Glossary

1. Bar - the body of individuals qualified to practice law in a particular jurisdiction.

2. Jurisdiction - the right to use an official power to make legal decisions, or the area where this
right exists.
3. Case - 1. a question or problem that will be dealt with by a law court.
4. Brief - a short spoken or written statement giving facts about a law case.
5. Sentence - a punishment that a judge gives to someone who is guilty of a crime.
6. Defence - (in a law court) the things that are said in a court of law to prove that someone is not
guilty of a crime.
7. Conviction - a decision in a court of law that someone is guilty of a crime, or the process of
proving that someone is guilty.
8. Stand - to take a stand - to state your opinion clearly and not be persuaded to change it.
9. Judge - a person who is in charge of a trial in a court and decides how a person who is guilty of
a crime should be punished, or who makes decisions on legal matters.
10. Evidence - information that is given in a court of law in order to prove that someone is guilty or
not guilty.
11. Defence - (in a law court) the things that are said in a court of law to prove that someone is not
guilty of a crime.
12. Conviction - a decision in a court of law that someone is guilty of a crime, or the process of
proving that someone is guilty.
13. Stand - to take a stand - to state your opinion clearly and not be persuaded to change it.
14. Judge - a person who is in charge of a trial in a court and decides how a person who is guilty
of a crime should be punished, or who makes decisions on legal matters.
15. Evidence - information that is given in a court of law in order to prove that someone is guilty or
not guilty.
16. Bind (v) /baɪnd/ - to make something a legal requirement, (if a legal agreement or
official decision binds someone, it forces them to do something or to keep a promise).
17. Duty (n.) /ˈdʒuː.ti/ - a legal obligation, e.g., jury duty
18 . Overturn (v.) /ˌəʊ.vəˈtɜːn/ - to reverse or change a decision made in a lower court.
19. Condition (n.) /kənˈdɪʃ.ən/ - a rule or requirement that has legal force.
20. To follow (v.)/ˈfɒl.əʊ/ - to make a decision based on precedent.
21. Estoppel - A rule of law that when person A, by act or words, gives person B reason to believe
a certain set of facts upon which person B takes action, person A cannot later, to his (or her)
benefit, deny those facts or say that his (or her) earlier act was improper.
22. Equitable Estoppel - A bar to a party from asserting a legal claim or defense that is contrary
or inconsistent with his or her prior action of conduct.
23. Promissory Estoppel - A promise made to another party to a contract that the contract will not
be enforced in whole or in part and which, once acted upon, prevents subsequent proceedings to
enforce the contract as against the person who relied on the promise.
24. Precedent - A case which establishes legal principles to a certain set of facts, coming to a
certain conclusion, and which is to be followed from that point on when similar or identical facts are
before a court.
25. Stare Decisis - stay with what has been decided, the principle of judicial binding precedent.
26. Statutes - The written laws approved by legislatures, parliaments or elected or appointed
houses of assembly.
27. To appeal - To challenge a legal decision made by a lower court in a higher court.
28. Consideration - A payment for a service that becomes part of a contract, in other words,
something of value given by one person or group signing a contract in exchange for something
given by the other.
29. Contract - A legal document that states and explains a formal agreement between two
different people or groups, or the agreement itself.
30. Device - A legal technique used to reach an appropriate decision.
31. Judiciary - The branch of government that deals with justice and forms part of the separation
of powers.
32. Justice - The system by which people are judged in courts of law and criminals are punished.
33. Obligation - A legal or moral duty to do something.
34. Principle - A basic idea or rule that explains or controls how something happens or works.
35. Promise - A statement that may become part of a contract.
36. Right - Something that you are morally, legally, or officially allowed to do or have.
37. Small claims court - A court that deals with disputes over small amounts of money.
38. Court of Appeal (also called an Appeal Court / appellate court/ court of appeals/
appeals court) - A civil or criminal court to which a person may go to ask for an award or sentence to
be changed.
39. Court-martial - A court which tries someone serving in the armed forces for offences against
military discipline.
40. County Court - One of the types of court in England and Wales and some parts of the USA
which hears local civil cases. (There are about 270 County Courts in England and Wales. They
are presided over by either district judges or circuit judges. They deal mainly with claims
regarding money, but also deal with family matters, bankruptcies and claims concerning
land).
41. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) - also known as Strasbourg
Court is a court which considers the rights of citizens of states which are parties to the European
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights.
42. Employment tribunal - A body responsible for hearing work-related complaints as specified
by statute. (Formally, it is known as an industrial tribunal. The panel hearing each case
consists of a legally qualified chairperson and two independent lay (= not legally qualified)
people who have experience of employment issues. Decisions need to be enforced by a
separate application to the court. Appeals are made to an Employment Appeal Tribunal)
43. Magistrates' court - A court which hears cases of petty crime, adoption, affiliation,
maintenance and violence in the home (= domestic violence), and which can also commit someone
for trial or sentencing in a Crown Court.
44. Coroner's court - A court presided over by a public official (usually a doctor or lawyer)
who investigates sudden, unexpected and violent deaths. (An investigation in a coroner's court is
called a coroner's inquest. A coroner's inquest also decides what happens when treasure
or something valuable that has been secretly hidden or lost is suddenly rediscovered)
45. Crown Court - A court above the level of a magistrates' court which hears serious criminal
cases, by a judge and a jury in the UK.
46. Lands Tribunal - A court which deals with compensation claims relating to land.
11. Commercial Court - A court in the Queen's Bench Division (= one of the main divisions of the
High Court) which hears cases relating to business disputes.
47. Rent tribunal - A court which adjudicates in disputes about money paid or services provided in
return for borrowing something – usually buildings or land.
48. The High Court - The main civil court in England and Wales. This is usually the highest court
in jurisdiction, the court of last resort.
49. The European Court of Justice - An organization of the European Union, formed of
one judge from each member country, that decides on the laws that all its members should follow. It
has the power to change decisions made by national courts. (ECJ – short form. It is also called
the Court of Justice of the European Communities).
50. Court of Protection - A court appointed to serve the interests of people who are not capable
of dealing with their own affairs, such as patients who are mentally ill.
51. The Admiralty Court - The court which is part of the Queen's Bench Division, which decides in
disputes involving ships.
52. The House of Lords - The highest court of appeal in the United Kingdom. Since 2009, it is
known as the Supreme Court. (although appellants unhappy with a decision made here can
appeal to the European Court of Justice).
53. Juvenile court - A court where a person under the age of 18 would be tried.
54. Lower court - A court of primary jurisdiction, where a case is heard for the first time and whose
decisions can be appealed to a higher court.
55. Moot court - a mock court in which hypothetical cases are argued, usually as an academic
exercise for law students.

56. Tort is a civil wrong or wrongful act, whether intentional or accidental, from which injury occurs
to another. Torts include all negligence cases as well as intentional wrongs which result in harm.
57. Malfeasance - means doing something wrong or illegal - abuz; infractiune.
58. Misfeasance - means doing something which is legal but in an appropriate way - abuz de
putere; abuz de autoritate; realizarea unor drepturi legale pe cai ilegale; executare nelegala si
incorecta a unui act lega
59. Nonfeasance - means failing to do something that is a legal requirement or professional
obligation. (when someone doesn't do what they have to do by law) - neexecutare (aunei
obligațiuni).
60. Assault - is an act which intentionally causes another person to expect that unlawful force will
be used. (the crime of physically attacking someone) - act de violenta; ultraj; insulta si amenintare
fizică.
61. Battery - is the actual infliction of unlawful force on another person. (the crime of hitting
someone) - act de violența; molestare (si ultraj); amenințare si violența, bătaie.
62. False imprisonment / false arrest - is unlawfully constraining someone against their will in a
particular place. (the illegal act of putting someone in prison or arresting them for a crime they
have not committed) - deținere/ reținere nelegală.
63. Slander - false and defamatory spoken words tending to harm another’s reputation, business,
or means of livelihood - calomnie, defăimare, clevetire.
64. Consent - permission or agreement to do something - consimțământ; încuviințare;
permisiune, ingăduință
65. Infliction - the cause of harm to another person (the action of forcing someone
to experience something very unpleasant) aplicare a unei pedepse; pricinuire, cauzare (a unei
suferinte);
66. To constrain - to control or limit a person's movement - a constrînge, a sili, a obliga.
67. Contract price - price that is agreed for the goods or services at the time the contract is made.
68. Penalty clause - a statement in a contract that if some aspect of the contract is not carried out
satisfactorily there will be a penalty (usually financial).
69. Legally binding agreement / contract - an agreement or a contract that is enforceable by a
court.
70. Offer - a proposal, the terms of which are certain.
71. Unqualified acceptance - when the offeree accepts all the terms and conditions in the offer.
72. Parties - the people who have entered into a contract or the people involved in a dispute.
73. Third party - someone who is not one of the two parties involved in a contract or a particular
situation.
74. Unconditional - absolute, without any doubts or suggestions of change.
75. Consideration - what one party promises to give to, or promises to do for, the other party.
76. Condition - something that you have to do in order for something else to happen.