Most Common Legal Words, Part 1 (A to F): Master 200 Essential Legal English Terms

​Introduction

Welcome to this book designed to help you improve your legal English vocabulary. My goal is to help you expand your legal English and to be able to speak and write more fluently. Improve your confidence when studying at an English-speaking college or talking to colleagues from other countries.

Let's face it, legal English can be difficult to master, even for the best students. In this book, you'll find 200 of the most common legal words that start with A to F.

To get the most value from this book, be sure to do the following:

−  Review frequently.

−  Use each word in real life as soon as possible.

−  Don't be nervous about making mistakes. That's how you'll get better at English.

−  Do the practice sections. Try not to cheat and look at the answers too much!

−  Consider studying with a friend to help each other stay motivated.

Good luck and I wish you well on your journey to become more proficient with legal English.

​About the Author: Jackie Bolen

I taught English in South Korea for 10 years to mostly university students. I've taught every class under the sun! These days, I'm living and teaching on Vancouver Island, Canada.

I hold a Masters degree and I've completed the CELTA and DELTA teacher certification programs. You can find me here:

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/jackiebolen

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jackie.bolen

Email: [email protected]

ESL Speaking: www.eslspeaking.org

You might also be interested in these books: Advanced English Conversation Dialogues and The Big Book of Phrasal Verbs in Use. Both of them are by Jackie Bolen. You can find them wherever you like to buy books. They have hundreds of helpful English phrases and expressions that can be used in a wide variety of situations.

​Words 1-10

abate

verb: To reduce, lessen, or remove, especially something harmful or undesirable.

Example: The court ordered the factory to abate the noise levels affecting nearby residents.

More examples:

The plaintiff requested that the judge abate the ongoing construction until a proper investigation could be completed.

The nuisance was not fully abated, leading the city to impose additional penalties on the property owner.

bail

noun: Money or property given to the court to ensure that a person accused of a crime will return for their trial.

Example: The defendant was released on bail while awaiting trial.

verb: To release someone from custody after bail has been paid or set.

Example: Her lawyer worked quickly to bail her out before the weekend.

More examples:

The judge denied bail due to the defendant’s prior record and flight risk.

He was bailed out by his family after the arraignment hearing concluded.

above-mentioned

adjective: Previously referred to or stated earlier in a document or conversation.

Example: The court considered the above-mentioned evidence in reaching its decision.

More examples:

The above-mentioned contract terms are binding on both parties.

According to the above-mentioned statute, the defendant’s actions were unlawful.

bequest

noun: Property or money that is given to someone through a will after the person’s death.

Example: She received a large bequest from her grandfather’s estate.

More examples:

The will included a bequest of $10,000 to each of the deceased’s grandchildren.

Legal disputes arose over the interpretation of the bequest to the charitable foundation.

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adverse

adjective: Harmful, unfavorable, or acting against one's interest or position.

Example: The company faced adverse legal consequences for breaching the contract.

More examples:

The court ruled that the defendant's actions had an adverse impact on the plaintiff’s business operations.

Adverse possession laws allow someone to claim ownership of land under specific conditions.

blacklist

noun: A list of people or entities that are denied access, rights, or services due to alleged wrongdoing or disapproval.

Example: The contractor was placed on the government’s blacklist after multiple violations of labor laws.

verb: To place someone or something on a blacklist, often to prevent future participation or access.

Example: The agency blacklisted the supplier for failing to meet safety standards.

More examples:

The court examined whether the plaintiff’s inclusion on the industry blacklist constituted defamation.

Several firms were blacklisted from bidding on public contracts due to previous fraud convictions.

accusation

noun: A statement claiming that someone has done something wrong or illegal.

Example: The defendant denied the accusation of embezzlement.

More examples:

The court carefully reviewed the accusations before proceeding with the trial.

False accusations can lead to serious legal consequences for the accuser.

breach

noun: A failure to follow a law, rule, or agreement.

Example: The company was sued for breach of contract.

verb: To break or fail to follow a law, rule, or agreement.

Example: The tenant breached the lease by subletting the apartment without permission.

More examples:

The court awarded