English language for lawyers can be somewhat tactical compared to that used in everyday communication. This is because there is a lot of legal jargon flying around in this space, whether within or outside the courtroom. These words, more often than not, convey straightforward concepts in reality.
Be that as it may, it is essential to familiarize oneself with these terms as they facilitate effective communication, particularly when interacting with legal professionals. A robust grasp of English vocabulary for lawyers not only contributes to one's eloquence but also reflects competence as a professional .
In this article, we have curated 30 of the most common words used in law that can help you get started, whether you’re a foreign lawyer or a seasoned professional looking to expand their vocabulary.
1. Defendant /dɪˈfɛndənt/
Pronounced "di-FEN-duhnt," this word refers to an individual or organization accused of committing a wrongful act or violating the law. The defendant is typically required to respond to the allegations and defend themselves in court.
E.g., Ms. Jones, the defendant in the civil case, denies the allegations and asserts her innocence.
2. Evidence /ˈɛvɪdəns/ The legal term "evidence" is pronounced "ev-uh-DENS" with the stress placed on the last syllable.
In legal proceedings, evidence encompasses any material or information presented to a court or tribunal to support or refute a claim or argument. This can include documents, testimony from witnesses, physical objects, audiovisual recordings, and expert opinions.
E.g., The prosecution presented DNA evidence linking the defendant to the crime scene.
3. Jurisdiction /dʒʊr.ɪsˈdɪk.ʃən/ "Jurisdiction" is pronounced as "jur-iss-DIK-shuhn" in American English.
This word refers to the authority or power of a court, government agency, or other entity to interpret and apply the law, make judicial proceedings, and enforce laws over a particular subject matter.
E.g., This court lacks jurisdiction over the dispute, as it falls under federal law.
4. Charge /tʃɑːrdʒ/
This word is pronounced as "chahrj" in American English.
A "charge" indicates a formal accusation or allegation of wrongdoing that a law enforcement agency or prosecutor makes against a person. Being charged with a crime means that authorities believe there is sufficient evidence to support the accusation.
E.g., After reviewing the evidence, the prosecutor decided to file a charge of theft against the suspect.
5. Liability /ˌlīəˈbilədē/ In English, "liability" is pronounced as "lie-uh-BIL-uh-dee."
Liability is the legal responsibility or obligation one party has to another party or to society as a whole. In criminal law, liability refers to being held accountable for unlawful behavior or criminal offenses.
E.g., The company accepted liability for the accident its employees caused due to negligence on their part.
6. Injunction /ɪnˈdʒʌŋkʃən/ To pronounce the word "injunction," we place the emphasis on the second syllable, as in "in-JUNK-shuhn."
An injunction is a legal order a court issues in a civil lawsuit that requires a person or entity to do or refrain from doing a specific action.
E.g., The company sought an injunction to prevent its former employee from disclosing trade secrets .
7. Damages /ˈdamijiz/ The ideal pronunciation for the word "damages" is "DAM-ij-iz."
In legal English for lawyers, this term refers to the monetary compensation awarded to a party as a remedy for a wrong caused by another party's actions.
E.g., The court awarded substantial damages to the injured party after pleadings of pain and suffering.
8. Precedent /ˈpres.ə.dent/ Pronounced as "PRES-uh-dent," this word connotes a previous court decision that serves as an authoritative guide for future cases with similar legal issues.
E.g., Drawing from precedent , the judge in the superior court rendered a verdict.
9. Appeal /əˈpēl/ Appeal is one of the common words used in law, both within and outside the courtroom. It is often pronounced as "uh-PEEL."
The term "appeal" refers to the process by which a party seeks review of a lower court's decision by a higher court.
E.g., I have plans to appeal the verdict on the grounds of insufficient evidence linking me to the wrongful death accusations.
10. Habeas Corpus /ˌhābēəs ˈkôrpəs/ Habeas Corpus or "HEY-bee-uhs KAWR-puhs" is quite a mouthful to pronounce. However, the legal terminology simply refers to protecting individuals from unlawful detention or imprisonment.
E.g., The defense attorney filed a writ of habeas corpus to challenge her client's detention without trial.
11. Appellate /əˈpɛlət/
An appellate court is a type of court that hears appeals from lower courts or tribunals. Its primary function is to review decisions made by lower courts or administrative agencies to determine if legal errors were made or if the decision was otherwise improper.
E.g., The defendant's attorney filed an appeal with the state appellate court, arguing that the trial judge had made errors in admitting certain evidence.
12. Arbitration /ˌärbəˈtrāSHən/ Pronounced “ar-bi-TRAY-shuhn” with the stress on the third syllable, this word means the process of resolving disputes outside of court, with a neutral third party making a binding decision.
E.g., The parties agreed to arbitration to settle their contractual disagreements efficiently.
13. Deposition /depəˈziSHən/ A deposition is the act of taking sworn out-of-court testimony from a witness or party to a lawsuit. During a deposition, individuals involved in a legal case, including plaintiffs, defendants, and witnesses, are questioned under oath by attorneys.
In the word "deposition," the stress is placed on the third syllable, resulting in "dep-uh-ZISH-uhn."
E.g., The attorney of the district court questioned the witness during a deposition to gather evidence for trial.
14. Alibi /ˈaləˌbī/ An "alibi" is a claim or piece of evidence that shows a person was somewhere other than the scene of a crime at the time it was committed. The correct pronunciation for this word is "AL-uh-bye."
E.g., His defendant presented multiple witnesses to support his alibi for the night of the robbery during his criminal trial.
15. Probate /ˈprōbāt/
"Probate" refers to the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person. This is essentially the legal procedure by which a deceased person's assets are distributed and their affairs are settled under the supervision of a court.
E.g., An executor whom the court appointed took charge of overseeing the probate of the deceased's will.
16. Testimony /ˈtɛstəˌmoʊni/ The word "testimony" is one of the common words used in law and it is often pronounced as "TES-tuh-moh-nee."
Testimony connotes statements or evidence given by a witness under oath in a court of law. Witnesses provide testimony about their observations, experiences, or knowledge relevant to criminal cases. Testimony may be given orally during a trial or deposition, or it can be provided in written form.
E.g., The witness' compelling testimony swayed the jury in favor of the plaintiff.
17. Felony /ˈfelənē/ "Felony" is simply pronounced as "FELL-uh-nee" with the emphasis often on the first syllable.
This legal terminology refers to a serious crime that involves violence or is considered a grave offense against the law. Felonies are generally distinguished from misdemeanors, which are less serious offenses.
E.g., The high court charged the suspect with committing a felony after being found in possession of the illegal firearms used in stealing the motor vehicle at gunpoint.
18. Misdemeanor /ˌmisdəˈmēnər/ In legal English, "misdemeanor" is a lesser criminal offense than a felony, often punishable by a fine, probation, community service, or a short jail sentence.
This word is pronounced "miss-duh-MEEN-er."
E.g., The defendant pled guilty to misdemeanor trespassing.
19. Admissible /ədˈmisəb(ə)l/ "Admissible" in American English commonly sounds like "ad-MISS-uh-bull."
This word is a Latin term that means evidence or testimony is permitted to be presented or considered in court proceedings because it meets certain criteria of relevance, reliability, and legality.
E.g. Due to its authenticity, the judge ruled the document admissible .
20. Case /keɪs/ Pronounced "kayss," a case is a dispute or controversy that is brought before a court for resolution. It can also refer to specific legal proceedings, including all related documents, evidence, and decisions associated with a dispute.
E.g., The judge presiding over the criminal case listened carefully to the arguments presented by both sides
21. Discovery /dɪˈskʌvəri/
Discovery is one of the common words used in law as well as in everyday communication. This word is pronounced "dih-SKUHV-uh-ree."
For legal purposes, “discovery” refers to the pre-trial phase in a lawsuit where each party can obtain evidence and information from the opposing party or parties.
E.g., In her quest for evidence, the attorney left no stone unturned during the discovery process.
22. Litigation /ˌlɪt̬.əˈɡeɪ.ʃən/ "Litigation" is pronounced as "lih-tuh-GAY-shuhn." It typically refers to the process of taking legal action through the court system to resolve a dispute between parties.
E.g., The deal between both brothers was a litigation to resolve their contractual dispute.
23. Impeachment /ɪmˈpitʃmənt/ An impeachment pronounced “im-PEECH-ment,” is a formal process in which an official, such as a government official or the president, is accused of wrongdoing or misconduct.
E.g., The House of Representatives initiated impeachment proceedings against the president.
24. Acquittal /əˈkwɪtəl/ In American English, "acquittal" is voiced as "uh-KWIT-uhl." The emphasis is on the second syllable, and the "a" in the first syllable is pronounced as a schwa sound , similar to the "u" in "up."
An acquittal is a verdict wherein a person accused of a crime is not guilty. This means they are cleared of the charges against them and are found not guilty by a court of law.
E.g., They both celebrated their acquittal after the jury found them innocent of murder.
25. Bail /beɪl/ Pronounced as "bayl," the word bail refers to the release of a person from custody pending a trial or other legal proceedings.
E.g., The judge set bail at $10,000 for the defendant's release from custody.
26. Juror /ˈdʒʊrər/ To correctly voice "juror," the "jur" syllable should rhyme with "fur."
A "juror" is a member of a jury, which is a group of individuals selected to hear and decide on the verdict in a legal case in a court of law.
E.g., Weighing the evidence presented in the court case, the juror arrived at a conclusion.
27. Petition /pəˈtɪʃən/ A petition is a formal legal document that a group of people or an individual addresses to an official entity. The correct pronunciation for this word is "puh-TISH-uhn."
E.g., Bear in mind that the plaintiff has filed a petition for divorce with the family court.
28. Witness /ˈwɪtnəs/ Pronounced "WIHT-nis," this is someone who has observed an event firsthand and can provide testimony about what they saw in a criminal case.
E.g., The witness took the stand to provide crucial testimony regarding the events leading up to the accident.
29. Arrest /əˈrɛst/ An arrest occurs when law enforcement officers take a person into custody.
In American English, "arrest" is correctly pronounced "uh-REST." The emphasis is placed on the second syllable, and the "ar" sounds like "u" in "butter."
E.g., The police made an arrest despite initially tendering a search warrant with no probable cause.
30. Subpoena /səˈpiːnə/ The word "subpoena" is pronounced as suh-PEE-nuh.
This is a formal document containing a court order compelling an individual to appear as a witness or produce evidence for a legal proceeding.
E.g., While testifying under subpoena at the Supreme Court , the witness recounted her version of events.
How to Master Legal English Vocabulary Mastering legal English for foreigners may require a bit of time. However, the overarching strategies for attaining mastery are engrossing yourself in legal materials and practicing consistently.
Here are a few vital methods to keep in mind if you're dedicated to improving your legal vocabulary in English:
Read Legal Materials Immerse yourself in legal texts like court opinions, contracts, and legal books. Also, pay attention to the vocabulary used in these materials and take note of unfamiliar terms.
A good material to practice common words used in law is American Legal English by Lee, Hall, and Barone. Reading legal documents regularly will expose you to a wide range of terminology in context.
Use Legal Dictionaries and Glossaries Keep a legal dictionary or access online legal glossaries to look up unfamiliar terms in the legal field. Make it a habit to consult these resources whenever you encounter a new word or phrase.
Remember to be particular about definitions, pronunciations, and example sentences to understand how the terms are used in practice.
Practice with BoldVoice Take advantage of the BoldVoice app to learn legal English, practice, and refine your overall accent. BoldVoice is an accent training platform that incorporates real-life human coaching with AI for efficient learning.
By providing feedback, exercises, assessments, and video lessons, BoldVoice helps you learn faster as you master words from simple to complex sentences. Their training also covers vocabulary, grammar, writing skills, and communication techniques pertaining to the legal profession.
Improve Your Legal English and Advance Your Law Career English is one of the most universal languages in law, and this is why it is beneficial to practice English for legal purposes specifically. Particularly for non-native attorneys and professionals, legal English is a skill well worth developing. You’ll almost always find these common law terms in contracts, bills of sale, lease agreements for personal property, or affidavits, as the case might be.
It is therefore vital to expand your vocabulary for fluid communication, confidence, and staying informed. This curated list of common legal terms provides a foundation for further exploration. However, for a comprehensive and tailored approach to advanced vocabulary learning, you should consider leveraging BoldVoice.
With the BoldVoice app, you can master legal English for foreign lawyers, refine your speaking skills, and enhance your professional confidence. Download the BoldVoice app right away to get started on your free 7-day trial.
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