Most Common Legal Words, Part 4 (T to Z): 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 T to Z.

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

Table

verb: to formally postpone or delay consideration of a proposal or piece of legislation.

Example: The committee voted to table the amendment until further legal review could be conducted.

More examples:

The motion to increase penalties was tabled due to concerns about its constitutionality.

Legislators agreed to table the bill pending additional expert testimony.

Waiver

noun: The voluntary relinquishment or surrender of a known legal right, claim, or privilege.

Example: The defendant signed a waiver relinquishing the right to a jury trial in favor of a bench trial.

More examples:

Courts generally require that a waiver of constitutional rights be made knowingly and voluntarily.

The contract included a waiver clause that limited the company’s liability for certain damages.

Verification

noun: the process of establishing the truth, accuracy, or validity of something, especially in legal or official contexts.

Example: The attorney submitted the signed affidavit as verification of the witness’s statement.

More examples:

The court required verification of the defendant’s identity before proceeding with the bail hearing.

Proper verification of documents is essential during the discovery phase of a trial.

Unemployment

noun: the state of being without paid work, particularly as a recognized status for legal or statistical purposes.

Example: The claimant applied for compensation under the government’s unemployment insurance scheme.

More examples:

The tribunal reviewed whether the plaintiff’s unemployment was a direct result of unlawful dismissal.

Laws concerning unemployment benefits vary depending on the jurisdiction and eligibility criteria.

Watchdog

noun: An individual or organization that monitors and oversees activities, especially in government or business, to ensure accountability, transparency, and compliance with laws.

Example: The regulatory watchdog investigated allegations of financial misconduct within the corporation.

More examples:

Consumer protection agencies act as watchdogs to prevent unfair business practices.

Environmental watchdogs monitor industrial pollution and advocate for regulatory enforcement.

Young offender

noun: a person, typically under the age of 18, who has been found guilty of committing a criminal offence.

Example: The court referred the young offender to a youth justice program instead of imposing a custodial sentence.

More examples:

Legislation often mandates that young offenders be tried in juvenile courts rather than in adult criminal courts.

The legal system emphasizes rehabilitation over punishment for young offenders, especially for non-violent crimes.

Validity

noun: the quality of being legally sound, acceptable, or binding.

Example: The court questioned the validity of the contract due to the absence of informed consent.

More examples:

The defense attorney challenged the validity of the evidence on the grounds of unlawful search and seizure.

The validity of a will can be contested if it was executed under duress or without proper witnesses.

Warranted

adjective: justified or authorized, especially in a legal or formal context.

Example: The judge ruled that the police search was warranted based on the credible evidence presented.

More examples:

The attorney argued that the use of force was not warranted under the circumstances and thus violated the defendant’s rights.

A detailed investigation is warranted when allegations of misconduct involve potential breaches of regulatory law.

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Xerox

verb/noun: to photocopy a document; a photocopy, especially used in legal settings like discovery.

Example: During the discovery phase, each party was required to Xerox and share all relevant contractual documents.

More examples:

The paralegal was instructed to Xerox the case files for opposing counsel as part of the pre-trial disclosures.

In complex litigation, thousands of pages may be Xeroxed and catalogued for evidentiary review.

Yellow Dog Contract

noun: A now-illegal employment agreement in which a worker agrees not to join or remain in a labor union as a condition of employment.

Example: The court declared the yellow dog contract unenforceable as it violated federal labor protections under the National Labor Relations Act.

More examples:

During the early 20th century, yellow dog contracts were used by employers to suppress union activity.

The judge noted that the existence of a yellow dog contract reflected unfair labor practices and undermined collective bargaining rights.

Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct word from the list:

table, waiver, verification, unemployment, watchdog, young offender, validity, warranted, Xerox, yellow dog