100 Legal Terms in English

Legal terms in English can be quite complex and nuanced, but they are important to understand if you want to work in or navigate the legal system. Here are some common legal terms in English and their definitions:

1. Abetment - Encouraging or aiding someone to commit a crime
2. Abrogate - To abolish or repeal a law or agreement
3. Acquittal - The judgment that a person is not guilty of a crime
4. Adjudication - The legal process of settling a dispute in a court of law
5. Alimony - Financial support is given by one spouse to the other after divorce
6. Appeal - A request made to a higher court to review a decision made by a lower court
7. Assault - An intentional act that causes another person to fear for their safety
8. Bail - Money paid to secure the release of an accused person from custody
9. Bankruptcy - A legal process in which a person or organization is unable to pay their debts
10. Breach - The violation of a law or agreement
11. The burden of proof - The responsibility of proving a disputed fact or allegation in court
12. Case law - The body of law based on judicial decisions rather than statutes or regulations
13. Chattel - Movable Personal property
14. Civil law - The branch of law dealing with private rights and remedies
15. Common law - The body of law based on custom and judicial decisions rather than statutes or regulations
16. Compensatory damages - Money paid to compensate for losses or damages incurred
17. Complaint - A formal accusation made in court or to law enforcement
18. Contempt of court - Disrespectful or disruptive behavior in a court of law
19. Conversion - The unauthorized use or taking of someone else's property
20. Conviction - The judgment that a person is guilty of a crime
21. Copyright - The legal protection of original works of authorship, such as books, music, or software
22. Counterclaim - A claim made by a defendant in response to a plaintiff's claim
23. Damages - Money paid to compensate for losses or damages incurred
24. Defamation - The publication of a false statement that harms someone's reputation
25. Deposition - A statement made under oath outside of court
26. Discovery - The process of obtaining information from the other party in a lawsuit
27. Dismissal - The termination of a lawsuit without a judgment on the merits
28. Entitlement - A government benefit to which a person is entitled based on certain criteria
29. Equitable - Fair and just
30. Estate - The property and assets of a deceased person
31. Estoppel - A legal doctrine that prevents a person from denying a fact or claim that has already been established as true
32. Evidence - The facts or information presented in a court of law to prove or disprove a disputed fact or allegation
33. Ex parte - A legal proceeding in which only one party is present or represented
34. Extradition - The process of transferring an accused person from one jurisdiction to another to face trial
35. Felony - A serious crime that is punishable by imprisonment or death
36. Foreclosure - The legal process by which a lender takes possession of a property when the borrower fails to make mortgage payments
37. Fraud - The intentional deception or misrepresentation that results in harm to another person or entity
38. Garnishment - A legal process by which a creditor can collect money owed to them by taking a portion of the debtor's wages or bank account
39. Habeas corpus - The legal right for a person to challenge their imprisonment or detention
40. Indictment - A formal accusation made by a grand jury that charges someone with a crime
41. Injunction - A court order that prohibits a person or entity from engaging in certain behavior
42. Intestate - The situation where a person dies without a will, and their estate is distributed according to state law
43. Larceny - The unlawful taking of someone else's property with the intent to deprive them of it permanently
44. The lawsuit - A legal dispute between two or more parties that is resolved in court
45. Libel - A written false statement that harms someone's reputation
46. Litigation - The process of resolving a legal dispute through the court system
47. Malpractice - Professional negligence that results in harm to a patient or client
48. Mediation - A process in which a neutral third party helps two or more parties resolve a dispute
49. Misdemeanor - A less serious crime that is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to one year
50. Mitigating circumstances - Factors that reduce the severity of a crime or the punishment for it
51. Negligence - The failure to exercise reasonable care that results in harm to another person or entity
52. Non-disclosure agreement - A legal contract in which one or both parties agree not to disclose certain information to others
53. Notary public - A public official who is authorized to witness and certify the signing of legal documents
54. Objection - A formal protest made during a trial to challenge evidence or legal procedure
55. Offer - A proposal made by one party to another that creates a legally binding obligation if accepted
56. Perjury - The intentional lying under oath in a court of law
57. Plaintiff - The person who brings a legal action against another person or entity
58. Pleadings - The written statements made by each party in a lawsuit that outline their claims and defenses
59. Power of attorney - A legal document that authorizes someone to act on another person's behalf
60. Probate - The legal process by which a deceased person's estate is distributed to their heirs or beneficiaries
61. Pro bono - Legal services provided for free or at a reduced cost to low-income individuals or non-profit organizations
62. Property law - The branch of law dealing with the ownership, use, and transfer of property
63. Punitive damages - Money awarded to punish a defendant for particularly egregious behavior
64. Quid pro quo - A Latin term meaning "something for something," often used in the context of bribery or other corrupt practices
65. Ratification - The act of formally approving or confirming a contract or agreement
66. Real estate - Property consisting of land and the buildings and other improvements on it
67. Rebuttal - Evidence or argument presented by one party to counter or disprove the evidence or argument presented by the opposing party
68. Recidivism - The tendency for a person to relapse into criminal behavior after being punished or rehabilitated
69. Rescission - The cancellation or annulment of a contract or agreement
70. Restitution - The payment of money or performance of an act to compensate a victim for harm caused by a crime or civil wrong
71. Retainer - A fee paid to an attorney in advance to secure their services
72. Slander - A spoken false statement that harms someone's reputation
73. Subpoena - A legal document that requires a person to appear in court or provide evidence in a legal case
74. Summons - A legal document that notifies a person that they are being sued or that they must appear in court
75. Testimony - Evidence was given by a witness under oath in a court of law
76. Tort - A civil wrong that causes harm to another person or their property, for which the injured party can seek compensation
77. Trial - A legal proceeding in which evidence is presented and a verdict is reached by a judge or jury
78. Trust - A legal arrangement in which one person holds property for the benefit of another
79. Venue - The geographic location where a legal case is heard
80. Verdict - The decision reached by a judge or jury at the end of a trial
81. Warrant - A legal document that authorizes law enforcement to perform a specific action, 
82. Waiver - The voluntary relinquishment or abandonment of a legal right or claim
83. Will - A legal document that outlines how a person's assets should be distributed after their death
84. Witness - A person who provides evidence or testimony in a legal proceeding
85. Writ - A written order issued by a court that commands a specific action
86. Zoning - The division of land into different designated use areas, such as residential or commercial, by a local government
87. Acquittal - The verdict of a judge or jury that a defendant is not guilty of the charges against them
88. Adjudication - The process of resolving a legal dispute through a formal decision by a court or other tribunal
89. Admissible - Evidence that is allowed to be presented in court and considered by a judge or jury
90. Affidavit - A written statement made under oath and signed before a notary public or other official
91. Alimony - Court-ordered spousal support payments made by one spouse to the other after a divorce or separation
92. Appeal - The process of asking a higher court to review and possibly overturn a decision made by a lower court
93. Appellate court - A higher court that reviews decisions made by lower courts
94. Arraignment - The formal reading of criminal charges against a defendant and their entry of a plea in response
95. Assignment - The transfer of legal rights or obligations from one party to another
96. Bail - The temporary release of a defendant from custody, secured by a payment of money or property that will be forfeited if the defendant fails to appear in court
97. Bankruptcy - The legal process by which a person or business declares that they are unable to pay their debts and seeks protection from creditors
98. Bar association - A professional organization for lawyers that promotes ethical and professional standards in the legal profession
99. Bench trial - A trial in which a judge hears and decides the case, without a jury
100. The burden of proof - The obligation to prove a disputed fact or claim in court