liable — the outcome in a civil case, when a person or company is found responsible for a breach, debt, or harm: “The company was found liable for the faulty product.”

sue — to bring a civil case against someone, usually to claim money or another remedy: “She sued her landlord over the deposit.”

prosecute — to bring a criminal case against someone, on behalf of the state: “The state chose not to prosecute in this instance.”

judge — the official who oversees a court case and decides on matters of law: “The judge explained the process to both sides.”

jury — in legal systems that use juries, a group of members of the public who decide questions of fact in certain cases: “The jury reached its verdict after two days.”

witness — a person who saw something relevant to a case, or who gives evidence about it: “Two witnesses were called to testify.”

lawyer — a broad term for a legal professional; attorney is especially common in American English, while professional titles vary between legal systems: “She hired a lawyer to review the contract.”